Global science

Experiments, articles and profiles that show the worldwide scope and impact of chemistry.

An illustration showing trees cleaning the air

How do trees clean our air?

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Investigating the role trees can play in reducing air pollution

Clothing labels showing the words Wardrobe Warriors

Fixing fashion

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What’s the environmental impact of our clothes throughout their life cycle?

An image showing the September issue of Education in Chemistry in its compostable packaging

What's in a bag?

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Creating compostable plastic

Global issues

Discarded plastic and other rubbish floating on the surface of water, with fish visible below

The massive problem of microplastics

As plastics fill up and pollute our oceans, recognising their value rather than thinking of them as disposable could help us deal with what has turned into a large, global problem

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Grand challenges set for science students

New competition asks young people to explore solutions for global health and development issues

A globe

Good chemistry

There are all sorts of ways chemists can use their skills to aid global development, writes Josh Howgego

Climate research heats up

Climate research heats up

Nina Notman meets some of the atmospheric chemists fitting the pieces of the climate change jigsaw together

Spraying crops

Set a fungus to catch a fungus

Ian Le Guillou finds out how the success of the synthetic organic fungicide azoxystrobin showcases the importance of organic chemistry to global food production

Experiments

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A global experiment from the technician’s cupboard

Jan Hodge, technician at a middle school, talks about carrying out the Royal Society of Chemistry's global experiment

A fisherman in Baucau, East Timor, casts a net in the water to catch small fish

Water: A chemical solution

A Global Experiment for the International Year of Chemistry

Resources

A photo of an old plastic doll's head

Plastic conservation

Usually we want plastics to degrade, so what about when we don’t? How chemists are helping museums preserve plastics

An illustration showing different types of period products, from pads to tampons to cups

Single-use plastic in period products

Forget bags and straws. Disposable period products are a much great contributor to the amount of plastic littering our environment

Profiles

Charles West

Charles West: Research geochemist

Ida Emilie Steinmark talks to a chemist who gave up a career as a footballer

Young, female archaeologist sifting through soil

Amy Styring: Chemist and archaeologist

Archaeology is more than just digging. Emma Stoye meets Amy Styring to excavate the facts

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Oliver Holton: Graduate trainee at Johnson Matthey

Chemistry can take you around the world and into a range of careers. Ian Le Guillou finds out about Oliver Holton’s journey through chemistry