ACS Science Elements Archive: 2012

A weekly digest of cutting edge research from the American Chemical Society

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Episode 274 – December 24, 2012
How researchers could soon add zip to Germany’s favorite sip. Why Russian folklore could lead to the development of new antibiotics. A Nobel Laureate inspires an unusual patio design.
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Episode 273 – December 17, 2012
How scientists are closing in on a natural way to prevent corrosion of airplane metals. Why researchers are concerned about the stability of certain medical implant devices. How a playground could inspire the next generation of nanoscientists.
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Episode 272 – December 10, 2012
Why bag-in-box wine drinkers should chill out. How scientists sniffed out the elusive aroma behind the “king” of fruits. A new tool could help scientists do a better job of explaining climate science.
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Episode 271 – December 03, 2012
How scientists hope to make wood an even better building material. A sea creature's slime could soon be transformed into cozy seat cushions. A hidden danger that could lurk in a popular family gathering place.
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Episode 270 – November 19, 2012
How tiny particles could make a big difference for people who suffer traumatic brain injuries. New research validates an emerging treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. A small college in Massachusetts took a giant, but elemental step forward.
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Episode 269 – November 5, 2012
How scientists are closing in on a way to make a better, more healthful french fry. A heady discovery could have beer fans rolling out the barrel. Why carob plant leaves could help fend off food poisoning.
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Episode 268 – October 29, 2012
A new test ensures the authenticity of expensive buffalo mozzarella. How chewing betel quid -- popular in Asia – can lead to cancer. Speed limits on container ships could limit pollution.
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Episode 267 – October 22, 2012
How a new, single-dose drug could simplify treatment of malaria. Why emerging drug treatments could obliterate a rare, but potentially deadly parasitic disease. Scientists discover yet another reason why alcohol and prescription drugs are a bad combination.
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Episode 266 – October 08, 2012
How simple changes in water filtration could benefit us all. Why a common water-borne digestive ailment may be on the rise. How scientists are itching to try out a rash treatment.
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Episode 265 – October 01, 2012
Newly discovered substances could help destroy nerve gases. How scientists are just a hop, skip and jump away from unleashing a new kind of microbot. A new flat lens could lead to ultrathin smart phones.
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Episode 264 – September 24, 2012
How a new antibacterial coating could reduce infections after surgery. What new materials could lead to the development of better joint implants. How couples bound by science find the right formulas to celebrate wedded bliss.
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Episode 263 – September 17, 2012
How scientists are kick-starting the first-line of defense against the flu. Pigs could soon help us all have cleaner, virus-free hands. What happens when researchers build a volcano in their own backyard?
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Episode 262 – September 10, 2012
How little sprouts might be more nutritious than green giants. A new device could help sniff out previously undetectable explosives. Why one of the world’s oldest warships continues to crumble despite preservation efforts.
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Episode 261 – September 04, 2012
How science is helping to correct injustices and set the innocent free. A potent compound in red wine could help prevent falls among older people. Scientists could soon make it easier for all of us to survive traumatic injuries.
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Episode 260 – August 13, 2012
How a new type of solar cell could help homeowners see the light. Super-sized turbines could soon be blowing in the wind. A farm scourge could help boost ethanol production.
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Episode 259 – August 06, 2012
A common food additive could be linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. How another common food ingredient could lead to the development of effective and less expensive treatments for the disease. Why smoking makes bones snap, crackle and pop.
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Episode 258 – July 30, 2012
How non-human cells living in our bodies could lead to better drug treatments. Why a new set of diagnostic tests could propel the growth of personalized medicine. A simple new technique could help purify drugs.
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Episode 257 – July 23, 2012
How green plants do a better job of reducing urban air pollution than previously thought. Why some “improved” cook stoves in the developing world may be doing more harm than good. How a new technique quickly sniffs out airborne mold.
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Episode 256 – July 16, 2012
How carbon nanotubes could significantly boost industrial production. Why children are more likely to be exposed to a common nanoparticle. Why manufacturers should be wary of nanoparticle dust.
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Episode 255 – July 2, 2012
How scientists developed a drug factory in a pill. A commonly used medical device could help us detect viruses and bacteria in blood, food and other substances. How chemists decoded secrets locked in a 2,300-year-old relic from an ancient war.
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Episode 254 – June 25, 2012
A new treatment for a common infection may be just as effective as antibiotics. How “killer” stainless steel disinfects itself. An ancient armored arachnid inspires a way to keep our wheels turning.
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Episode 253 – June 18, 2012
How scientists are using an ancient effect to produce electricity from an untapped source. A new study could ease concerns about an emerging irrigation technique. Why a cancer-fighting drug could soon do double-duty as a treatment for a cruel neurological disorder.
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Episode 252 – June 11, 2012
What’s next in the quest to unravel what makes us human? Why dumping old drugs trumps flushing. How the inner space of chemistry may be even more dazzling than the farthest reaches of our universe.
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Episode 251 – June 04, 2012
Why the latest office scuttlebutt isn’t good news for workers. How a new device speeds up the detection of harmful airborne metals. What scientists are cooking up to reduce indoor air pollution.
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Episode 250 – May 28, 2012
Something many people use every day could help soothe lingering pain among laser eye surgery patients. How a new process could lower the cost of a vital drug. Scientists may be closing in on a way to ditch a mind-boggling itch.
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Episode 249 – May 21, 2012
How scientists created the first practical artificial leaf. How new technology could help nab terrorists. Why sunscreens may be linked to a painful disorder in women.
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Episode 248 – May 14, 2012
Why a common spice is a top-notch fat fighter. Unroasted coffee could help accelerate weight loss. How researchers are closing in on a natural way to coax a cancer-fighting compound out of soybeans.
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Episode 247 – May 7, 2012
How micro-submarines could help scrub away oil spills. Why scientists are digging deep to find out more about potentially harmful microbes lurking in sand. How differences in the salt content of rivers and the oceans could help produce a new and sustainable form of energy.
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Episode 246 – April 30, 2012
Minute super scrubbers could revitalize laundry detergents. A new fabric coating could help our clothes shrug off gunk. How silk could strangle dangerous microbes before they can harm us.
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Episode 245 – April 23, 2012
Why researchers say they have some “berry” good news about the brain. How putting the kibosh on something called oh-glick-nack might help improve your memory. How an evolving type of artificial memory could add a new dimension to modern computing.
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Episode 244 – April 16, 2012
Why the “fearful lizards” of yore could be the smartest kids in the class on some distant planet. How living at a snail’s pace just got a lot more energetic. A new finding about oil and water could turn the world upside down.
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Episode 243 – April 09, 2012
How comets may have set evolution in motion. Why microscopic “spaghetti highways” could help rejuvenate older people. How butterfly wings could boost production of green fuels. What surprising source of antioxidants is popping up in the kitchen?
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Episode 242 – March 19, 2012
Why that morning pick-me-up might not be as natural as you think. A tantalizing taste conundrum defies explanation. What is killing the bees?
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Episode 241 – March 12, 2012
How producing sustainable fuels could put a strain on scarce natural resources. Why farmers could soon face a daunting choice: grow food or fuel? A high-tech version of a common over-the-counter drug could help subdue a leading cause of death.
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Episode 240 – March 05, 2012
How bacteria in our bellies may contribute to weight gain. Why potatoes could help mash high blood pressure without packing on the pounds. Where water shortages are most likely to occur in the next 40 years.
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Episode 239 – February 27, 2012
“Miracle materials” could help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. An ultra-thin material subdues rust. How a new process led to the discovery of two potent weapons in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria.
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Episode 238 – February 20, 2012
How testing for vitamin D deficiency just became more reliable. A hand-held device could revolutionize blood testing. Why smart phones could help keep us a lot healthier.
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Episode 237 – February 13, 2012
Skewered nanoparticles could help overcome a big problem. A microrocket could speed up drug delivery in the body. How science might best address concerns about the safe use of nanomedicines.
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Episode 236 – February 06, 2012
A new online tool could help you find out what’s really going up in smoke. An inexpensive, yet amazingly effective, new material could help slash carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. How an energetic insect could help power the next generation of electronic devices.
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Episode 235 – January 30, 2012
How scientists are closing in on ways to make healthier hot dogs. Why a little-known component of beer could cause digestive havoc in some people. A startling finding could lead to changes down on the watermelon farm.
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Episode 234 – January 23, 2012
How a substance produced by a “miracle tree” could help quench the worldwide thirst for clean drinking water. Why dew drops do what they do. Why some drug names are such tongue twisters.
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Episode 233 – January 17, 2012
How coffee drinking reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes. A real insight into a “wild card” in your genes. Advances toward an imaging agent for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.
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Episode 232 – January 09, 2012
How dried licorice root fights the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Why some vacuum cleaners actually make things dirtier in your home. A new medical scanner bears a strong resemblance to a device used on television’s most famous science fiction show.
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Episode 231 – January 02, 2012
An emerging field of research could heat up cancer treatment. How a new tool could help surgeons zero in on cancer cells in the brain. Why nano-magnets could help doctors replace damaged or diseased cells in the body.
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