Chemicals

Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ are increasingly showing up in the environment, our food and drinking water, and our bodies. But we might have a new weapon: scientists have identified a bacterium that can eat these chemicals, as well as their byproducts.

Smartwatches can help improve our health and fitness. But a new report says it's important to consider what kind of bands we put on them, as several popular brands were found to contain high levels of a class of chemicals linked to health issues.

Drinking water in developed countries is pretty clean, but hidden nasties can still lurk. One mysterious “phantom chemical” has haunted drinking water for decades, and now researchers have identified it – and found it’s completely new to science.

Toxic “forever chemicals” are a major environmental problem, and a growing body of research shows they’re also a major health problem. A new study has found people with higher levels of PFAS in their blood have poorer sleep.

Proposed methods of removing toxic ‘forever chemicals’ from water have either only trapped the chemicals or broken them down. A new study has demonstrated a method that does both effectively. And it's quick and cheap.

Scientists have developed a new method for removing toxic “forever chemicals” from wastewater. 3D-printed ceramic lattices can remove up to 75% of PFAS from polluted water in three hours – and the structures get better at their job as they’re reused.

Scientists in Japan have developed a new method for breaking down toxic “forever chemicals” quickly and at room temperature. The technique broke down 100% of certain types of these pollutants overnight, recovering some useful components for reuse.

Venus may be a hellscape, but there’s a chance some forms of life could evolve there. A new MIT study has now found that the building blocks of life are surprisingly stable in highly concentrated sulfuric acid – which Venus’ clouds are made of.

Exposure to phthalates, a commonly used chemical in plastics, has been estimated to be the primary cause of one in 10 preterm births, according to a new study led by researchers from the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

A fascinating study has found that sniffing female tears significantly reduced male aggression and decreased activity in aggression-related brain networks. It’s suggested that the effect, which is also seen in rodents, serves a protective function.

A new study has linked preconception exposure to phthalates to reduced odds of getting pregnant, adding to a growing body of evidence about the negative effects of these chemicals, commonly found in personal care products like soap and shampoo.

The James Webb Space Telescope has made the first direct analysis of clouds on a nearby alien world. These aren’t just made of water vapor but also sand, which would move around the planet much like Earth’s water cycle.