Chemistry
![Illustration of glucose and water H2O molecules. Glucose, C6H12O6, also known as D-glucose, dextrose, or grape sugar) is a simple aldosic monosaccharide found in plants.](jpg/fpfhyck2rjsdxmqiyjvgz5-320-80.jpg)
Chemistry is the study of matter and what happens when elements and compounds interact with other matter around them. It is a vast but fascinating field of science, and by bringing you the most compelling facts and findings the latest chemistry research has to offer, our expert editors and writers will trigger a chain reaction in your understanding of the central science.
From how scientists solved the mystery behind a 100-year-old chemistry experiment to the discovery of a new, extremely reactive chemical in our atmosphere, Live Science is fizzing to bring you the latest chemistry news, features and articles.
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Latest about Chemistry
![A wispy blue cloud of molecular gas glows from the light of distant stars in this James Webb Space Telescope image](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dg9dCfUN5UsLm9A4WEXz6b-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Building blocks of life may have formed on dust in the cold vacuum of space
By Paul Sutter published
Far from any galaxy, icy grains of dust in deep space may be able to form organic molecules, a new preprint study finds.
![Colorful depiction of atoms.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zWAQedciMdkXn5PFiyk34n-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Scientists get rare glimpse of 'nesting doll' isotope nitrogen-9
By Ben Turner published
With five more protons than should be stable, the newly discovered nitrogen-9 isotope sits right on the borderline of physical possibility.
![Chemistry beaker with green liquid atop chemical notes.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PySXgDQ5SZtzZHoib2GXL5-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Only 1% of chemicals in the universe have been discovered. Here's how scientists are hunting for the rest.
By Matthew Addicoat published
Most chemical compouds are still unknown to science. How many new ones can we make by combining elements from the periodic table?
![Purple foxglove flower field.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nTxiirqzsVtGEAWffpoQ58-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Can foxgloves really give you a heart attack?
By Victoria Atkinson published
Foxgloves contain digoxin, a drug used to treat cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure that can also be toxic. But can ingesting it cause a heart attack?
![The hydrogen fuel tank of a Toyota vehicle on display.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QekSQpHjeCR2zMCJauXeHA-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Is hydrogen a metal?
By Hannah Loss published
Hydrogen is not a metal on Earth, but scientists keep trying to create metallic hydrogen under high pressure to unlock a new superconductor.
![A glass of water visualized against a black background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUjA3TFQxkzAvvGbMwqqNa-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
States of matter: Definition and phases of change
By Mary Bagley last updated
Reference The four fundamental states of matter are solid, liquid, gas and plasma, but there others, such as Bose-Einstein condensates and time crystals, that are man-made.
![The monument for Marie Sklodowska Curie, the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences: the Nobel Prize for physics in 1903 (jointly with her husband), and the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1911.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiMMxuTAKW8DSwpxH3pRpX-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 1901-Present
By Live Science Staff last updated
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry includes famous winners such as Marie Curie and Otto Hahn.
![An artist's illustration of Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oKwWACSrz2EJXuBhCUnyRh-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded to trio who discovered bizarre quantum dots
By Ben Turner published
Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov will share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of strange nanoparticles that change color according to their size.
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