ACS Science Elements Archive: 2013
Science news podcasts from the American Chemical Society
A weekly digest of cutting edge research from the American Chemical Society
Episode 318 – December 16, 2013
Why the world’s longest science experiment is really just a drop in the bucket. Why bullet-proof suits are the talk of the town. And finally, why business at an eco-friendly packaging materials company is mushrooming.
Articles available for this podcast:
Chemical & Engineering News Newscripts
Episode 317 – December 09, 2013
How a “smart pain” medication could help relieve osteoarthritis. How a drug that mimics ‘good cholesterol’ could help combat heart disease and other ailments. And finally, how nanoparticles could one day pave the way for a sneak attack on cancer.
Articles available for this podcast:
Osteoarthritis medicine delivered on demand
A mimic of ‘good cholesterol’ could someday treat cardiovascular and other diseases
Stealth nanoparticles lower drug-resistant tumors’ defenses
Episode 316 – December 02, 2013
Reducing the salt in bread without losing saltiness, thanks to a texture trick. Solar-powered batteries woven into fabrics overcome hurdles for ‘wearable electronics.’ Hormone therapy could enhance the therapeutic effect of head and facial bone grafts.
Articles available for this podcast:
Reducing the salt in bread without losing saltiness, thanks to a texture trick
Solar-powered battery woven into fabric overcomes hurdle for ‘wearable electronics’
Hormone therapy could enhance the therapeutic effect of head and facial bone grafts
Episode 315 – November 18, 2013
How scientists are closing in on better ways to detect cocaine use. New research is raising concerns about synthetic marijuana. Why scientists are creating great balls of fire in the laboratory.
Articles available for this podcast:
Clues to cocaine toxicity could lead to better detection methods
Toward understanding the dangers of fake marijuana
New insight into ‘ball lightning’
Episode 314 – November 11, 2013
‘Tearless’ onions could help combat cardiovascular disease and weight gain. A plant hormone might bolster the cancer-fighting potential of one of the world’s most nutritious foods. How cooking affects a key health ingredient found in blueberries.
Articles available for this podcast:
‘Tearless’ onions could help in the fight against cardiovascular disease, weight gain
Baking blueberries changes their polyphenol content
Maximizing broccoli’s cancer-fighting potential
Episode 313 – November 04, 2013
How an historic fire sparked a revolution in recycling and environmental remediation. Scientists are closing in on a way to recapture rare earth metals from electronic gadgets. A sea of plastic is fouling the world’s oceans.
Articles available for this podcast:
Tire Inferno
Recycling Rare-Earth Elements from Industrial Wastewater
Discovery of the “Plastisphere”
Episode 312 – October 28, 2013
How scientists are closing in on a way to overcome “aspirin resistance.” Researchers are working to make acetaminophen safer. A chemistry student nails down some elemental facts.
Articles available for this podcast:
A new form of aspirin to overcome ‘aspirin’ resistance
Toward a safer form of acetaminophen
Functional Fingernails
Episode 311 – October 21, 2013
How scientists merged two technological marvels – one old and the other new – into a potent disease-fighting tool. Researchers squeeze 110 years of Nobel Prize history into a smartphone app. Why it’s a snap to share the joys of chemistry.
Articles available for this podcast:
Improved smartphone microscope
QR code access to Nobel Prizes in Chemistry
Elemental Legos
Episode 310 – October 14, 2013
Scientists are developing a simple at-home test for the flu. How researchers are making progress toward new antiviral drugs. Scientists are a step closer to better understanding how viruses get into our cells.
Articles available for this podcast:
A new approach to early diagnosis of influzena
Toward broad-spectrum antiviral drugs for common cold and other infections
Pressurized virus blasts its infectious DNA into human cells
Episode 309 – October 7, 2013
How natural substances could help shroud us from mosquitoes. An ingredient in grapefruit could help combat ticks, mosquitoes and other annoying creatures. Why new discoveries could help thwart the resurgence of bedbugs.
Articles available for this podcast:
Toward making people invisible to mosquitoes
Substances that gives grapefruit its flavor and aroma could give insect pests the boot
How bedbugs shrug off pesticides and simple measures to deal with it
Episode 308 – September 30, 2013
Why deadly heart attacks tend to occur in the earliest hours of the morning. How a medicinal tea used in the South Pacific could lead to better treatments for AIDS. Scientists are closing in on a way to fingerprint one of the world’s favorite liquors.
Articles available for this podcast:
Explaining why so many heart attacks strike in the morning
Translating nature’s library yields drug leads for AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease
The chemistry behind the character of bourbon, scotch and rye
Episode 307 – September 23, 2013
The latest speedway technology could be coming to a street near you. How molecular prosthetics could revolutionize medicine. Why scientists are abuzz about declines in honeybee populations.
Articles available for this podcast:
Indy 500 track continues to foster better technology for everyday driving
Toward treating disease the way artificial limbs replace the function of lost arms and legs
The real reason to worry about bees
Episode 306 - September 02 2013
How butterfly wings could help new electronic devices take flight. An insect-inspired super rubber could stretch the bounds of medicine. Scientists shed light on what makes some insects glow.
Articles available for this podcast:
Indy 500 track continues to foster better technology for everyday driving
Toward treating disease the way artificial limbs replace the function of lost arms and legs
The real reason to worry about bees
Episode 305 – August 26, 2013
Researchers develop the first scientific method to authenticate the world’s most expensive coffee. Scientists found a way to stamp out fakes in one of the world’s most popular hobbies. How new and better tests could help unearth metal impurities in drugs.
Articles available for this podcast:
First scientific method to authenticate world’s costliest coffee
Better way of checking authenticity of stamps
Testing drugs for elemental impurities
Episode 304 – August 19, 2013
Why canary seed isn’t just for the birds anymore. How a tropical fruit could help purify drinking water in developing countries. How a picnic table staple could help reduce aches and pains after exercise.
Articles available for this podcast:
Canary seeds ideal for gluten-free diets
Papaya-clay combo used for water purification
Watermelon juice relieves post-exercise muscle soreness
Episode 303 – August 12, 2013
How sweet-smelling fabrics could help fend off bacteria. A material in dissolvable sutures could help fight brain infections. Scientists are looking back in time for a possible solution to antibiotic resistance.
Articles available for this podcast:
Anti-odor, anti-bacterial fabric
Material in dissolvable sutures could treat brain infections
Resurrection of 3-billion-year-old antibiotic resistance proteins
Episode 302 – August 05, 2013
How scientists are closing in on a way to convert carbon dioxide into a potential energy source. Plant-based materials could soon play a more energetic role in our everyday lives. Predicting when athletes are about to run out of steam.
Articles available for this podcast:
Harvesting electricity from carbon dioxide
Using ethanol to make key ingredient now produced by oil
Sensor that helps determine when athletes “hit the wall.”
Episode 301 – July 29, 2013
How researchers recreated the brilliant colors on ancient ivory carvings. Why some ancient artisans were far ahead of their time. Scientists are closing in on a way to improve the durability of the modern version of an ancient building material.
Articles available for this podcast:
Original colors of treasured ancient ivory carvings
Ancient technology for metal coatings can’t be matched even today
Self-healing protective coating for concrete
Episode 300 – July 22, 2013
Saliva may protect older people from influenza. How to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency among vegetarians, vegans and the elderly. A new cancer treatment could help stop melanoma from spreading.
Articles available for this podcast:
Saliva proteins may protect older people from influenza
Preventing vitamin B12 deficiency among vegetarians, vegans and the elderly
First dual-action compound kills cancer cells, stops them from spreading
Episode 299 – July 15, 2013
Why much of the world’s newly discovered fossil fuel reserves may be “unburnable.” Why there may be far less acreage available for biofuel crops than previously believed. How a small increase in energy conservation could have a big impact.
Articles available for this podcast:
Unburnable Fossil Fuels
Downgrading biofuel production
Reducing household greenhouse gas emissions
Episode 296 – June 17, 2013
Why a new study raises doubt about the effectiveness of green coffee bean weight-loss supplements. How scientists created caffeine-addicted bacteria. How coffee and green tea could help create better nanoparticles.
Episode 295 – June 10, 2013
Why scientists are determined to reinvent the wheel. How a new form of genetic engineering could speed drug development. A few tweaks to one of the world’s oldest natural processes could help researchers harvest a crop of important medicinal compounds.
Episode 294 – June 3, 2013
How an old remedy could help prevent bacterial infections. A new surgical technique could shorten certain operations and cause less scarring. How scientists are on the verge of creating a better bandage thanks to an idea borrowed from Mother Nature. An ancient blue pigment could help improve modern medicine.
Episode 291 – May 13, 2013
How scientists uncovered another clue about fluoride and its role in preventing tooth decay. Why extra-virgin olive oil may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. How a small dietary tweak can lead to big changes in the hive.
Episode 290 – May 06, 2013
How scientists are making progress toward eradicating the use of primitive wood stoves. New estimates suggest more people than previously thought are living without proper sanitation. Why life on Earth may have had a bone-chilling start.
Episode 285 – March 25, 2013
Researchers are closing in on a way to create synthetic nanomotors capable of delivering drugs to individual cells. How one of life’s most versatile molecules could be transformed into an “intelligent” nanomotor for use in medicine and engineering. Why high-pressure micropumps could speed up results for some hospital tests.
Episode 281 – February 18, 2013
Changes in farm practices probably have nothing to do with the increased incidence of a common health problem. Why governments should reconsider limits on mold toxins in food. How tiny particles used in manufacturing could adversely affect the harvest of a key food crop.
Episode 277 – January 21, 2013
How scientists are closing in on a way to mass produce a promising cancer-fighting agent. A new computer model could help researchers better predict side effects caused by drugs used to treat cancer and other diseases. Why old scientific musings may be worth a quarter of a million dollars.
Episode 276 – January 14, 2013
How a new process could boost the production of a substance commonly used in perfumes. A Nobel-Prize winning technology could help expand the use of plant essential oils in fragrances and sunscreens. How scientists are working to preserve the beauty of an artistic genius.
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