Voices: End Point

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Coffee beans and grounds
April 8, 2025
Researchers discover a process that turns coffee grounds into a compostable alternative to plastics.
Northwestern University
TPR sheets
March 10, 2025
As the iconic fiber turns 60, researchers develop chain-like structures that could lead to new industrial applications.
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Arctic research
Feb. 25, 2025
Scientists trace industrial contamination from early civilization to present day, finding widespread effects from lead smelting to PFAS chemicals in the Arctic.
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Filth flowing out from sewage pipe angle shot
Jan. 15, 2025
Australian researchers develop self-healing sewer pipe treatment that could help cities slash millions in cleanup costs.
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earthworms
Dec. 11, 2024
The unintended consequences of plastic substitutes prove that testing in relevant environmental settings should be required before wide-scale adoption.
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soccer field with soccer ball and sun light in background
Nov. 13, 2024
Nearly 60 years ago, England triumphed over Germany and a boy may have unknowingly fertilized a neighbor's shrub.
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Leo Baekeland's Bakelite
Oct. 11, 2024
Explore Leo Baekeland’s impact on the auto industry and how that much-loved “new car smell” is actually a cocktail of volatile organic compounds . . . cue the headache now.
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Danish scientist Tycho Brahe
Sept. 6, 2024
Danish scientist Tycho Brahe took many of his experiments to his grave. However, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have found clues that shed light on his mysterious...
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Hexaplex trunculus snail
Aug. 5, 2024
The stinky process of making the royally sought-after purple dye involved mollusks subjected to biochemical, enzymatic and photochemical reactions — and possible sacrificial rituals...
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June 26, 2024
What does a rant from RAF, chicken droppings and adultery have to do with the chemical industry? Seán Ottewell shares some of the more interesting stories of his time as a chemical...
Library of Congress
Boston, Mass. Boston molasses explosion
June 7, 2024
Discover the catastrophic events of the Great Molasses Flood, where engineering failures led to a deadly wave of syrup in Boston’s North End.
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Battle of Waterloo Reenactment
May 3, 2024
Learn how bones from the Battle of Waterloo found their way into the burgeoning fertilizer and sugar industries, shaping agricultural and industrial innovations.
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Neanderthal with stone tools
March 25, 2024
Today's multi-billion-dollar adhesives industry can be traced back more than 50,000 years to Neanderthals first using multicomponent adhesives to make tools.
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Colorful array of face masks
Feb. 14, 2024
An excess of single-use PPE waste from COVID-19 has researchers trying to find ways to convert biomedical waste to useful material.
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wineglass and bottles next to the window and panoramic view of vineyards at sunset
Jan. 17, 2024
A novel method of gas chromatography and machine learning pinpoints the exact region where a vintage originated, rivaling that of human wine tasters.
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Glass of water with magnifying glass showing presence of pharmaceuticals in water
Jan. 2, 2024
Authors of a European Union study suggest a hybrid approach to handling efficient removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
Source: Olof Lönnehed
An array of paper cups
Nov. 2, 2023
Research shows a thin layer of biodegradable plastic in paper coffee cups and PFAS found in paper straws can leach and contaminate the environment.
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Oct. 17, 2023
After seeing recent pictures of an abandoned Hickson and Welch plant, Seán Ottewell recalls the fatal explosion that occurred there in 1992, and the impactful report that followed...
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Sept. 20, 2023
Study reveals hazard assessment tests performed on animals continue and animal-free, alternative test methods are rarely used.
Aug. 25, 2023
Dr. Kelly Kousi passionately advocates for more women in STEM roles, joining the Greek Women in STEM organization to mentor both men and women. She was recently named a finalist...
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July 19, 2023
Two sites have been tasked with destroying chemical agents, including mustard gas, by Sept. 30 of this year.
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June 13, 2023
With the rise of AI and digital technologies, one researcher believes the future of chemical engineering and clean energy largely relies on electrochemistry and electrochemical...
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May 16, 2023
The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and management consulting firm Arthur D Little share how the chemical industry can adopt digital technologies to create a circular...
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April 19, 2023
A team of scientists found levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have mysteriously risen dramatically despite their global phase-out.
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March 14, 2023
Researchers have found long-term exposure to rollover shift work is associated with an increased hazard of aggressive prostate cancer in offshore petroleum workers.