Lauren Hatcher uses time-resolved crystallography to understand how photoactive molecules change structure when exposed to light.

This is very clever! Put a MOF particle on an AFM tip, dunk it in polymer solution, then see how sticky the tip now is - repeat and you can get a polymer uptake isotherm on a single particle. Love the idea.

It's the most wonderful time of year #MASC2025

all academic applications should have consolation prizes. doesn’t have to be much, like a mug that says “i applied for leverhulme 2020” or a t-shirt “UKRI reject 2023”

Funded PhD position: www.findaphd.com/phds/project... This is an interdisciplinary project where you get to do coordination chemistry with bismuth and zinc, as well as some microbiology and some computational chemistry - all in the name of combatting antimicrobial resistance. Currently UK only.

In the latest publishing madness, I had a manuscript returned to me because it scored >15% in a 'similarity test'. On careful inspection, it was mostly matching the published thesis of one of the authors containing the results, and our own previous related study published in the same journal.

They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)

From memes to valuable methods in chemistry. Reminiscent of the halcyon days of chemtwitter. Culminating in a very useful bit of knowledge if you ever find yourself with spare POCl3 #ChemChat

#chemchat i need your best inorganic memes. Go

In the spirit of #ChemChat, here is one of my favourite bits of physical chemistry out in the real world: the 4th century Roman Lycurgus Cup. Green in reflection, red in transmission, due to gold/silver nanoparticles in the glass, I finally got to see it for real a few weeks ago. Beautiful.

I have recently added #ChemChat as a feed thanks to @stephy.bsky.social (and to @chemjobber.bsky.social for the concept) If that's your sort of thing, here it is: bsky.app/profile/did:... I warn you though, mere moments in and I'm considering bread concepts (again). Enter at your own risk.

After a break over summer, we finally managed to reinstate baking for group meetings. Thanks to Emily for the chocolate cake! #ScienceFuel

Google Scholar has introduced a 'Sh-index' metric that scores papers higher if you are first or last author. Apart from the fact metrics are generally bad, this one explicitly punishes PIs who often collaborate, publishing with 2 or 3 equal PIs at the end of the list. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

This is quite the collection of papers on #MOFs and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 by @natureportfolio.nature.com, and it was a delight to see our review among the resources on offer. www.nature.com/collections/... There's around 100 papers to peruse, I'll be recommending them to my group 😀

#TalkLikeAPirateDay Pirate goes to the dermatologist "How can i help you, Captain?" "Well doc, arr! arrr! I be 'avin' some moles on me back, see?" Doctor "Well, I've examined them. And they're benign" "Arrr! Arrr! Count again, ye Scurvy Doc! There be Ten"

Porous materials researchers adsorbing onto lunch table. #EPoMM_2025

In which I just learned that we consume more concrete than food per person each year.

@epomm.bsky.social The 2nd EPSRC EPoMM* network meeting has started! A warm welcome as always by Alex O'Malley to two days of holes. *Engineering Porous Materials at Multiple Scales

Our new themed collection explores molecular photoswitches for energy storage, guest edited by Professors Rachel Evans, Grace Han, Tao Li and Professor Dr Hermann A. Wegner. Read the articles here: pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/... Read the Editorial here: doi.org/10.1039/D5TA... #matsky #scisky

Me: "I wrote this." Carbon dioxide: "It sucks. It's utter trash. A child could have done better. Plus your outfit is horrible. Did a cavefish dress you?" Me, to other guy: "Who is this jerk?" Other guy, the one who says the punchline: "That's supercritical CO₂."

Please apply on jobbnorge by the 18th of September! @postdocposition @xrayabsorptionspectroscopy www.academicjobs.com/university-j...

Fantastic scheme, and I'm biased saying that because we're one of the awardees of a Network Strengthening Grant, but it will really make a difference to a lot of people!

UK chemistry industry professionals Please fill in this short survey to help CAMS help us all by modernizing what graduates are taught with respect to data handling. Which can be as simple as organizing yourself and naming files sensibly! #chemsky forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

Fro the last few years, as part of a final assignment in my senior biophysical chem class I ask students to share a class-related memes, with ones they make themselves highly encouraged! For everyone's enjoyment, here are some of my favorites! #chemistry #biochemistry #sigfigs #units 🧪

Somebody at lab seminar - “Fourier transformation is a black box”. Totally wrong, because: (a) two boxes, not one (b) brown, not black en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beevers... Maybe @glazer1.bsky.social knew someone who was using such tools? #crystallography

Two for one mechanophore! 4-membered ring mechanophores broken 2 ways with a rotaxane actuator for the generation/release of diverse functional molecules! Great work from Lei Chen now as a #VIPaper in @angewandtechemie.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #chemsky #OA

Remember those annoying puzzles where you had to move square tiles around until the desired image appears? Well, now you can play this puzzle based on a map of your home town. Source: buff.ly/rPIioTN

Does anyone in the #chemsky community have strong opinions on the abbreviations UV-Vis, UV-VIS or UV/VIS? I need to resolve a conflict between two co-authors 😀 It seems the first is more common, but is there a "correct" version? IUPAC seems undecided 🤔https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03638

Nigerian RSC members: @rsc.org asking for you to fill in this survey to help them out if you have a few mins. 🙏 Help RSC "find out what job-hunting, CVs, interviews and job boards look like in your country" & improve future resourcing www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CareersRSC/

The posters were all excellent at #UKPorMat2025, and the prize winners reflect the excellence and range of the work on display. Thanks to @rigakuoxfordxrd.bsky.social and @uobchemistry.bsky.social for sponsoring the prizes.

Congratulations to all of our poster prize winners at UKPORMAT 2025, and to @rigakuoxfordxrd.bsky.social and @unibirmingham.bsky.social for sponsoring the prizes. Winners, and certificate pictures below

Alchemy Frontier Fund 2025 now open (aichemy.ac.uk/aichemy-fron...). Apply for 2-year projects of up to £1.25m to advance the frontiers of AI for chemistry. Deadline = Sept 12th 2025. Webinar to launch the fund on June 18th. For information, email: [email protected] @ukri.org #EPSRC #AI

Thanks to all who attended UKPORMAT25, and the @unibirmingham.bsky.social for hosting it. It was great to see so many interesting talks, poster presentations and fruitful scientific discussions. See you all next year at Bristol!

I’m pleased to have participated in UKPorMat 2025 in Birmingham this week — a great opportunity to engage with researchers and explore the latest in porous materials science. Grateful to the organisers and all the inspiring speakers! @rsc-pormat.bsky.social @timeasun.bsky.social #Rsc #PorMat

I'm just gonna leave this here:

Yay! J. Chem. Educ. paper out on removing DCM from teaching labs! It was a delight to work with Dr. Vosburg and his students, especially because I graduated from Mudd, which is where David teaches now (he started the year after I graduated so we didn't overlap). pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

"The future of hydrogen storage" I have written a short perspective article, providing an overview of various aspects of hydrogen storage. If you're interested, please take a look & let me know what you think. And pass it on to anyone else who may find it useful. #chemsky #hydrogen

***REGISTRATION EXTENDED! Final deadline 23rd May***

It’s National Strawberry Picking Day and the chem-is-berry is strong with this one. 🍓 ♥️ Check out this juicy infographic from @compoundchem.com on what gives strawberries their flavour, colour and irresistible scent. Enjoy! #BerryGoodChemistry #StrawberryPickingDay #Strawberries #Chemsky

Very exciting to see our "Retrospective Review on Reticular Materials" online, packing lots of interesting stats to understand how far the field has come, and to envision its even brighter future! #MOFs #COFs privileged to have worked with such a fantastic team 🌟

Last few days to register for #UKPorMat2025. Check the awesome line up of speakers 👇👇

New study from the Women in Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC) revealing the unique challenges resulting from being First Gen (first generation of a family to access Higher Education) in science and showing how these persist at every stage of a career in academia: pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Day 2 is just as exciting:

The schedule for day one is here and it's looking great:

#UKPorMat2025 is fast approaching & registration is still open at the moment ukpormat.com Not only do we have an outstanding invited speaker list, we're delighted to be able to advertise the rest of our fantastic lineup.