Richard Zare

Charges cause water droplets in an early-Earth atmosphere to build up pre-life chemicals.

Stanford researchers have discovered a simple and environmentally sound way to make ammonia with tiny droplets of water and nitrogen from the air.

A new study has put a remarkable and unexpected chemical genesis on more solid footing.

New Stanford University research has revealed that the mineral silica, a common food additive and popular cosmetics ingredient, is not a chemically inert substance, as has long been supposed.

We may be starting to get a grasp on what kick-started life on Earth – and it could help us search for it on other planets

Human activities emit many kinds of pollutants into the air, and without a molecule called hydroxide (OH), many of these pollutants would keep aggregating in the atmosphere.

From what to wear to how to avoid counterfeits, experts weigh in on the latest advice about masks and Covid-19

We may not have needed full-blown lightning.

Stanford researchers have found an environmentally friendly method of producing ammonia using small droplets of water and nitrogen sourced from the air. Ammonia (NH3) serves as the foundation for the creation of chemical fertilizers used for agricultural crops. For over 100 years, the global prod

The human body relies heavily on electrical charges. Lightning-like pulses of energy fly through the brain and nerves and most biological processes depend on electrical ions traveling across the membranes of each cell in our body.

In this week's Short Wave roundup, Berly McCoy and Regina Barber talk about the origins of life on Earth, what bird brains illuminate about human speech and how ADHD is mischaracterized on TikTok.

Charged water droplets generate sparks that can forge organic compounds

Learn more about how these experiments show that those small electrical charges can trigger the chemical reactions necessary to form organic molecules.

On a sunny springtime stroll through a park, it's easy to ignore the parts of plants that are hidden from view. Plant biologists see things differently. They look below the surface where plant roots are organized in elaborate systems that are critical to the organism's development. Intricately organized tree root systems, for example, can span as far underground as the tree grows high above the soil.

Some researchers have seen an unusual effect where microscopic water drops turn into hydrogen peroxide after hitting a surface. A series of experiments is now getting closer to uncovering why it might happen