Copy Editing Matters, from HHS's release on the new childhood vaccine schedule: All the diseases will still be available to anyone who wants them

I've been at C&EN for over four years and I can genuinely say our staff is some of the most thoughtful, dedicated people I've ever worked with. With @cenguild.bsky.social, we can make sure we're all supported in our effort to keep putting out our unique brand of high-quality science journalism!

There’s too much ionic energy in the world… we all need more covalent energy ✌️🫂

'm wrapping up 2025 by sharing my favorite story I wrote each month of the past year!🧵 🛌 January: I traveled to a freezing warehouse in Baltimore to see how mattresses get recycled! cen.acs.org/environment/...

🚨 One more day until the MMF 2026 application closes! Have you pressed submit? Last chance to apply to be a part of the 51st cohort of #MassMediaFellows is January 1st, 2026 at 11:59 P.M. ET. 🔗 bit.ly/3KugH6D

The work-up

For this organic charge carrier, conductivity is more than just a phase! @paul-mcgonigal.bsky.social and team devised a clever new material that keeps ions flowing in more-ordered states of matter, thanks to diffused charges and a lil ordered chaos: cen.acs.org/materials/el...

Well, it's finally up. Thanks @sarahbraner.bsky.social @cenmag.bsky.social for profiling me and my journey from @cmu.edu to @ucddublin.bsky.social. It's been a hell of a ride. I'm glad I'm here safe, at least. ⚗️ #newpi #disabledinstem #lgbtqinstem #transinstem #leavingus #howtoleave #ireland

This is one of the best things I've read in a long while. It has everything: tenacious journalists! Inept chatbots! An "ultra-capitalist free-for-all!" A live fish! (the gift link seems to have stopped gifting tho)

Not sure what to get your superstar junior colleague for the holidays? How about a T12 nomination? We'll be accepting nominations through January 20, 2026!

This was a surprising result, but I wrote the original post so I'm not at all mad about it! 💀🎉

Nominate an early-career chemist for the Talented 12 Class of 2026. Submissions are open until January 20. Celebrate innovation and excellence in chemistry: cen.acs.org/sections/tal... #CENT12 #chemsky 🧪

I'm so jealous of everyone at pacifichem right now. 😭🌴

Did someone say "more chemistry brackets?" #ACSOrganic has you covered! #Chemsky

#Microscope images are dominating the Chempics Bracket, and it's down to the final. #chemsky, y'all have legit surprised the @cenmag.bsky.social staff with this. cen.acs.org/education/sc...

I think it says a lot about the current moment that we chose molecule that is surprisingly holding itself together despite a thermodynamic incentive to break down...

While the financial landscape didn’t change much for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies this year, the geopolitical forces shaping the industry did. So did the technological ones. Here is C&EN’s look back at the past year. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪

once again made the mistake of scrolling on the various social media sites i have to use for work; exposed to the fresh horrors

Also, the #chempics bracket is down to a lone pair! 💀 vs. 💠 who will win?? Get your votes in now! cen.acs.org/education/sc...

And the molecule of the year for 2025 is...🥁... ...hexanitrogen! (I had a feeling this one would win 🤭) Thanks for voting, everyone! #chemsky cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...

🎶It's fine, it's cool You can say the robots got it, but you know the truth And guess I'm the fool With her arms out like an angel in a fume hood🎶

Looking for a fun read? For the December #Newscripts in @cenmag.bsky.social, Fionna Samuels (@fmorningstar.bsky.social) took a look at the chemistry of two pop culture moments from the past year: An exoplosive scene in 20 Years Later and the GBBO sugar dome disaster cen.acs.org/education/sc...

this is now my favorite fake science fact

I wrote about new research substantiating the sugar secrets of seal milk--and challenging the assumption that human milk is uniquely complex! (Did I pitch this just to get a cute baby seal on the @cenmag.bsky.social homepage? mayyyybe...) cen.acs.org/biological-c...

CORRECTION the poll closes on Dec. 8, not Dec. 11!

It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11 #chemsky #scisky #moty2025 cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...

We're doing the chempics contest as a bracket this year, complete with cute chemistry-themed names and logos for all of the rounds (except the first one)! Check out the contenders and vote for your faves!

I love a good complex natural product. This one has two α-tropolones, 10 asymmetric stereocenters, and a a labile hemiketal. After a longstanding effort, chemists in Seth Herzon's lab have made (–)-gukulenin A. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/synthesis/me...

There’s a lot of historically and culturally significant stuff captured on audio (and video) tape. But tapes are mass-market items that weren’t made with long-term archiving in mind. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them: cen.acs.org/analytical-c...

Four years ago, we were @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social fellows, starry-eyed at our first full-time #sciencejournalism gigs. Now, we're working dream/beyond-dream jobs at the New York Times, @cenmag.bsky.social and @statnews.com. 2021 us could not have imagined 2025 us. #scicomm #stem #altchemjobs

I'll be there! if you're a DC-area science journalist or communicator, you should come through!

In this episode of Inflection Point, hosts David Anderson and @ginacvitale.bsky.social travel back in time to relive three historical moments that led to blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Listen now: cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪

Let there be light-activated arynes! Check out my write-up for @cenmag.bsky.social of @cortnieroberts.bsky.social and her team's illuminating new work in Nature: cen.acs.org/synthesis/re...

science is a TEAM SPORT there is no ISOLEUCINE in THREONINE GLUTAMATE ALANINE METHIONINE

Researchers have come up with a new strategy to help chemists get more figurative bang from aromatic amine building blocks with (possibly) less chance of literal explosions. New from me for @cenmag.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/synthesis/pr...

Looking for some mad science journalism this Halloween? Look no further than 🩻Spooky, scary skeletal editing🩻 (and more chilling chemistry news from @cenmag.bsky.social) cen.acs.org/synthesis/Sk...

Another week, another atom swap! This one features adorable--and adorably versatile--oxetanes! cen.acs.org/synthesis/At...

I was a guest on the microplastics episode of this podcast and it was genuinely one of the most fun things I've done this year! David and Gina are brilliant, and I'm glad to see them recognized by the Signal awards!

A few weeks ago, I went on a podcast and said I didn't know anyone who was doing skeletal editing with boron. Then I read this paper and learned that (a) these guys did it before it was cool and (b) now they're using boron to do even more interesting stuff to molecular cores!

Total synthesis of the heart

Turns out, boron-based heterocycles are anything but boring! In fact, some of them are pretty magical...1,2-oxaborines, for example, can be used as precursors to 11(!) other ring systems! Read more in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh...

My coworker @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social got infected with dengue *on purpose* for science! Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:

It's the holey grail of chemistry awards! The moment many chemists (including a good chunk of @cenmag.bsky.social staff) have been waiting for! MOFs finally got a Nobel Prize! Read more in this story by my amazing colleague Prachi Patel: cen.acs.org/people/nobel...

Have we written about MOFs before? Um, quite a bit: cen.acs.org/topics/mater...

Nobel week is basically the super bowl for science journalists, and @sarahbraner.bsky.social (with @laurahowes.bsky.social & @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social) gave us a strong opening play with their coverage of the med+physio prize! (did i get the sports metaphor right?)

Among the contributors' answers are prizes awarded for: ⚗️cross-coupling reactions 🥪sandwich complexes ⭕ozone chemistry 🪴raising awareness of climate change which Nobel do you think is the greenest?

quick while the government is shut down let’s all switch to metric

Okay, but now I'm curious...#chemsky what's on your science-themed playlists?

I was part of the 2021 cohort! Although it as totally a remote experience at the time, I learned so much and made some really great friends in the program! If you have any inkling that you'd like to try science writing, definitely apply to this!!!