These are the Reactive chemistry news links up to 15:25: Chemical happenings on the web - This week, the Alchemist hears how starfish mucus could be the next lead in anti-inflammatory drug research, while chromatography uses macrocyclic starch molecules to go green. News of an arsenic-based bacteria is greatly exaggerated (allegedly) but energy-rich waste water […]
crystal structure
Crystal clear hydrogen storage - Solid materials rich in hydrogen, such as ammonia borane could help solve the gas storage problem for vehicle fuel cells. Now, a crystal structure of an alternative material, DADB, offers new hope of a stable material that works at lower temperature (85 rather than 110 Celsius). Tannin test - At […]
Have you heard of the Stenger Wasas Process (SWAP)? Apparently, it’s an exothermic reaction (produces heat) that takes place between carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and “eliminates” both. It operates over a secret heterogeneous catalyst that is apparently readily available and inexpensive. Sounds too good to be true: Solve global warming and acid rain in […]
When nicotine binds to a neuron, how does the cell know to send the signal that announces a smoker’s high? A recently determined crystal structure of a key player in the process suggests that a sugar molecule has a simple mechanical role acting as a hinge to open a gate in the cell membrane. The […]
Stephen Bryant graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in 1976, having majored in Chemistry and English. He completed his PhD in 1981 at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in the Department of Biophysics under Mario Amzel and Roberto Poljak on the subject of protein crystallography. He then took up a position […]