The Men’s football World Cup final is taking place this weekend. While it sadly won’t be coming home, one team will take home the coveted World Cup – or, at least, a copy of it. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN, we take a look at the materials that make up the two separate trophies that have been awarded to the World Cup winners. See the full graphic on the C&EN site.
If you’ve been enjoying the tennis at Wimbledon over the past two weeks, chemistry probably didn’t cross your mind as you watched the players slogging the ball back and forth. However, a lot of science and honed materials go into both the rackets and balls used during each game, set and match. This graphic examines the key substances used and how they’ve changed over time.
The 2026 World Cup is up and running, but not without its share of controversy. It’s setting a number of unwelcome firsts: the first time a World Cup referee has been barred from a host nation, and the first time a host nation is at war with one of the participating countries. However, some slightly more welcome firsts come in the shape of the materials science behind the World Cup ball, the Trionda.
Humans have been smoking foods for almost 2 million years, but what chemical compounds give smoky flavours and what are the reactions that generate them? The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN takes a look. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.
The delicate pink-hued magnolia blooms herald the start of spring, and also harbour a range of fragrant and medicinal chemical compounds. Some of these compounds are even unique to magnolia trees and not found in any other species. This infographic takes a closer look at these compounds and their uses.
Researchers working on Metal-Organic Frameworks, or MOFs, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News, we take a look at the applications of MOFs, including water harvesting, gas storage, and more. See the full graphic on the C&EN site.
