In the wake of the recent announcement of a new £1 coin to be introduced in 2017, today’s post looks at some of the metals present in the coins of the United Kingdom. All of these coins are produced using alloys, or mixtures of metals; the main metals used include copper, nickel, zinc and iron. The composition of some of the coins has also changed since their original introduction, for reasons which are examined below.
Today (8 Feb) marks the birthday of Dmitri Mendeleev, one of the best-known chemists. His name is synonymous with the periodic table; though he wasn’t the first to attempt to organise the elements into a table, his use of his own table to predict the properties of undiscovered elements gave him prominence. This graphic looks at the elements known at the time he constructed his table and the elements whose properties he predicted.
Today (4 Feb) is World Cancer Day. Analysts estimate that there will be 30.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed yearly by 2050, with a projected 18.6 million annual deaths. However, our ability to use medicines to target more effectively is improving, and antibody–drug conjugates are an increasingly effective tool in combating cancers. This graphic explains what they are, how they work, and how they might improve in the future.
Rubber ducks: made from rubber, right? Wrong! This infographic examines the chemical history of a rubber duck, from its origins using genuine rubber in the 1800s to its modern incarnation, made possible by polymers and plasticisers.
As 2025 draws to a close, for this month’s edition of Periodic Graphics, we summarise the year’s most-read C&EN stories. Stories of innovations included potential underground hydrogen reserves and bacteria that can convert plastics to paracetamol. Health and ethical concerns also charted highly, from lead in protein powders to peer review problems.
This graphic examines the colds that many of us suffer from at this time of year, highlighting the viruses that cause colds and flu and their varying characteristics. Originally published just before the COVID-19 pandemic – remember when we didn’t all know what a coronavirus was? – it continues to be topical with the current surges in flu cases this winter.
Skunks are infamous for their stench, but what’s the chemistry behind the foul-smelling liquid they produce? And, more importantly, how can we use chemistry to get rid of it? The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN takes a look. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
