The Molecule of the Month home page

Date	Molecule	Versions	Contributor	Location
August 2016	Acrylamide The (possibly) poisonous molecule that results from cooking starchy foods at high temperature.	HTML JSmol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
July 2016	Resveratrol The Fountain of Youth and the explanation for the French Paradox?	HTML JSmol	Paul May	Bristol University
June 2016	Cobalt chloride A drug used to dope racehorses that's also a water indicator.	HTML JSmol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
May 2016	Vitamin K The vitamin required for blood klotting	HTML JSmol	Paul May	Bristol University
April 2016	Acetic acid The main constituent of vinegar.	HTML JSmol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
March 2016	Melanin The pigment that causes different skin colours	HTML	Paul May	Bristol University
February 2016	Cocaine The notorious recreational drug.	HTML JSmol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
January 2016	Congo Red A red dye, but not from the Congo	HTML JSmol	Paul May	Bristol University
December 2015	Codeine and Oxycodone Painkillers that can become addictive.	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
November 2015	Vitamin D ...or how Shaun the Sheep helps prevent rickets!	HTML JSmol	Paul May	Bristol University
October 2015	Ivermectin The treatment for river blindness.	HTML	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
September 2015	Stevioside The ‘natural’ sweetener that’s an alternative to sugar.	HTML JSmol	Paul May	Bristol University
August 2015	Beta-Damascenone A rose by any other name...	HTML JSmol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
July 2015	Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A molecule of relaxation...	HTML JSMol	Gabriella Zanetti	Hull Collegiate School Hull, UK
June 2015	1,3-Butadiene Golf balls, tyres and Lego.	HTML JSMol	Paul May	Bristol University
May 2015	Dinitrophenol (DNP) The weight-loss pill that's potentially fatal.	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
April 2015	Colchicine The poison that's also a treatment for gout.	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
March 2015	Fentanyl The knock-out gas controversially used to end the Moscow theatre siege	HTML JSMol	Paul May	Bristol University
February 2015	Thiomersal The molecule that prevents vaccines from going stale.	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
January 2015	Tetranitratoxycarbon The explosive molecule discovered by a 10-year-old girl.	HTML JSMol	Paul May	Bristol University
December 2014	Trinitrotoluene (TNT) The explosive that won WWI & WWII	HTML JSMol	Mike Thompson and George Innes	Rugby School, UK
November 2014	Triclosan The antibacterial molecule found in soaps, detergents, toys and surgical cleaning treatments that maybe becoming an enviromental problem	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
October 2014	Aconitine A poisoner’s potion of choice.	HTML JSMol	Paul May	Bristol University
September 2014	Tramadol The painkiller used by racing cyclists to give them an edge	HTML JSMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
August 2014	Myristicin The psychoactive molecule in nutmegs, and the story of the nut that changed the world.	HTML JSMol	Paul May	Bristol University
July 2014	Salvinorin A The psychoactive drug that's the key ingredient in Mexican Magic Mint	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
June 2014	Chloroauric acid What you get when you dissolve gold in acid.	HTML	Quazi Hasibul Hasan, Niloy Kumar Das	Shahjalal Science & Technology University Bangladesh
May 2014	Sucrose Table sugar	HTML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
April 2014	Streptomycin One of the main drugs to treat Tuberculosis.	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
March 2014	Cholesterol Bile, membranes, hormones, vitamins and untimely death (and more)	HTML	Ben Benjamin	Torbay Hospital Devon, UK
February 2014	Fluorine The most reactive non-metal	HTML JMol	Mike Thompson and Hugh Campbell	Rugby School, UK
January 2014	Hydrazine Rocket fuel, spandex suits, power stations and car air-bags!	HTML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
Dec 2013	Dimethyldisulfide A molecule with a-rum smell...	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
November 2013	Silica The macromolecule that makes up sand, glass and quartz, and which is a major component of rocks and mountains.	HTML	Guillermo Godino Sedano	King´s College Madrid, Spain
Oct 2013	Linalool The main component of lavender oil, which is also found in lots of other places.	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
Sept 2013	1,1,1,2-Tetrafluroethane The refrigerant gas that replaced CFCs	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
August 2013	Bisphenol A The controversial plastic additive	HTML	Mia Monte	School of Ramiro de Maeztu Madrid, Spain
July 2013	Wilkinson's catalyst The famous inorganic catalyst	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
June 2013	Ammonia A very important molecule for biological organisms to make proteins or nucleic acids	HTML	Quazi Hasibul Hasan and Niloy Kumar Das	Shahjalal Science & Technology University Bangladesh
May 2013	Artemisinin The new antimalarial drug from China	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
April 2013	Phenylbutazone The controversial horse painkiller	HTML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
March 2013	Lithium Aluminium Hydride The versatile reducing agent	HTML	Mike Thompson and Jess Abel	Rugby School, UK
February 2013	Vaska's Compound An inorganic molecule that reversibly binds oxygen	HTML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
January 2013	Fluoroform It's not the same as chloroform!	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
December 2012	Nitrogen Dioxide One of the gases in smog	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
November 2012	Galanthamine The anti-Alzheimers' drug derived from snowdrops	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
October 2012	Medroxyprogesterone acetate The drug used for chemical castration	HTML VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
September 2012	Filbertone The smell of hazelnuts.	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
August 2012	Captopril The treatment for high blood pressure derived from snake venom	HTML VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
July 2012	Raspberry Ketone (or Rheosmin or Frambinone) The smell of raspberries.	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
June 2012	Tropane The bicyclic amine that is the precursor to $4 billion pharmaceutical industries	VRML	Quazi Hasibul Hasan	Shahjalal University of Science & Technology Bangladesh
May 2012	Carbon Dioxide The gas we exhale that's both a Greenhouse gas and a fire extinguisher	HTML VRML JMol	Mike Thompson and Jess Abel	Rugby School, UK
April 2012	Lauric Acid The main constituent of coconut oil	HTML VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
March 2012	Phenylethylamine and the amine responsible for the 'Cheese effect'	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
February 2012	Botulinum Toxin The anti-wrinkle treatment that's the most powerful neurotoxin known.	HTML VRML JMol	Guillermo Godino Sedano	King´s College Madrid, Spain
January 2012	DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide) The smelly solvent that may have a variety of medical uses	HTML VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
December 2011	2,4,6-Tribromophenol The test for phenol	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	University of Birmingham
November 2011	Hydrogen Cyanide From Prussian Blue to Schrödinger's Cat	HTML	Alberto Morón Hernández	King's College Madrid, Spain
October 2011	Sodium Hypochlorite The chemical name for household bleach	HTML	Paul May	Bristol University
September 2011	Doxycycline The antibiotic that's an alternative to penicillin	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
August 2011	Benzene The first aromatic compound	HTML VRML JMol	Mike Thompson and Charlie Style	Rugby School, UK
July 2011	Sulfanilamide The antibiotic drug that saved the life of Winston Churchill	HTML VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
June 2011	Endosulfan The controversial insecticide	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
May 2011	Octanal The smell of oranges that birds use as 'perfume'	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
April 2011	Eribulin (Halaven) The anti-cancer drug made from a sea-sponge	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
March 2011	Muscone The deer musk used in perfumes	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
February 2011	Warfarin The blood anti-coagulant used as a rat poison	HTML	John Maher	Bristol University
January 2011	DEET The spray-on insect repellant	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
December 2010	Eucalyptol (1,8-Cineole) A koala's favourite food	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
November 2010	Kevlar The super-tough fibre used to make bullet-proof vests	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
October 2010	Heptan-2-one The stilton cheese molecule	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
September 2010	Kispeptin The molecule of puberty and sexual fertility	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
August 2010	THG (tetrahydrogestrinone) The illegal performance-enhancing drug used by some athletes and sportspeople	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
July 2010	Insulin The hormone that converts sugar in the blood into a source of energy for our body's metabolic processes	HTML	Maria Kyriakou	Bristol University
June 2010	Nylon The wonder material that made stockings, parachutes and toothbrushes	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
May 2010	Diacetyl The buttery flavour of popcorn, butterscotch, and margarine.	HTML	Trevor Gates	Western Oregon University USA
April 2010	Glycine The amino-acid that may have kick-started life on Earth	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
March 2010	Sodium Lauryl Sulfate The main cleaning agent in soap and detergent.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Zara Kauffer and Paul May	Bristol University
February 2010	Heavy Water It's water - just heavier!	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
January 2010	Green Fluorescent Protein A molecular tag that can be inserted into genes to make animals and plants glow green.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Timothy King and Paul May	Bristol University
December 2009	1-Octen-3-ol The smell of mushrooms.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
November 2009	Citalopram A new treatment for depression	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Benjamin Rawe and Paul May	Bristol University
October 2009	Strychnine The performance enhancing deadly poison	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul M. Burnham	Greenhead College Huddersfield, UK
September 2009	Anandamide The molecule of extreme pleasure.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Sujit Kumar Kar	S.K. Foundation Orissa, India
August 2009	Geosmin The smell of the countryside.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
July 2009	Cyanoacrylate Superglue!	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Sarwat Baig	University of Bristol
June 2009	Teflon (PTFE) The non-stick coating on frying pans.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Layth Hendow	Hull Collegiate School Yorkshire, UK
May 2009	Bombykol The sex pheromone of the silk moth.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
April 2009	Retinal The molecule of vision	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Joshua Howgego and Paul May	University of Bristol
March 2009	Hydrogen Sulphide The smell of rotten eggs.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
February 2009	Indigotin The dye used to colour blue jeans	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Richard Marsh and Paul May	University of Bristol
January 2009	Oxytocin The molecule involved in pregnancy, breastfeeding and sexual fidelity!	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
December 2008	Taurine The stimulant in the 'energy drink' Red Bull - but does it give you wings?	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Richard Marsh and Paul May	University of Bristol
November 2008	2-Methylundecanal The smell of Chanel No.5 perfume.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Oct 2008	Dopamine The neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and well-being	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Sian Gregory and Paul M. Burnham	Hillsborough College Sheffield, UK
Sept 2008	Uric acid The molecule that causes gout and kidney stones, and is found in bird droppings	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
August 2008	Folic Acid A necessary ingredient for building DNA, cells and babies.	HTML VRML JMol	Dominic Taylor and Paul May	University of Bristol
July 2008	Isoprene The building block for terpenes and rubber, and the molecule that makes the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, blue.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
June 2008	Histamine The molecule associated with immune response, allergies and hayfever.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Michael Charles Hatch and Paul May	University of Bristol
May 2008	Sulfuric acid The acid that's the 'King of Chemicals'	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
April 2008	Sulphur Hexafluoride The unreactive gas that's found in electrical insulation, trainers and double-glazing.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
March 2008	Limonene The industrial degreasing agent found in orange peel.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul M. Burnham	Hillsborough College Sheffield, UK
February 2008	Vanillin The flavour of vanilla icecream.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
January 2008	Herceptin The controversial drug used to treat breast cancer.	HTML	Amy Dyke	University of Bristol
December 2007	Methane The greenhouse gas that cooks our food.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
November 2007	Nitric Acid The starting point for explosives and fertilisers.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
October 2007	Nitroglycerine The explosive component in dynamite.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
September 2007	Propanethial S-oxide The molecule that makes you cry when peeling onions.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul M. Burnham	Hillsborough College Sheffield, UK
August 2007	Menthol The cooling smell of mint.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
July 2007	Monosodium Glutamate The molecule that enhances taste in food.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Pio Monti	Kings College School Madrid, Spain
June 2007	Lutein and Zeaxanthin The chemistry and biology of the colourful carotenoids we eat as food, or which make the pigments in songbirds' feathers	HTML Chime JMol	James D. Johnson	Alumnus Dept of Chemistry Florida State University
May 2007	Acetyl Coenzyme-A The molecule that makes fats, or burns them	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
April 2007	Glucose The sugary source of energy for plants and animals	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
March 2007	Methamphetamine The pick-me-up also known as 'speed'.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
February 2007	Sodium Thiopental (Sodium Pentothal) The 'Truth Serum' used in many spy movies.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Adriano Taylor	King´s College Madrid, Spain
January 2007	Prostanoic Acid and Prostagladins Important natural molecules that resemble hormones and have a range of biological effects.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
December 2006	Ethene The anaesthetic gas that's used to make polythene	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
November 2006	Pentacene The p-type organic semiconductor which can be used to make organic electronics.	HTML	Fabio Pichierri	Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
October 2006	Chloroform The anaesthetic and solvent	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Stephen Belding	University of Oxford
September 2006	Hydrogen Peroxide Rocket fuel and bleached blondes...	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
August 2006	Cinnamaldehyde The smell and taste of the spice cinnamon.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul M. Burnham	Hillsborough College Sheffield, UK
July 2006	Tamiflu The anti-flu drug that might protect us froma bird-flu epidemic	HTML JMol	Emily Campbell	University of Bristol
June 2006	The Manganese-calcium oxide cluster of Photosystem II (The Oxygen Evolving Complex) The complex that cyanobacteria use to split water, release oxygen, and which helped start life on Earth.	HTML Chime	James D. Johnson	Florida State University Tallahassee USA
May 2006	Linoleic Acid The vegetable oil that's used to make margarine	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
April 2006	Skatole The smell of human excrement	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
March 2006	Cucurbituril A pumpkin-shaped molecule	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Fabio Pichierri	Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
Feb 2006	Hemoglobin The oxygen-carrying molecule found in blood	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
January 2006	Batrachotoxin The poison found on the skin of Amazonian frogs	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
December 2005	Formic Acid (Methanoic Acid) The poison from ants and stinging nettles	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mathieu Laffitte	Freelance writer France
November 2005	Carbon Monoxide The poisonous gas from car exhausts	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
October 2005	Dimethylsulphide The smell of truffles	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
September 2005	Dioxin The pollutant that caused the Seveso disaster	HTML	Fabio Pichierri	Tohoku University Sendai, Japan
August 2005	Linezolid A new type of oxazolidinone antibiotic	HTML	Rafal Klajn	Northwestern University USA
July 2005	Quinine The anti-malarial drug that's found in gin and tonic	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
June 2005	Dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon) Freon gas, the CFC refrigerant that damages the ozone layer.	HTML	Aaron Vorderstrasse	Western Oregon University Monmouth Oregon, USA
May 2005	British Anti-Lewisite The chelating molecule that's used to treat heavy metal poisoning.	HTML	Domingo Tabangcura, Jr. and G. Patrick Daubert, MD	Regional Poison Control Center Wayne State University Children's Hospital of Michigan Detroit USA
April 2005	Serotonin A molecule of happiness.	HTML Chime	Claire Rosling	University of Bristol
March 2005	Hexenal The key aroma substance emitted when grass is cut.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Feb 2005	Galactosylceramide The chemical found in the brain which is a constituent of nerve cells and intestinal membranes - and which may be implicated in promoting diseases such as HIV.	HTML	Jacques Fantini, Nicolas Garmy, Nadira Taieb and Nouara Yahi	Université Paul Cézanne Marseille, France
Jan 2005	Arsine The poisonous gas that was an important molecule in the history of forensic science.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Dec 2004	Maleimide-Polyethylene Glycol (MPEG4) Modified human hemoglobin that can be used as a blood substitute.	HTML	Nancy Christy, Shane Haggard, Kimberly Lam, Rachele Melious and Paula Theobald	San Diego Mesa College San Diego, CA, USA
Nov 2004	Morphine The sedative and painkiller.	HTML	Enrico Uva	LaurenHill Academy Montreal, Canada
Oct 2004	Butane The fuel in portable cookers, and much more...	HTML	Feng Wang	Swinburne University of Technology Melbourne, Australia
Sept 2004	Ubiquitin A ubiquitous protein	HTML	Lukasz and Mariusz Jaremko	Wroclaw University Poland
Aug 2004	Trimethylamine The cause of 'fish breath' in some people.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
July 2004	Atenolol A beta-blocker drug used for treating high blood pressure and angina.	HTML	Ravi Bhandari	Imperial College London
June 2004	Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) The notorious 'date rape' drug.	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Gemma Gaitskell Phillips and Paula Fitzgerald	Kings College Madrid, Spain
May 2004	Osmium Tetroxide The useful chemical reagent that was recently called the "billionaire's chemical weapon"	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
Apr 2004	Cantharidin The 'Spanish Fly' aphrodisiac that's also a beetle defense chemical.	HTML Chime	Gérard Dupuis & Nicole Berland	Lycée Faidherbe Lille, France.
Mar 2004	EDTA A molecule with a 'complex story', that's found in mayonnaise, beans and Big Macs.	HTML Chime	Scott A. Sinex	Prince George's Community College Largo, MD, USA
Feb 2004	Combretastatin A-4 A Zulu poison that can be used to treat cancer	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
Jan 2004	Rotenone An important piscicide and insecticide	HTML Chime	Emma Castrique	Bristol University
Dec 2003	Sulphur Dioxide A major component of acid rain	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
Nov 2003	S-Adenosyl Methionine A biological methylating agent	HTML	Rich Blatchly	Keene State College Keene NH, USA
Oct 2003	Dimethyl Mercury The toxic compound that caused the Minamata disaster	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Sept 2003	Carnitine An acyl-carrying nursing biomolecule.	HTML	Hans R. Scholte	Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam Holland
Aug 2003	Fluoxetine (Prozac) The active ingredient behind the World's most widely used antidepressant drug.	Chime	Gemma Veitch	Imperial College London
July 2003	Caeruloplasmin An enigmatic copper metalloprotein.	HTML	John Maher	University of Bristol
June 2003	Pnictogen A group of materials that might be used to convert electricity into heat and vice versa.	HTML	David Bradley	Freelance Science Writer
May 2003	N3 Amide Dyes A new way to make 'metallo-organic' solar cells	HTML	Jean-Jacques Lagref	Novartis Pharma AG Basel Switzerland.
Apr 2003	Ketamine The notorious recreational drug	HTML Chime	Tim Aldridge	University of Bristol
Mar 2003	Ethyl Acetate The source of many natural odours	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Feb 2003	Spidroin Spider silk and spider poisons	HTML Chime	Vivienne Li	Bristol University
Jan 2003	Arsenic Pentachloride, AsCl₅ A molecule with unusual bonding	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Dec 2002	Hemlock (Coniine) The poison that killed Socrates	HTML Chime	John Huggins	Thrybergh Comprehensive School Rotherham, UK
Nov 2002	Dettol The antiseptic cleaning fluid	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Mike Thompson	Winchester College UK
Oct 2002	Epothilone A new anti-cancer drug	HTML	Audrey Barthelemy and Carole Christophe	Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon France
Sept 2002	Ibogaine The anti-addiction drug	HTML Chime VRML JMol	David Bradley	Freelance Science Writer
Aug 2002	Uranium Hexafluoride, UF₆ The source of uranium for nuclear power	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
July 2002	Alliin The chemistry of garlic	HTML	Eric Coleman	University of Bristol
June 2002	Tryptophan The controversial food supplement	HTML	Kimberly Dick and Michel Hachey	Advanced Chemistry Develpment Toronto, Canada
May 2002	Etorphine An elephant tranquiliser	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Apr 2002	Beta-Carotene The colour of carrots	HTML Chime	Martha Evens	University of Bristol
Mar 2002	Mifepristone (RU-486) The 'morning after' pill	HTML	Fyaz M.D. Ismail	Dept of Pharmacy and Chemistry Liverpool John Moores University
Feb 2002	Atropine The muscle relaxant used in surgery	HTML Chime	Sara Kennedy	Armthorpe School Doncaster, UK
Jan 2002	Relenza The anti-flu drug	HTML	Nikola Sanderson	Imperial College London
Dec 2001	Nitrogen Triiodide The well-known explosive crystals	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Nov 2001	Ibuprofen A painkiller	HTML Chime	John Bower	University of Bristol
Oct 2001	Tetracycline The anti-biotic	HTML Chime	Rafal Klajn	Institute of Organic Chemistry PAN, Warsaw Poland
Sept 2001	Methyl Jasmonate The smell of jasmine flowers	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland, UK
Aug 2001	Nicotine The addictive drug in tobacco	HTML	Muriel Fabre, Guillaume Bouchon, Sébastien Abry and Daniel Simon	École Normale Supérieure de Lyon France
July 2001	VX gas The notorious nerve agent	HTML Chime	Cavus Batki	University of Bristol
June 2001	ClF₃ Rocket fuel	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland
May 2001	Brassinolide The plant growth hormone	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Martin A. Iglesias-Arteaga	University of Havana Cuba
Apr 2001	Capsaicin The heat of chillis	HTML Chime VRML	Matthew Bellringer	University of Bristol
Mar 2001	Frontalin A beetle signal pheremone	HTML Chime	Gérard Dupuis and Nicole Berland	Lycée Faidherbe Lille, France.
Feb 2001	Aspartame A synthetic sweetener	HTML Chime VRML JMol	D. Eric Walters	Finch University of Health Sciences The Chicago Medical School Chicago, USA
Jan 2001	Tetraethyl Lead The anti-knock agent in petroleum	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Simon Cotton	Uppingham School Rutland
Dec 2000	2,4,5-T (Agent Orange) The notorious Vietnam War defoliant	HTML Chime VRML	John Hardy	University of Bristol
Nov 2000	Bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) oxalate (DNPO) Light-emitting chemicals	HTML	Daniel Ormsby	University of Leeds
Oct 2000	Nandrolone The controversial anabolic steroid	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
Sept 2000	ABT-594 and Epibatidine A painkiller	HTML	John Cameron and Kathleen Brawley	University of Aberdeen
Aug 2000	Cisplatin The anti-cancer drug	HTML Chime	Mitch Miller	Symyx Technologies USA
July 2000	Thalidomide The notorious morning sickness drug	HTML	Alex Lingham	Bristol University
June 2000	Histrionicotoxin The frog poison used in blowpipe darts	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Neil Edwards and Mark Reed	Sussex University
May 2000	Chlorophyll The green colour of plants	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
Apr 2000	Melatonin The sleep-wake-cycle regulating chemical	Chime	Salinthip Thipayang	Imperial College London
Mar 2000	cis-g-Irone The violet-like scent of Iris oils used in perfumes	HTML	Jean-Marie Galano	Université D'Aix-Marseille III France
Feb 2000	Frankincense (Boswellic Acid) The Biblical fragrant gum resin	HTML Chime VRML	Gordon Docherty	Bristol University
Jan 2000	DNA The genetic blueprint molecule	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
Dec 1999	Tamoxifen The anti-cancer drug	HTML Chime	Huw Tanner	Imperial College London
Nov 1999	Tetrodotoxin The poison in puffer fish	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Jim Johnson	3D Biochem USA
Oct 1999	Psilocybin and Mescaline The hallucinogen in 'magic mushrooms'	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Paul May	Bristol University
Sept 1999	Anatoxin A toxin extracted from algae	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Neil Edwards	Sussex University
Aug 1999	Salbutamol The anti-asthma treatment	Chime	Jerome Hettich	Imperial College London
July 1999	Zyban (Bupropion) The treatment for nicotine addiction	HTML	Bernard Blessington and Jamie Harris	University of Bradford
June 1999	Nitrous oxide Laughing gas	HTML Chime VRML JMol	Ewan Cameron and Paul May	University of Bristol
May 1999	Adrenaline The 'fight or flight' hormone	HTML	Frank Oellien	Computer-Chemie-Centrum University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Germany
Apr 1999	Staurosporine An anti-cancer drug	HTML Chime	Clive Walker	Novartis Horsham Research Centre
Feb 1999	Ptaquiloside The poison in bracken	HTML Chime VRML JMol	David Bradley	Freelance Science Writer/Editor
Jan 1999	Cubane A cubic molecule	HTML Chime	Beinn Muir	Imperial College
Dec 1998	LSD The notorious hallucigenic drug	HTML Chime JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
Nov 1998	Polythiophene A conducting organic polymer	JMol	Peter Tebbutt	Cherwell Scientific Publishing
Oct 1998	Ferritin An iron-storage protein	HTML	James Bashkin, Regina Frey and Maureen Donlin	Washington University St Louis, Mo, USA
Sept 1998	Saxitoxin A powerful shellfish poison	HTML JMol	Neil Edwards	University of Sussex
Aug 1998	Finasteride A treatment for baldness?	HTML	Cynthia Schieck	Virginia Commonwealth University USA
July 1998	Formaldehyde The biology specimen preservative	HTML	Walter Volland	Bellevue Community College Washington, USA
June 1998	Mustard Gas The notorious WW1 chemical warfare agent	HTML Chime JMol	Rebecca Holland	Bristol University
May 1998	Proline A useful synthetic reagent	HTML	Andrew Potter	Liverpool University
April 1998	MCM-41 A zeolite catalyst	HTML Chime	Vladimir Gusev	Freelance
Mar 1998	Ozone The Earth's protective layer	HTML	Eloise Stattersfield	Bristol University
Feb 1998	Sulfanilamide A useful antibiotic	HTML Chime JMol	Peter Tebbutt	Cherwell Scientific Publishing
Jan 1998	Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) The body's energy storage molecule	HTML Chime JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
Dec 1997	4-Bromo-4'-Methoxy- acetophenone Azine An organic magnet	HTML	Rainer Glaser	University of Missouri-Columbia
Nov 1997	Scorpionine A scorpion-shaped molecule	HTML Chime	Henry Rzepa	Imperial College London
Oct 1997	N₂S₂ A molecule with unusual bonding	HTML Chime	Joe Gerratt	University of Bristol
Sept 1997	Hexol The molecule that helped the understanding of coordination chemistry	JSmol	Robert Lancashire	University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
Aug 1997	[Ag{(NC)Mn(CO)₂- P(OPh₃)(dppm)}₂]⁺ A molecule with a near-linear chain of 7 atoms	HTML	John Crossley	University of Bristol
July 1997	Vancomycin The ultimate antibiotic	HTML Chime	Alan Bunch and Anthony Baines	University of Kent
June 1997	Triphenylmethyl A propellor-shaped molecule	HTML	Andrew Hudson & Richard Jackson	Sussex University
May 1997	Vitamin B₁₂ The vitamin that prevents anaemia	Chime	John Maher	Bristol University
April 1997	Cyclooctene A chiral molecule	HTML Chime	David Bradley	Freelance Science Writer/Editor
Mar 1997	t-AlF₃ The interesting crystal structure	HTML Chime VRML	Armel Le Bail	Laboratoire des Fluorures University of Lemans, France
Feb 1997	Taxol The anti-cancer drug	HTML Chime JMol	Neil Edwards	University of Bristol
Jan 1997	C₆₀ Buckyballs The famous football-shaped molecule	HTML Chime	Wyn Locke	Imperial College London
Dec 1996	Decahelicene A spiral-shaped molecule	HTML JMol	Hens Borkent	CMBI Radboud University Nijmegen, NL
Nov 1996	Sialyl Lewis X A carbohydrate that recognises blood groups	HTML	Steven Isles & Alan Wilson	University of Birmingham
Oct 1996	Water Not just for drinking...	HTML	Shawn Huston Kenner	MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Sept 1996	Digitalis A treatment for heart disease	HTML	Paul May	University of Bristol
Aug 1996	Helvetane and Israelane Hypothetical molecules with intriguing shapes	HTML	Mitchell Miller	Lion Biosciences USA
July 1996	Diamond The world's favourite gem	HTML JMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
June 1996	Urea The first synthetic organic product	HTML	Stuart Fairall	De Montfort University
May 1996	Ferrocene The well known organo-metallic sandwich	HTML	Karl Harrison	University of Oxford
Apr 1996	Delta-THC The active ingredient in cannabis	HTML	Lee Banting	Portsmouth University
Mar 1996	Phthalocyanine A dye, catalyst and anti-cancer agent	HTML	Alan Wilson	University of Birmingham
Feb 1996	Aspirin The first painkiller	HTML JSMol	Paul May	University of Bristol
Jan 1996	Mauveine dye The first synthetic dye	Chime	Henry Rzepa	Imperial College London

Ferric chloride; Neohesperidin; Vitamin E; Benzoyl peroxide; Nepetalactone; NCl₃; Zingiberene; Phenolphthalein; Isopropanol; Methyl dihydrogenjasmonate; ...

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