ACS Spring 2023 Media Briefing Schedule

Recordings of media briefings will be posted by 10 a.m. Eastern Time on each day. Watch recorded media briefings at: www.acs.org/ACSSpring2023briefings.

Note to journalists: Please report that this research is being presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

 

Monday, Mar. 27, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time

What do the elements sound like? (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Mar. 26, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

In chemistry, we have He, Fe and Ca — but what about do, re and mi? Hauntingly beautiful melodies aren’t the first things that come to mind when looking at the periodic table of the elements. However, using a technique called data sonification, a recent college graduate has converted the visible light given off by the elements into audio, creating unique, complex sounds for each one. Today, the researcher reports the first step toward an interactive, musical periodic table. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/elementmusic. 

W. Walker Smith
Indiana University

Colorful films could help buildings, cars keep their cool
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Mar. 26, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

The cold blast of an air conditioner can be a welcome relief as temperatures soar, but “A/C” units require large amounts of energy and can leak potent greenhouse gases. Today, scientists report an eco-friendly alternative — a plant-based film that gets cooler when exposed to sunlight and comes in a variety of textures and bright, iridescent colors. The material could someday keep buildings, cars and other structures cool without requiring external power.

Sylvia Vignolini, Ph.D.
University of Cambridge

Qingchen Shen, Ph.D.
University of Cambridge

Two meteorites are providing a detailed look into outer space
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Mar. 26, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, you might have actually seen a meteor on its way to Earth. Those that land here are called meteorites and can be used to peek back in time, into the far corners of outer space or at the earliest building blocks of life. Today, scientists report some of the most detailed analyses yet of the organic material of two meteorites. They’ve identified tens of thousands of molecular “puzzle pieces,” including a larger amount of oxygen atoms than they had expected.

Alan Marshall, Ph.D.
Florida State University
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Joseph Frye-Jones
Florida State University
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

New ways to measure curls and kinks could make it easier to care for natural hair
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Mar. 26, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Black women and others with curly or kinky hair encounter a vast and confusing array of haircare options. Advice on the best products to use for a certain type of hair is often contradictory, and the results can be highly variable. Now, scientists are bringing order to this chaos by identifying properties such as the number of curls or coils in a given length of hair that could eventually help users pick the perfect product and achieve consistent results.

Michelle Gaines, Ph.D.
Spelman College

A puff of air could deliver your next vaccine (video)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Mar. 27, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Nobody likes needles, but they’re necessary for delivering many vaccines and biologics into the body. But what if those could be puffed through the skin instead, with just a little pressure, like being hit in the arm with a foam toy? Today, scientists report steps toward making that a reality. Using powdered vaccines that don’t require refrigeration and a system driven by compressed gas, their “MOF-Jet” could easily deliver therapeutics against cancer and other diseases in a relatively painless way. A video on the research is available at www.acs.org/mofjet.

Jeremiah Gassensmith, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at Dallas

Yalini Wijesundara
The University of Texas at Dallas

Human cells help researchers understand squid camouflage
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, Mar. 27, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Squids and octopuses are masters of camouflage, blending into their environment to evade predators or surprise prey. Some aspects of how these cephalopods become reversibly transparent are still “unclear,” largely because researchers can’t culture cephalopod skin cells in the lab. Today, however, researchers report that they have replicated the tunable transparency of some squid skin cells in mammalian cells, which can be cultured. The work could not only shed light on basic squid biology, but also lead to better ways to image many cell types.

Alon Gorodetsky, Ph.D.
University of California, Irvine

 

Tuesday, Mar. 28, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time

Modern origami method creates glass shapes by folding
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

The ancient art of origami is well known for transforming sheets of paper and other foldable materials into complex 3D shapes. But now, chemical engineers have extended the centuries-old practice to produce intricate shapes made of glass or other hard materials. Their thoroughly modern method, which can be combined with 3D printing, could have applications ranging from sculpture to catalysis and beyond.

Tao Xie, Ph.D.
Zhejiang University

Marijuana-derived compounds could reverse opioid overdoses
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern

There’s been a recent push in the U.S. to make naloxone — a fast-acting opioid antidote — available without a prescription. This medication has saved lives, but it’s less effective against powerful synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. In an interesting twist, researchers are now looking to cannabidiol (CBD), a component of marijuana, as a possible alternative to the popular antidote. Today, a team reports compounds based on CBD that reduce fentanyl binding and boost the effects of naloxone.

Michael VanNieuwenhze, Ph.D.
Indiana University

Alex Straiker, Ph.D.
Indiana University

Pulsing ultrasound waves could someday remove microplastics from waterways
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Colorful particles of plastic drift along under the surface of most waterways, from headwater streams to the Arctic Ocean. These barely visible microplastics — less than 5 mm wide — are potentially harmful to aquatic animals and plants, as well as humans. So, researchers are devising ways to remove them and to stop them at their source. Today, a team reports a two-stage device made with steel tubes and pulsing sound waves that removes most of the plastic particles from real water samples.

Menake Piyasena, Ph.D.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

 

Wednesday, Mar. 29, posting by 10 a.m. Eastern Time

Fermented coffee’s fruity aromas demystified
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Mar. 29, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Specialty coffees are gaining traction in coffeehouses around the world — and now a fermented version could bring a fruity taste to your morning cup of joe. This new kind of beverage has a raspberry-like taste and aroma, but what causes these sensations has been a mystery. Today, scientists report six compounds that contribute to the fermented coffee experience. The work could help increase production of the drink and make it more readily available for everyone to enjoy.

Samo Smrke, Ph.D.
Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Chahan Yeretzian, Ph.D.
Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Obesity treatment could offer dramatic weight loss without surgery or nausea
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Mar. 29, 2023, 5 a.m. Eastern Time

Imagine getting the benefits of gastric bypass surgery without going under the knife — a new class of compounds could do just that. In lab animals, these potential treatments reduce weight dramatically and lower blood glucose. The injectable compounds also avoid the side effects of nausea and vomiting that are common with current weight-loss and diabetes drugs. Now, scientists report that the new treatment not only reduces eating but also boosts calorie burn.

Robert Doyle, Ph.D.
Syracuse University

 

For health and safety information for ACS Spring 2023, please visit the FAQ webpage.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact [email protected].

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram