Rubber ducks: made from rubber, right? Wrong! This infographic examines the chemical history of a rubber duck, from its origins using genuine rubber in the 1800s to its modern incarnation, made possible by polymers and plasticisers.
As 2025 draws to a close, for this month’s edition of Periodic Graphics, we summarise the year’s most-read C&EN stories. Stories of innovations included potential underground hydrogen reserves and bacteria that can convert plastics to paracetamol. Health and ethical concerns also charted highly, from lead in protein powders to peer review problems.
This graphic examines the colds that many of us suffer from at this time of year, highlighting the viruses that cause colds and flu and their varying characteristics. Originally published just before the COVID-19 pandemic – remember when we didn’t all know what a coronavirus was? – it continues to be topical with the current surges in flu cases this winter.
Skunks are infamous for their stench, but what’s the chemistry behind the foul-smelling liquid they produce? And, more importantly, how can we use chemistry to get rid of it? The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN takes a look. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
Spices add smells and flavours to our food, but chemicals in them can affect our bodies and be used outside the kitchen. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN, we look at examples of these ingredients doing more than spicing up our cooking. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
The diverse flavors of over 7,500 apple cultivars arise from biochemical differences in compounds such as aldehydes, alcohols, and esters, which influence aroma and taste. Varieties exhibit varying sweetness and tartness based on their sugar and acid ratios, primarily influenced by fructose and malic acid levels. Tannins also contribute to flavor.
