Harmful chemicals are commonplace in many different industries. Volatile organic compounds – or ‘VOCs’ – represent one such type of chemicals, which are particularly prevalent in industries that require spraying of paints and coatings. Unfortunately, VOCs can readily evaporate into the air, potentially harming people’s health through inhalation. Some VOCs are also environmental pollutants and can even contribute to climate change.

Ice can cause serious damage to vehicles and infrastructure, including aircraft, pavements, power lines, and wind turbines. It is important to remove ice before it causes damage, but doing this manually is often expensive and energy-intensive, and sometimes even dangerous. Researchers have begun to develop so-called ‘super-hydrophobic’ coatings, which can repel incoming water droplets before they freeze. This not only prevents ice from building up; it also weakens the adhesion of ice that does freeze to the surface, allowing it be removed more easily.

Polymers, made from incredibly long chains of smaller molecules, make up many materials used in the modern world. From simple plastics to medical devices and solar cells, polymers represent a diverse and exciting area of science. The majority of polymers are made from carbon-based molecules. Perhaps even more fascinating are hybrid polymers, which are composed of both carbon-based and metal-based components. Hybrid polymers have unique properties, such as conductivity, making them especially desirable for new technologies. Dr Kei Toyota at the Panasonic Corporation in Osaka, Japan, has been investigating new ways to develop hybrid polymers.

Opioid use disorder has been on the rise in the USA, fueled by an increased availability of fentanyl and other opioids. Current gold-standard treatments involve using opioid agonist drugs, such as methadone or buprenorphine alone or in combination with opioid antagonists, to address cravings and withdrawal. However, these treatments suffer from high levels of patient relapse and can pose safety risks. A promising alternative lies in using hallucinogenic compounds that can enable ‘neuroplasticity’, which means changing the brain’s neural architecture, potentially allowing patients to overcome their addictive behaviors.