Fluorescent reaction maps reveal how catalyst activity changes with operating conditions - Phys.org

Credit: Organic Chemistry Frontiers (2026). The team, led by professors Simon Lewis and Tony James and Dr. Dan Pantos in the university's Department of Chemistry, has transformed azulene, a naturally occurring blue compound found in certain mushrooms and corals, into a versatile tool for biological imaging and chemical sensing. Scientists use chemical probes that bind to a specific molecule in the cell and glow different colors under a microscope to observe biological processes and monitor disease. Fluorescent probes consist of two parts: a "receptor" (which detects a particular substance) and a "fluorophore" (a molecule with fluorescent properties).

Scientists have long been interested in cellular nanodiscs, tiny particles made from natural cell membranes that mimic many of the functions of living cells. While previous studies demonstrated the therapeutic potential of nanodiscs for drug delivery, detoxification and vaccines, one fundamental question remained unanswered: How does size influence how well they work?

Water isn't always as it seems. Under extreme conditions, such as those found on other planets, it has been discovered to change its atomic structure, giving it the means to alter its appearance and other properties.

Superconductivity has many important practical applications, including creating powerful magnets used in high-resolution medical scans, transporting electricity efficiently and building ultrasensitive measuring devices. Until now, understanding exactly what lay behind this unique phenomenon at high temperatures has eluded scientists over many decades.

Most conventional methods of ultrafast photography use evenly spaced intervals in which images are taken, but new developments have shown how much can be left out of the story, especially when multiple timescales are involved.