James Urquhart
James is a freelance science journalist and writer based near Edinburgh. With a background in biology, science communication and history of science, James' interest in chemistry have grown over his years' of contributing to Chemistry World since 2006. He has previously worked for New Scientist as a video and multimedia producer and he also writes about nature and the outdoors, so he can often be found wandering the mountains of Scotland with a camera close to hand.
- Research
Carbene chemistry built into microbe’s metabolism in first for biosynthesis
Proof-of-concept work opens pathway to bacteria engineered to synthesise new-to-nature products
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Bio-nano approach flips artificial photosynthesis for hydrogen on its head
Bacterium supplies electrons to nanoparticles to catalyse water splitting
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Unexpected autocatalytic effect gives light-driven enzyme a boost to synthesise green fuels
Discovery could enhance production of liquid fuels by algae
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Wired-up symbiotic multi-organism can turn sunlight and air into valuable proteins
Symbiont could enable microfactories to produce biochemicals for food, farming and drugs
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‘Incredibly important advance’ reveals how wildfires could slow ozone layer recovery
Chlorine chemistry discovery shows how wildfire aerosols can reduce ozone in southern hemisphere by up to 5%
- News
UK national facility poised to expand use of state-of-the-art electron diffraction
Greater access to ED will allow characterisation of tiny crystals, deepening our understanding of everything from batteries and drugs to catalysts
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Molecular trap that snares many different drugs could save lives during overdoses
Macrocyclic compound can mop up drugs of abuse in animal tests – including those for which no reversal agent exists
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Mars’ water came from outer space
Asteroids from the outer solar system would have delivered enough water to cover the red planet in a 300m-deep ocean
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Artificially expanded genetic alphabet evolves enzymes for the first time
Libraries of short DNA sequences incorporating synthetic nucleotides perform better as enzymes than ordinary DNA
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NMR spectroscopy used to guide evolution of better enzymes
Identifying mutagenic ‘hotspots’ could speed development of new proteins
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Yeast engineered to ferment sugars into chemotherapy drug precursors
Semisynthesis offers new route to anticancer drug vinblastine
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Carbon-negative concrete blocks could be made using magnesium from seawater
Electrolyser route avoids need for calcination step
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Electrochemical ‘game-changer’ could make aniline production greener
Sustainable production of important feedstock for dyes, drugs and herbicides is scalable
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Mystery of how plants make strychnine solved 75 years after characterisation
Three-quarters of a century after Robinson and Woodward cracked structure chemists unravel poison’s biosynthesis
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Encapsulated bacteria show promise as injectable living drugs factories to treat diseases
Engineered E. coli produce insulin and vaccines in vivo
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Breaking bacteria’s genetic silence to synthesise antibiotics that evade resistance
Prospecting in bacterial genomes offers hope in search for new antimicrobial drugs
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Discovery of polymorph using ball milling holds promise for drug discovery
Interchangeable switching between three polymorphs demonstrated for the first time
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Machine learning finds fluoride battery materials that could rival lithium
AI could help make new battery type that could store more energy than lithium-ion batteries viable
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Freeze–thaw cycles could explain how ancient RNA replicated without enzymes
Discovery solves puzzle of RNA world hypothesis
- News
Environmental concerns ground mercury-based satellite thrusters
UN takes steps to outlaw mercury propellant that could have seen tonnes of the heavy metal rain down on Earth every year