[cenchempics]

CRYSTAL BALL

Even when chemical reactions don’t work, the results can be stunning. Fadi Jradi, a postdoc at Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, found this out while trying to synthesize fluorescent probes for biological imaging. Instead of his Williamson ether synthesis producing his desired molecule, it made this crystalline morpholine by-product, which then tiled his round-bottom flask with these mesmerizing patterns.

Submitted by Fadi Jradi

Do science. Take Pictures. Win Money: Enter your pics in our photo contest 

More ChemPics and C&EN stories:

A new twist on nanowire growth leads to stunning structures

Bucolic By-product

Fun with Waste

Waste Not

[charlieboy98]

Keep the light ever burning

[jamesreads]

View this post on Instagram

see you tomorrow. motion by illusion911.tumblr.com

[jamesreads]

View this post on Instagram

the persistence of the mind (wherever you go, there you are). | motion by illusion911.tumblr.com

[jamesreads]

a little light for your worries

[jamesreads]

portal for the brave

[ink-metal-art]

[psilacetin]

Artist: Totemical

[cenchempics]

WHO BUILT THE ICE PYRAMIDS?

Although they look sculpted, no one built these odd-looking ice pyramids and this ice spike. These ice structures are the result of water naturally freezing into ice. When a pool of water begins to freeze, sheetlike ice crystals grow downward from the water’s surface at various angles. Sheets can run into each other, and occasionally, if three of them meet at the right angles, they can form a triangular hole in the ice forming at the top of the pool. Because water expands as it freezes, the surface layer grows downward and pushes the unfrozen water at the bottom of the pool out of the triangular hole. As the water gets pushed out, it freezes bit by bit into these different hollow structures.

Credit: PgunnG via Reddit (top); Steven Hilsdon (bottom, left); Miles Chen (bottom, right)

Related C&EN content:

The Chemistry of Ice Cream

How Arctic Fish Avoid Freezing

[synmagazine]

[illusion911]

Escape reality

[chichiliki]

Available society6 here

Artist Tumblr here

[spiritualinspiration2]

[chance-e-deactivated20140521]

[acidholic]

we all love to trip, but don’t be stupid. 

free uber rides for all my fellow people

[dripandtrip]

Love!

[cenchempics]

KISS OF DEATH

One of the reasons cancer is so hard to defeat is that the body’s immune system has trouble recognizing cancer cells growing among healthy cells. Some scientists want to help. Researchers designed mouse T cells to specifically bind to a protein complex on fibrosarcoma MC57 tumor cell membranes. In this sped-up video, once the T cells (each about 10 μm across) meet their targets, they create holes in the cancer cell membranes using a protein called perforin. Next, the immune cells flood the pierced cells with a rush of cell-killing granules called granzymes. Propidium iodide, a dye the scientists added to the plate of cells, also squeezes in through the hole and starts glowing red when it comes in contact with RNA and DNA inside the cancer cells. This tells the researchers that the cells have been pierced and will soon die. This process takes about 75 minutes in real time.

Credit: Misty Jenkins (Read the paper.)

Related C&EN content:

The Immune System Fights Back

Cancer-Killing Machine

[fxmous]

[inprnt]

“Floating Island” by Jonathan Lam on INPRNT

[inprnt]

“Cactus garden” by Inga Girvica on INPRNT