Chemistry

Chromium had no role in preserving China's Terracotta Warriors – scientists

The bronze weapons of famed Terracotta Warriors have remained in pristine, almost perfect shiny condition with sharp blades, even after being buried for two millennia. Scientists have finally solved the mystery after decades of being baffled.

Cancer-causing toxin found in recalled blood pressure pills

The US Food and Drug Administration is also looking into whether these types of impurities could be found in other classes of drugs, a spokeswoman for the regulator said.

In Zimbabwe’s gold wars, miners wield machetes for safety

As the government decriminalised gold digging in the country three years ago, violence perpetrated by robbers and mining mafia is on the surge. Many miners now carry machetes for self defense.

The deadly consequences of agrochemical farming in Argentina

About 95 percent of crops are chemically-induced in Argentina, making it one of the world's leading cereal, corn, and soybean producers. But locals say underneath this growth is a story of death and disease.

Skripal poisoning strained Russia-UK relations and affected Salisbury town

The poisoning of a former Russian double agent, Sergai Skripal, in the British city of Salisbury stunned the world this year.

Water out of thin air: California couple's device wins $1.5M

David Hertz and Laura Doss are literally making water from air; their device creates little rainstorms inside shipping containers by heating up wood chips to produce the temperature and humidity needed to draw water from the air and the wood itself.

EU court upholds insecticide ban to protect bees

A top European Union court upheld the ban on three insecticides blamed for killing off bee populations, dismissing cases brought by chemical giants Bayer and Syngenta.

Plastic-eating enzyme holds promise in fighting pollution – scientists

Enzyme can digest PET, a substance in plastic bottles that causes pollution in huge areas of land and sea all over the world. A plastic bottle takes hundreds of years to decompose.

New bed net gives hope in fight against malaria

The new bed net has a special chemical that blocks mosquitoes resistance to insecticides and in a test has proven to cut malaria prevalence by as much as 44 percent.

New US task force to target opioid makers

The Justice Department says it will support local officials in hundreds of lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of powerful opioid painkillers that are fueling the drug abuse crisis in the US.

US accuses Russia of holding up UN condemnation of Syria chlorine attacks

UN draft resolution expresses grave concern over three reported chlorine attacks in Eastern Ghouta in recent weeks and asserts that those responsible for using chemical weapons must be held accountable.

Nigeria's 500-year-old dyeing business may be fading

The country's pits have fallen into disrepair and many of them are clogged with refuse and stones.