There are few things more gratifying to an editor than to have a writer or an interview subject convey in eloquent terms how they feel about a particular subject, and in the objective world of science and engineering those admissions are sometimes hard to come by. ...

Fireworks and long summer holiday weekends go together like gunpowder and metal salts: one is so much more spectacular when paired with the other. This year, while you’re taking in the great show in the sky, feed the analytical part of your brain with the intricate science behind the dazzling display. ...

When a mammalian embryo starts to develop, the heart and blood vessels emerge as the first functional organs. Blood begins to circulate as early as the fourth week of pregnancy, creating shear stress and mechanical strain on the vessel wall. ...

With supply chains strung across the developing world how can the chemical industry ensure that the end product is safe? ...

I’ll admit to not being a huge fan of soy sauce. It just wasn’t something I grew up with. Recently though I have developed a taste, at least for its chemistry. It was all triggered by a question I was asked about “chemical” soy sauce. Well, the terminology — aren’t all things made from chemicals? — may be a little confused, but there is something to the “chemical” soy sauce story. ...