Hitting the swimming pool this summer? Swimwear relies on a range of materials to keep you comfortable and prevent it from breaking down. This edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN looks at what swimsuits are made of, and how a little chemistry knowledge goes a long way when it comes to keeping them in good shape and stopping their materials from fading and stretching.
This month’s edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN comes off of the back of my ending up on tetracyclines for a chest infection a month or so ago. This alerted me to their ability to make the skin of people taking them more sensitive to sunlight. It turns out that there are a number of odd and unexpected side effects of medications people take for a variety of conditions, so this graphic rounds up some of the oddest I came across. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
Compounds in cosmetics such as phthalates and parabens have often been subject to concerns around their use, but the issue of cosmetic ingredient safety is rarely a black and white one. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN summarises some of the evidence surrounding these components to give a balanced picture of how concerned we should be. Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site.
It’s an oft-mentioned story that Coca-Cola used to contain cocaine. So, in this edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN, we take a look at the unexpected compounds that some of our favourite sodas once contained and explore how water is carbonated to make sodas in the first place. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
This year marks 40 years since the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Geoffrey Wilkinson and Ernst Otto Fischer for their work on the determination of ferrocene’s structure and subsequent research on sandwich compounds. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN looks at the history of ferrocene, other types of sandwich compounds, and some of their everyday applications.
Snot, tears, and spit might sound unpleasant, but all three are an important part of our immune systems. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical and Engineering News, we compare them and look at their components’ role in protecting us from infections. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
