The Alchemist learns this week of analysis fit for a king as British scientists reveal the remains of the most infamous son of York, Richard the Third. In the world of materials, graphitic oxides are shown to behave like water-logged clays at very low temperatures while cutting the mustard could lead to more efficient farming and perhaps new medical approaches to metabolic disorders. A conducting polymer device has been described that could charge up a mobile phone by tapping into your body heat, while a health test for oranges might improve the quality of fruit juice and save trees from dieback. Finally, the Japan Prize is awarded to two ex-IBM scientists for their pioneering work in the 1970s that led to the technique of choice for making so-called silicon chips.

via The Alchemist Newsletter:Feb 14, 2013 — Welcome to ChemWeb.