The Rio Olympics are underway, and after a build-up that’s already been marred by the Russian doping scandal, officials will be on the look-out for athletes trying to gain an edge by using performance-enhancing drugs. What types of drugs will they be looking for, and why might athletes be tempted ...

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a brieflook at some of the many chemicals involved in the feeling of love.

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C&EN

The run-up to the Rio Olympics has been overshadowed by a number of issues, not least of which is the doping scandal surrounding Russian competitors. This month’s Periodic Graphics in C&EN looks at the alleged chemical cocktail that was used to dope Russian athletes at the 2012 London Games and ...

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Doubtless the majority of people reading this will, at some point in their life, have had the unpleasant experience of being stung by stinging nettles. But what chemicals do stinging nettles contain that elicit this effect? Further to that, a commonly espoused remedy for the stings, in the UK at ...

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Vielleicht pflegen Sie heute Morgen nach ein paar Drinks einen Kopfschmerz. Dies ist eine chemische Folge des Konsums alkoholischer Getränke, aber es ist eine, die wir überraschenderweise immer noch nicht ganz verstehen. Es gibt jedoch eine Reihe von chemischen Verdächtigen, die identifiziert ...

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You may have read in the news over the past few days about the passing of Carl Djerassi, the chemist (and later, novelist) who is best known for his discovery of the first oral contraceptive. Thisdiscovery led to something of a social revolution, putting the power of contraception firmly in the ...

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A bit of a chemistry/biology tie in today with a series of posters looking at the chemical structures of some of the main neurotransmitters in the brain. I’ve also included a little information on the main effects and roles of each underneath the structures – however, I’d hasten to add that, ...

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Adrenaline Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone produced in high stress or exciting situations. Noradrenaline Noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine, is a neurotransmitter that affects attention & and responding actions in the brain. Dopamine Dopamine is associated with ...

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Insect venoms are complicated.Really complicated. You could be forgiven for thinking that it must be a relatively simple company of chemicals that makes up the painful sensation of a bee or wasp sting, but in fact a hugely complex mixture of all sorts of compounds – proteins, peptides, enzymes, ...

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Die Chemie des Heuschnupfens

Mit der Sommersaison kommt eine weniger willkommene Nebenerscheinung - die allergische Rhinitis, besser bekannt als Heuschnupfen. Obwohl die Pollen von Bäumen, Gräsern und Unkräutern der Ursprung des Heuschnupfens sind, ist es ein Biomolekül, das in unserem Körper produziert wird und welches ...

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