Many exciting developments are happening in chemistry. Some are theoretical and aid our understanding of the universe, while others have application potential and will soon be incorporated into cool gadgets, and yet others are immediately relevant to our health and environment and are affecting us now. Click on the links below to learn more about the topics personally handpicked by profTK.
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December 15, 2008
Announcement of Energy and Environment Team by President-Elect Obama (Change.gov) More info |
November 30, 2008
Transition to Green Report - 28 green groups compile 359 pages of suggestions, hoping for a green revival post-Bush (Save our Environment) More info |
December 2, 2008
California launches nation’s first green chemistry program (ES&T). More info |
November 19, 2008
F.D.A. opens Beijing inspection office (Herald Tribune). More info |
November 17, 2008
When the EU embraced sustainability, the Bush admnistration warned of economic ruin (Mother Jones). More info |
November 9, 2008
Obama Positioned to Quickly Reverse Bush Actions (Washington Post). More info |
October 17, 2008
Canada to draft regulations to prohibit the importation, sale, and advertising of baby bottles containing bisphenol A, with the bans taking effect in 2009 (Canada Gazette). More info |
October 14, 2008
President Bush signed into law the "Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008," an Act to prohibit the sale, distribution, transfer, and export of elemental mercury, and
for other purposes. (US Congress). More info |
October 12, 2008
McCain, Obama, and the environment (CNN). More info |
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September 30, 2008
Presidential candidates answer science policy questions (C&EN). More info |
September 19, 2008
Hadron Collider forced to halt (BBC). More info |
September 15, 2008
Is It the Dawn of the Reregulation Era (Business Week). More info |
September 15, 2008
Products derived from natural, nontoxic ingredients, once seen as fringe, are now mainstream (LA Times). More info |
September 10, 2008
Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy (Report by Political Economy Research Institute). More info |
September 1, 2008
The Plenty 20: list honoring individuals, companies, and innovative ideas that are bettering the world.
(Plenty). More info |
August 22, 2008
Academies Panel Finds Public Participation Improves Quality of Environmental Decisions (National Academies). More info |
August 21, 2008
F.D.A. Allows Irradiation of Some Produce (NY Times). More info |
August 16, 2008
Controversial chemical bisphenol A is safe, FDA says (FDA). More info |
August 14, 2008
President Signs the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, H.R.4040, into Law (White House). More info |
August 5, 2008
EPA Releases Risk-Based Evaluations of 26 Chemicals (EPA). More info |
July 17, 2008
Sustainability Reporting by S&P 100 Companies Made major Advances From 2005-2007 (Siran). More info |
July 17, 2008
Generational Challenge to Repower America (Al Gore). More info |
July 14, 2008
McCain and Obama Take on Environmental Concerns (US News & World Report). More info |
July 11, 2008
EPA Won't Act on Emissions This Year; Releases Greenhouse Gas Document for Public Comment (Washington Post). More info |
July 11, 2008
An American life is worth $1 million less than it was 5 years ago, EPA says (Newsweek). More info |
July 3, 2008
Green Countries: Global Report Card on Nations Doing the Most, and Least, to Clean Up the Environment (Newsweek). More info |
June 30, 2008
Chemists seek environmentally friendlier compounds and formulations for fireworks and flares (C&EN). More info |
June 30, 2008
I Have Just One Word for You: Bioplastics (Business Week). More info |
June 28, 2008
Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects (NY Times). More info |
June 26, 2008
EPA proposes to classify key solvent in dry cleaning as likely human carcinogen (EPA). More info |
June 19, 2008
White House Directs Federal Agencies to Establish Environment Indicators (White House). More info |
June 17, 2008
Latest Honda Runs on Hydrogen, Not Petroleum (NY Times). More info |
June 16, 2008
Scientists Help To Explain Diversity of Molecular Structures (CAS). More info |
June 16, 2008
Contained Chemistry (C&EN). More info |
June 12, 2008
European Chemical Law Has Global Impact (Washington Post). More info |
June 3, 2008
In shift, FDA says mercury fillings may harm some (FDA). More info |
June 3, 2008
Experts Revive Debate Over Cellphones and Cancer (New York Times). More info |
May 31, 2008
Administration Moves to Avert a Late Rules Rush (New York Times). More info |
May 28, 2008
New tests find BPA in kids' canned food containers (CTV). More info |
May 26, 2008
European Chemicals Agency issues an updated guidance to help firms understand their obligations for registration under the Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (ECA). More info |
May 23, 2008
Chemical Hearing Pits Senators Against FDA (Pump Handle). More info |
May 12, 2008
Seeking Sustainability (C&EN). More info |
May 8, 2008
If energy conservation both saves money and is good for the planet, why don't people do more of it (Economist). More info |
May 5, 2008
Forever Waste: Radioactive waste raises ethical questions of intergenerational responsiblities (C&EN). More info |
May 1, 2008
"State of the Air" reports says that nearly 125 million Americans live in an area with unhealthy levels of air pollution (American Lung Association). More info |
April 29, 2008
Low Productivity and New Interagency Review Process Limit the Usefulness and Credibility of EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (GAO Report on Chemical Assessment). More info |
April 29, 2008
Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Production in America (Report of the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production). More info |
April 25, 2008
How Much Do Chemicals Affect Our Health (Discover). More info |
April 18, 2008
Briefing: Nuclear power (CNN). More info |
April 17, 2008
OECD Summarizes Global Regulatory, Other Developments on Nanomaterials (OECD). More info |
April 17, 2008
Toxic Stock Syndrome: How Corporate Financial Reports Fail to Apprise Investors of the Risks of Product Recalls and Toxic Liabilities (IEHN). More info |
April 16, 2008
President Bush Sets 2025 Goal for Stopping Growth of Greenhouse Gas Emission (NPR). More info |
April 15, 2008
Federal efforts on nanotechnology praised by White House (PCAST). More info |
April 14, 2008
National Toxicology Program expresses some concern that exposure to bisphenol A causes neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures (NTP). More info |
April 9, 2008
Do-it-yourself power; squeezing a few watts out of everyday life (ES&T). More info |
April 9, 2008
A new focus on plastic ingredient, BPA, in bottles and cans (Consumer Reports). More info |
April 8, 2008
'Revolutionary' Carbon Dioxide Maps Zoom In On Greenhouse Gas Sources (ScienceDaily). More info |
April 3, 2008
The Great Forgotten Clean-Energy Source: Geothermal (Discover). More info |
April 2, 2008
Industry provides ingredient information to Canadians (Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association). More info |
April 1, 2008
Governor Gregoire signs legislation improving toy safety (Washington State Office of the Governor). More info |
March 31, 2008
New EPA requirements to protect children from lead-based paint hazards
(US EPA). More info |
March 29, 2008
The symposium on Breaking the Logjam: An Environmental Law for the 21st Century (NYU). More info |
March 28, 2008
EPA Policy Committee releases report: "Everyone's Business: Working Towards Sustainability Through Environmental Stewardship and Collaboration" (EPA). More info |
March 26, 2008
Business schools teach environmental studies (US News World Report). More info |
March 26, 2008
A Turn to Alternative Chemicals (NY Times). More info |
March 25, 2008
China's Three Gorges Dam: An Environmental Catastrophe (Scientific American). More info |
March 25, 2008
States alter rules of game on safety for toy makers (Wall Street Journal). More info |
March 18, 2008
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson unveils Chemicals Assessment and Management Program, or ChAMP, during his keynote address at the 2008 Global Chemical Regulation Conference (EPA). More info |
March 14, 2008
EPA issues tougher pollution rules for diesel-powered ships and locomotives (Washington Post). More info |
March 13, 2008
Green Building in North America: Opportunities and Challenges (Commission for Environmental Cooperation). More info |
March 13, 2008
Boeing's new laser cannon can melt a hole in a tank from five miles away and 10,000 feet up (Popular Science). More info |
March 12, 2008
EPA strengthened national standards for ground-level ozone levels (EPA). More info |
March 12, 2008
CDC releases draft linking pollution to health problems (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry). More info |
March 11, 2008
Are dangerous toxins lurking in your everyday products (Chicago Tribune). More info |
March 10, 2008
Prescription drugs found in drinking water across U.S. (USA Today). More info |
March 7, 2008
U.S. EPA releases report: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006 (U.S. EPA). More info |
March 7, 2008
Senate votes for safer products; biggest change is likely to be a better-staffed Consumer Product Safety Commission with more enforcement power (Washington Post). More info |
March 3, 2008
First step to CO2 sequestration to be tested at Wisconsin coal-fired power plant (C&EN). More info |
March 3, 2008
Green - Up to a Point (BusinessWeek). More info |
March 2, 2008
Increasing dependence on the grain leaves the U.S. vulnerable to drought-induced price spikes in food and fuel (Los Angeles Times). More info |
March 1, 2008
Non-Toxic Tots (Washington Post). More info |
February 28, 2008
Uncharged organic molecule can bind negatively charged ions
(ScienceDaily). More info |
February 26, 2008
First 30,000 pages have been unveiled of a vast encyclopedia which aims to catalog every one of our planet's 1.8 million species (Encyclopedia of Life). More info |
February 25, 2008
Pharmaceuticals in the environment (C&EN). More info |
February 21, 2008
Toxic releases are down 2 percent from the previous year, according to new EPA data from the Toxics Release Inventory (EPA). More info |
February 21, 2008
EPA announces that it is proposing to study 93 chemicals and 11 microbes in its draft Contaminant Candidate List for drinking water regulation (EPA). More info |
February 20, 2008
LDDI Report: Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Factors (Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative). More info |
February 20, 2008
Lowell Center for Sustainable Production says that that "current regulatory and agency structures for protecting the public
from chemical hazards in consumer products are inadequate and in need of reform" (Lowell Center). 1st Report 2nd Report |
February 20, 2008
Scientists create a black that erases virtually all Llight (Washington Post). More info |
February 19, 2008
Food containers leach bisphenol A, potentially harmful chemical (Scientific American). More info |
February 14, 2008
NIH and EPA collaborate on chemical testing program that is anticipated to generate data more relevant to humans, expand the number of chemicals that are tested, and reduce the time, money and number of animals involved in testing (NIEHS, EPA). More info |
February 13, 2008
Fabrics that could produce electricity when worn (CBS News). More info |
February 8, 2008
EPA is raising the 2008 renewable fuels standard to 7.76 percent (US EPA). More info |
February 4, 2008
Many common household products contain compounds that could be affecting our health (Newsweek). More info |
February 4, 2008
Congress is investigating the Weinberg Group, a firm which critics charge manufactures uncertainty on behalf of chemical companies to help keep their products free from government bans or other restrictions (ABC News). More info |
February 4, 2008
Baby care products are possible sources of infant phthalate exposure (Environmental Health News). More info |
February 1, 2008
NICEATM-ICCVAM five-year plan to further reduce, refine and replace the use of animals in research and regulatory testing (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ). More info |
January 31, 2008
California's green chemistry initiative: Options Report includes 818 options on ways to reduce the effects of toxic chemicals on people and the environment (California EPA). More info |
January 31, 2008
Hydrogen-bonded crystalline assembly undergoes new motion: tilting (C&EN). More info |
January 30, 2008
California legislation calls for disclosure by companies of the contents in the consumer products (Legislative Counsel of California). More info |
January 28, 2008
Helium-8 study gives insight into nuclear theory, neutron stars (PhysOrg). More info |
January 28, 2008
Air purifiers draw scrutiny for producing ozone (Wall Street Journal). More info |
January 28, 2008
EPA releases final Federal Register notice describing Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (US EPA). More info |
January 23, 2008
Judging science: raising the bar on introducing scientific data into lawsuit hearings (Science News). More info |
January 23, 2008
Join the world’s leading environmental scientists and policy makers at the 7th annual EPA Science Forum: May 20-22, 2008 (US EPA). More info |
January 23, 2008
U.S. Given Poor Marks on the Environment (New York Times). More info |
January 21, 2008
Greener Cleaners: meeting the consumer demand for environmentally friendly cleaning products (C&EN). More info |
January 17, 2008
Report: Green Chemistry - Cornerstone to a Sustainable California (UC Centers for Occupational and Environmental Health). More info |
January 17, 2008
Greening of corporate social responsibility (Eocnomist). More info |
January 16, 2008
Scientists take complaints about interference to Hill (Washington Post). More info |
January 15, 2008
FDA says clones are safe to eat as food (US FDA). More info |
January 14, 2008
Breakthrough Could Mean 40-Hour Laptop Batteries (NewsFactor). More info |
January 14, 2008
Unanticipated details about the mechanism of the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction are uncovered (C&EN). More info |
January 14, 2008
Protons may be neurotransmitters (C&EN). More info |
January 10, 2008
New nuclear plants in UK get go-ahead (BBC). More info |
January 7, 2008
The centrality of chemistry: our challenges and opportunities (President of American Chemical Society; C&EN). More info |
January 7, 2008
New world for biofuels (C&EN). More info |
January 7, 2008
50 people who could save the planet (Guardian). More info |
January 4, 2008
Scientists use sunlight to make fuel from CO2 (Wired). More info |
January 3, 2008
California and 15 other U.S. states announce lawsuit against EPA for failing to act on California’s tailpipe emissions request (CA Office of Governor). More info |
January 1, 2008
Recall scares spur Congress to increase the budget and power of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Chicago Tribune). More info |
January 1, 2008
President Bush signs bill strengthening Freedom Of Information Act, giving the public and the media greater access to information about what the government is doing (Associated Press). More info |
January 1, 2008
European Food Safety Agency says that cloned animals are safe for consumption (International Herald Tribune). More info |
January 1, 2008
January is National Radon Action Month (US EPA). More info |
December 27, 2007
Orexin A is a promising candidate to replace sleep (Wired). More info |
December 27, 2007
Top 10 scientific breakthroughs of 2007 (Wired). More info |
December 24, 2007
2007 chemistry highlights (C&EN). More info |
December 24, 2007
Chemical industry: 2007 in review (C&EN). More info |
December 24, 2007
Ultrafast electron microscope can track three-dimensional structural changes on the atomic timescale (C&EN). More info |
December 21, 2007
Congress directs EPA to re-open its libraries (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility). More info |
December 21, 2007
Top 25 science stories of 2007 (Scientific American). More info |
December 19, 2007
President Bush signs a bill to increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average 35 miles per gallon by 2020, and also increases production of ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022 (MSNBC). More info |
December 19, 2007
US EPA denies California's petition to limit greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles (Washington Post). More info |
December 17, 2007
Costs of Biofuels: two opposing views on efficiency of biofuels (C&EN). More info |
December 12, 2007
Top 100 science stories of 2007 (Discover). More info |
December 12, 2007
Power companies are beginning to file applications to build up to 32 nuclear plants over the next 20 years, the first since the 1979 (USA Today). More info |
December 11, 2007
Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech by Al Gore. More info |
December 10, 2007
Metabolomics: chemistry of metabolism (ES&T). More info |
December 10, 2007
Political interference with climate change science under the Bush Administration (report by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ). More info |
December 10, 2007
EPA announces regulatory priorities (US EPA). More info |
December 4, 2007
US EPA released its second set of High Production Volume (HPV) chemical hazard characterizations (US EPA). More info |
December 4, 2007
Environmental Working Group sounds alarm on bisphenol-A, or BPA, in lining of baby formula cans and polycarbonate plastic products, including baby bottles (CNN video). More info |
December 3, 2007
Chemistry graduates of 2006: Salaries & Jobs (C&EN). More info |
December 3, 2007
Congress asks for more analysis of proposal for burning hazardous waste as fuel (C&EN). More info |
November 30, 2007
Launch of US EPA - China Environmental Law Initiative (US EPA). More info |
November 30, 2007
150 global companies seek mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (Washington Post). More info |
November 30, 2007
Final report on reproductive and developmental toxicity of Bisphenol A, a common plastics ingredient (National Toxicology Program). More info |
November 30, 2007
U.S., EU and Canada form a working group on environmental performance verification (International Working Group on Environmental Performance Verification). More info |
November 27, 2007
US EPA launches GreenChill program to promote the use of advanced supermarket refrigeration technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce emissions of ozone depleting and greenhouse gas refrigerants. (US EPA). More info |
November 17, 2007
U.N. panel releases new report urging global cooperation: Summary for Policymakers of the AR4 Synthesis Report (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). More info |
November 14, 2007
The challenge of regulating nanomaterials (ES&T). More info |
November, 2007
Chemicals in the news (Comparative Toxicogenomics Database). More info |
November 12, 2007
Is it In Us; biomonitroing study on 35 people, including legislators from seven states (Body Burden Work Group and Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center). More info |
May, 2007
EPA and Nanotechnology: Oversight for the 21st Century ( report by Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies). More info |
November 11-14, 2007
Energy efficiency global forum and exposition (Washingotn, DC). More info |
November 7, 2007
New type of quintuple-bonded dichromium complex has the shortest metal-metal bond yet (C&EN). More info |
November 6, 2007
Most people are ready to make personal sacrifices to address climate change (BBC poll of 22,000 people in 21 countries). More info |
November 2, 2007
Chemicals of interest list for chemical facility anti-terrorism standards (US Homeland Security).More info |
October 29, 2007
Scientific and ethical approaches for observational exposure studies in humans (US EPA). More info |
October 29, 2007
Heroes of the Environment (Time Magazine). More info |
October 25, 2007
Newly discovered magnesium and aluminum isotopes push the limits of nuclear stability (Michigan State University’s National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory). More info |
October 23, 2007
Planet in Peril; worldwide investigation looks at four key issues: climate change, vanishing habitats, disappearing species and human population growth (CNN). More info |
October 22, 2007
Updated "REACH in Brief" released; plain English description of the Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) law (European Union). More info |
October 21-27, 2007
National Chemistry Week. More info |
October 14, 2007
California is the first U.S. state to impose severe limits (concentrations not to exceed 0.1%) on phthalates in kid articles (CA State Assembly). More info |
October 11, 2007
Sceince's worst enemy is corporate funding (Discover). More info |
October 9, 2007
National Research Council recommends that genomic methods to identify toxic chemicals be developed (National Academies Press). More info |
October 9, 2007
Ecoburials (Sacramento Bee). More info |
October 9, 2007
Green chemistry programs are emerging on campuses across the country (Washington Post). More info |
October 7, 2007
A compound with mercury in the 4+ oxidation state is synthesized (C&EN). More info |
October 4, 2007
Will biofuels leave us without food (BBC)? More info |
October 2, 2007
National Science Board National recommends Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System (National Science Board). More info |
September 27, 2007
Office of Inspector General criticizes effectiveness of EPA voluntary programs (OIG, EPA). More info |
September 25, 2007
Permits for 2 new nuclear reactors sought; more than 30 additional nuclear power plants are being considered (Nuclear Energy Institute). More info |
September 25, 2007
Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlined some of the differences between the approaches for chemical regulation in the United States and European Union (GAO). More info |
September 20, 2007
Environmental groups petition U.S. to regulate air fresheners. More info |
September 19, 2007
The White House Office of Management and Budget
replaces the draft risk-assessment bulletin issued last year with an updated memorandum based on risk analysis principles previously released by OMB in 1995. More info |
September 17, 2007
Scientists say a new DNA test may help prove if
people have had their health damaged by exposure to chemicals. More info |
September 17, 2007
Green festival to be held at Washington, DC on October 6 & 7, 2007. More info |
September 17, 2007
Matter-antimatter entity: a molecule of two positronium atoms (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
September 17, 2007
Learning chemistry to become informed consumers (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
September 16, 2007
Some of the nation’s biggest industries are
pushing for new federal regulations (New York Times). More info |
September 10, 2007
New photo printers coming soon - they require no ink and come in the size of an iPod (Zink Imaging). More info |
September 10, 2007
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency releases hazard characterizations for 101 high production volume chemicals. By 2012, about 3000 additional HPV chemicals will be reviewed (U.S. EPA). More info |
September 7, 2007
Future reduction of sea ice in the Arctic could result in a loss of 2/3 of the world's polar bear population within 50 years (U.S. Geological Survey). More info |
September 5, 2007
China steps up to clean its reputation (New York Times). More info |
September 5, 2007
Major popcorn supplier to drop diacetyl (Seattle Post Intelligencer).More info |
September 5, 2007
Slowly but surely, scientists are unveiling the complex chemical underpinnings of memory (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
September 1, 2007
The nation's first renewable fuels standard program is set to take effect September 1, 2007 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). More info |
August 27, 2007
Researchers find a new way to split dinitrogen (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
August 27, 2007
Chemistry drives development of new low-cost solar cells (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
August 21, 2007
"Montebello Agreement" made at the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America Leaders' Summit: U.S., Canada and Mexico take lead to manage industrial chemicals (US EPA). More info |
August 15, 2007
Water-pitcher filters miss lead particles. (Environmental Science & Technology). More info |
August 13, 2007
The entire periodic table is at your disposal, so what do you want to make (Chemical & Engineering News)? More info |
August 6, 2007
Toxicity testing without animals (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
July 24, 2007
China placed first at the 39th International Chemistry Olympiad; all U.S. members earned a medal (International Chemistry Olympiad). More info |
July 23, 2007
Six chemical society presidents pledge support for sustainable development (Chemical & Engineering News). More info |
June 12, 2007
National Academies of Science report calls for new direction and approaches in testing chemicals for toxicity in humans (National Academies of Science). More info |
June 4, 2007
Ultrafast lasers have enormous promise (Business Week). More info |
May 16, 2007
Six industry teams have successfully completed tests of the first solid oxide fuel cell prototypes that can be manufactured at costs approaching those of conventional stationary power-generation technology (U.S. Department of Energy). More info |
May 10, 2007
Report on the Environment (US EPA). More info |
