When the facts can’t speak for themselves, scientists can give them a voice, argues Michelle Francl.

Real-time single-molecule observation provides insights into transient intermediates that are normally inaccessible using ensemble measurements. This Review discusses the use of nanopores as both single-molecule nanoreactors and single-molecule sensors for elucidating reaction pathways and kinetics, while highlighting their potential to control covalent reactions under confinement.

Yasuhisa Mizutani marvels at how effectively nature utilizes the π-conjugated system of retinal in proteins.

Splitting water to generate oxygen is vital for space missions; but without gravity, bubbles cling to electrodes, blocking this process. Now, researchers show that a permanent magnet can push these bubbles away, boosting efficiency.

Azetidine is a four-membered aza-cycle important in medicinal and organic chemistry. This study describes a mechanism of azetidine amino acid biosynthesis from l-isoleucine or l-valine by two non-haem Fe enzymes, PolF and PolE, in the polyoxin antifungal biosynthetic pathway.

Achieving generality in asymmetric catalysis with highly reactive radicals is a challenge. Now it is shown that a sequential copper-catalysed approach enables the efficient, enantioselective cross-coupling of over 50 diverse radicals, providing unified access to C-, P- and S-chiral products and advancing the asymmetric synthesis of challenging molecular architectures.

Designing enzymatic reaction networks capable of mimicking the complexity of biological information processing is challenging. Now, an in chemico reservoir sensor based on a recursive enzymatic competition network has been designed that can process diverse physical and chemical inputs and perform several information-processing tasks.

The condensation of repeat-containing RNAs can have neurotoxic effects but is challenging to study. Now a NMR approach termed condensate detection by semi-solid magnetization transfer (CONDENSE-MT) can be used to study RNA condensate dynamics, proton–solvent exchange kinetics and condensate hydration.

Separation of CO₂ from gas mixtures is a major application focus for porous materials. Now it has been shown that fluorinated non-porous crystalline materials can uptake CO₂ via mobile perfluoroalkyl regions, a process resembling the dissolution of CO₂ in perfluoroalkanes, while CH₄ uptake is hindered. In situ X-ray diffraction data provide insight into the sorption process.

In drug discovery, the preparation of analogues with diverse core structures often requires laborious efforts. Now it has been shown that 1,2-oxaborines, which are synthesized from readily available starting materials, can serve as a versatile platform to allow rapid access to diverse central skeletons, thus simplifying the core diversification process.

The discovery of benzene two centuries ago marked a turning point in chemistry. From contributing to the development of chemical bonding concepts, to its practical use in the chemical industry, the story of this ring-shaped molecule is a combination of curiosity, science, and human kindness.

Yasuhisa Mizutani marvels at how effectively nature utilizes the π-conjugated system of retinal in proteins.

When the facts can’t speak for themselves, scientists can give them a voice, argues Michelle Francl.

Thomas Schlatzer and Véronique Gouverneur discuss why the chemistry of calcium fluoride is challenging, and how imaginative thinking based on fundamental principles can create positive change for the fluorochemical industry.

Science is about discovering new knowledge, so, logically, there will be disagreement. Shira Joudan contemplates how disagreements can be useful, and how to deal with them when they arise.

Nina M. Allen, Guilherme A. Marczak Giorio and M. Carmen Galan discuss how select napthalene diimides, such as QN-302, have been developed into DNA G-quadruplex (G4) ligands with downstream anticancer activity.