Bri Barbu
@bribarbu.bsky.social
science reporter @ Chemical & Engineering News | please talk to me about carbon-based molecules | she/her | views mine | @bribarbu.95 on signal
Pinned
It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
Meet the molecules of the year 2025
C&EN editors’ annual round-up of spectacular molecules we’ve covered in the past year
cen.acs.org
CORRECTION the poll closes on Dec. 8, not Dec. 11!
this is now my favorite fake science fact
Marie Curie shot three sexist detractors with polonium-tipped bullets, thus destroying her chances for a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 PM
this is now my favorite fake science fact
I wrote about new research substantiating the sugar secrets of seal milk--and challenging the assumption that human milk is uniquely complex!
(Did I pitch this just to get a cute baby seal on the @cenmag.bsky.social homepage? mayyyybe...)
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
(Did I pitch this just to get a cute baby seal on the @cenmag.bsky.social homepage? mayyyybe...)
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Wild seal milk rivals human milk in sugar complexity
Researchers characterized hundreds of unique oligosaccharides in seal milk, shedding light on the biochemical lives of other mammals
cen.acs.org
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I wrote about new research substantiating the sugar secrets of seal milk--and challenging the assumption that human milk is uniquely complex!
(Did I pitch this just to get a cute baby seal on the @cenmag.bsky.social homepage? mayyyybe...)
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
(Did I pitch this just to get a cute baby seal on the @cenmag.bsky.social homepage? mayyyybe...)
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
CORRECTION the poll closes on Dec. 8, not Dec. 11!
It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
Meet the molecules of the year 2025
C&EN editors’ annual round-up of spectacular molecules we’ve covered in the past year
cen.acs.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
CORRECTION the poll closes on Dec. 8, not Dec. 11!
It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
Meet the molecules of the year 2025
C&EN editors’ annual round-up of spectacular molecules we’ve covered in the past year
cen.acs.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:28 PM
It's that time again: @cenmag.bsky.social 's molecule of the year poll is now OPEN! Check out the contenders, lovingly curated by yours truly from past C&EN stories, and vote for your favorite by Dec. 11
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
#chemsky #scisky #moty2025
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Mo...
Reposted by Bri Barbu
We're doing the chempics contest as a bracket this year, complete with cute chemistry-themed names and logos for all of the rounds (except the first one)!
Check out the contenders and vote for your faves!
Check out the contenders and vote for your faves!
We're getting to the end of 2025, so why not: We made a bracket. VOTE on our best science photos. These scientists ... man, are they doin' some wild stuff! #CENChempics @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/education/sc...
Our first-ever Chempics Bracket is here. Vote for your favorite science photo
Only one photo will emerge victorious
cen.acs.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:47 PM
We're doing the chempics contest as a bracket this year, complete with cute chemistry-themed names and logos for all of the rounds (except the first one)!
Check out the contenders and vote for your faves!
Check out the contenders and vote for your faves!
Reposted by Bri Barbu
I love a good complex natural product. This one has two α-tropolones, 10 asymmetric stereocenters, and a a labile hemiketal. After a longstanding effort, chemists in Seth Herzon's lab have made (–)-gukulenin A. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/me...
cen.acs.org/synthesis/me...
A guide to making gukulenin A
3-component assembly builds a natural product that could fight cancer
cen.acs.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I love a good complex natural product. This one has two α-tropolones, 10 asymmetric stereocenters, and a a labile hemiketal. After a longstanding effort, chemists in Seth Herzon's lab have made (–)-gukulenin A. My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/me...
cen.acs.org/synthesis/me...
There’s a lot of historically and culturally significant stuff captured on audio (and video) tape. But tapes are mass-market items that weren’t made with long-term archiving in mind.
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
How preservation scientists are using chemistry to save sounds of the past
Preservation scientists are using polymer chemistry to help prevent old audio and video tapes from degrading beyond recognition
cen.acs.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:47 PM
There’s a lot of historically and culturally significant stuff captured on audio (and video) tape. But tapes are mass-market items that weren’t made with long-term archiving in mind.
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
My latest for @cenmag.bsky.social explores the chemistry involved in preserving them:
cen.acs.org/analytical-c...
Reposted by Bri Barbu
Four years ago, we were @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social fellows, starry-eyed at our first full-time #sciencejournalism gigs.
Now, we're working dream/beyond-dream jobs at the New York Times, @cenmag.bsky.social and @statnews.com. 2021 us could not have imagined 2025 us.
#scicomm #stem #altchemjobs
Now, we're working dream/beyond-dream jobs at the New York Times, @cenmag.bsky.social and @statnews.com. 2021 us could not have imagined 2025 us.
#scicomm #stem #altchemjobs
November 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Four years ago, we were @aaasmassmedia.bsky.social fellows, starry-eyed at our first full-time #sciencejournalism gigs.
Now, we're working dream/beyond-dream jobs at the New York Times, @cenmag.bsky.social and @statnews.com. 2021 us could not have imagined 2025 us.
#scicomm #stem #altchemjobs
Now, we're working dream/beyond-dream jobs at the New York Times, @cenmag.bsky.social and @statnews.com. 2021 us could not have imagined 2025 us.
#scicomm #stem #altchemjobs
I'll be there! if you're a DC-area science journalist or communicator, you should come through!
It’s official! 🔔 Registration is open for our annual holiday party to be held on Friday, December 5 in Busboys and Poets. Get your tickets while they last: 🔗 dcswa.wildapricot.org/event-6415252
November 6, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I'll be there! if you're a DC-area science journalist or communicator, you should come through!
Reposted by Bri Barbu
In this episode of Inflection Point, hosts David Anderson and @ginacvitale.bsky.social travel back in time to relive three historical moments that led to blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Listen now: cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪
Inflection Point: How underappreciated critters inspired GLP-1 drugs
Hosts David and Gina explore the unexpected origins of blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy
cen.acs.org
November 5, 2025 at 10:16 PM
In this episode of Inflection Point, hosts David Anderson and @ginacvitale.bsky.social travel back in time to relive three historical moments that led to blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Listen now: cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪
Let there be light-activated arynes!
Check out my write-up for @cenmag.bsky.social of
@cortnieroberts.bsky.social and her team's illuminating new work in Nature:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/re...
Check out my write-up for @cenmag.bsky.social of
@cortnieroberts.bsky.social and her team's illuminating new work in Nature:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/re...
Let there be light-activated arynes
Making these strained intermediates just got easier, thanks to new precursors that react in the presence of blue light
cen.acs.org
November 5, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Let there be light-activated arynes!
Check out my write-up for @cenmag.bsky.social of
@cortnieroberts.bsky.social and her team's illuminating new work in Nature:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/re...
Check out my write-up for @cenmag.bsky.social of
@cortnieroberts.bsky.social and her team's illuminating new work in Nature:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/re...
Reposted by Bri Barbu
science is a TEAM SPORT
there is no ISOLEUCINE in THREONINE GLUTAMATE ALANINE METHIONINE
there is no ISOLEUCINE in THREONINE GLUTAMATE ALANINE METHIONINE
October 31, 2025 at 6:58 PM
science is a TEAM SPORT
there is no ISOLEUCINE in THREONINE GLUTAMATE ALANINE METHIONINE
there is no ISOLEUCINE in THREONINE GLUTAMATE ALANINE METHIONINE
Researchers have come up with a new strategy to help chemists get more figurative bang from aromatic amine building blocks with (possibly) less chance of literal explosions.
New from me for @cenmag.bsky.social:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/pr...
New from me for @cenmag.bsky.social:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/pr...
Can this metal-free method unseat the classic but explosive Sandmeyer reaction?
Metal-free challenger to the classic deamination can be used in tandem with cross-coupling
cen.acs.org
October 30, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Researchers have come up with a new strategy to help chemists get more figurative bang from aromatic amine building blocks with (possibly) less chance of literal explosions.
New from me for @cenmag.bsky.social:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/pr...
New from me for @cenmag.bsky.social:
cen.acs.org/synthesis/pr...
Looking for some mad science journalism this Halloween? Look no further than 🩻Spooky, scary skeletal editing🩻
(and more chilling chemistry news from @cenmag.bsky.social)
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Sk...
(and more chilling chemistry news from @cenmag.bsky.social)
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Sk...
three skeletons are dancing in a cemetery in a purple background
Alt: Four animated skeletons are dancing in a cemetery in a purple background
media.tenor.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Looking for some mad science journalism this Halloween? Look no further than 🩻Spooky, scary skeletal editing🩻
(and more chilling chemistry news from @cenmag.bsky.social)
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Sk...
(and more chilling chemistry news from @cenmag.bsky.social)
cen.acs.org/synthesis/Sk...
Another week, another atom swap! This one features adorable--and adorably versatile--oxetanes!
cen.acs.org/synthesis/At...
cen.acs.org/synthesis/At...
Atom swap unlocks a world of 4-membered rings
Molecular-editing method trades oxygen for other atoms to diversify fragments on the fly
cen.acs.org
October 16, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Another week, another atom swap! This one features adorable--and adorably versatile--oxetanes!
cen.acs.org/synthesis/At...
cen.acs.org/synthesis/At...
I was a guest on the microplastics episode of this podcast and it was genuinely one of the most fun things I've done this year! David and Gina are brilliant, and I'm glad to see them recognized by the Signal awards!
C&EN’s science history podcast, Inflection Point, has been recognized with silver in two Signal Award categories: “Best Co-Host Team” and “Best Science/Education Podcast.”
#chemsky #SignalAwards 🧪
#chemsky #SignalAwards 🧪
October 16, 2025 at 6:11 PM
I was a guest on the microplastics episode of this podcast and it was genuinely one of the most fun things I've done this year! David and Gina are brilliant, and I'm glad to see them recognized by the Signal awards!
A few weeks ago, I went on a podcast and said I didn't know anyone who was doing skeletal editing with boron. Then I read this paper and learned that (a) these guys did it before it was cool and (b) now they're using boron to do even more interesting stuff to molecular cores!
The 1,2-oxaborine scaffold can be converted into a variety of different aromatic rings with relative ease, enabling chemists to vary molecular cores while keeping the peripheral groups mostly the same. cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh... #chemsky 🧪
These shape-shifting rings create customizable cores
1,2-oxaborines can shift into 11 different ring shapes to make modifying molecular cores easy
cen.acs.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:47 PM
A few weeks ago, I went on a podcast and said I didn't know anyone who was doing skeletal editing with boron. Then I read this paper and learned that (a) these guys did it before it was cool and (b) now they're using boron to do even more interesting stuff to molecular cores!
Reposted by Bri Barbu
Total synthesis of the heart
October 13, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Total synthesis of the heart
Turns out, boron-based heterocycles are anything but boring! In fact, some of them are pretty magical...1,2-oxaborines, for example, can be used as precursors to 11(!) other ring systems!
Read more in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh...
Read more in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh...
These shape-shifting rings create customizable cores
1,2-oxaborines can shift into 11 different ring shapes to make modifying molecular cores easy
cen.acs.org
October 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Turns out, boron-based heterocycles are anything but boring! In fact, some of them are pretty magical...1,2-oxaborines, for example, can be used as precursors to 11(!) other ring systems!
Read more in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh...
Read more in my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social
cen.acs.org/synthesis/sh...
My coworker @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social got infected with dengue *on purpose* for science!
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Once you get dengue fever, you're at a much greater risk of severe disease if you ever get it again due to something called antibody dependent enhancement.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
So why did I choose to purposely be infected with dengue?
Read my latest for @cenmag.bsky.social to find out. I'm quite proud of this one.
I was injected with dengue virus to learn about clinical trials
I became a test subject in a clinical trial for a new dengue treatment. Here’s what I discovered
cen.acs.org
October 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
My coworker @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social got infected with dengue *on purpose* for science!
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
Read his brilliant blend of reporting and first-person narrative about what he learned from his experience as a clinical trial participant:
It's the holey grail of chemistry awards! The moment many chemists (including a good chunk of @cenmag.bsky.social staff) have been waiting for!
MOFs finally got a Nobel Prize!
Read more in this story by my amazing colleague Prachi Patel:
cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
MOFs finally got a Nobel Prize!
Read more in this story by my amazing colleague Prachi Patel:
cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
The 2025 chemistry Nobel goes to MOFs
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi win the prize for developing metal–organic frameworks
cen.acs.org
October 8, 2025 at 1:12 PM
It's the holey grail of chemistry awards! The moment many chemists (including a good chunk of @cenmag.bsky.social staff) have been waiting for!
MOFs finally got a Nobel Prize!
Read more in this story by my amazing colleague Prachi Patel:
cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
MOFs finally got a Nobel Prize!
Read more in this story by my amazing colleague Prachi Patel:
cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
Reposted by Bri Barbu
The 2025 #NobelPrize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal–organic frameworks.” Stay tuned for the full story to come! cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
#ChemNobel #Chem #Chemistry #chemsky 🧪
#ChemNobel #Chem #Chemistry #chemsky 🧪
The 2025 chemistry Nobel goes to MOFs
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi win the prize for developing metal–organic frameworks
cen.acs.org
October 8, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Nobel week is basically the super bowl for science journalists, and @sarahbraner.bsky.social (with @laurahowes.bsky.social & @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social) gave us a strong opening play with their coverage of the med+physio prize!
(did i get the sports metaphor right?)
(did i get the sports metaphor right?)
Immunity researchers win the 2025 #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine
Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi receive the prize for understanding how the immune system is kept in check. Read more: cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
#chemsky #immunosky 🧪
Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi receive the prize for understanding how the immune system is kept in check. Read more: cen.acs.org/people/nobel...
#chemsky #immunosky 🧪
October 6, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Nobel week is basically the super bowl for science journalists, and @sarahbraner.bsky.social (with @laurahowes.bsky.social & @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social) gave us a strong opening play with their coverage of the med+physio prize!
(did i get the sports metaphor right?)
(did i get the sports metaphor right?)
Among the contributors' answers are prizes awarded for:
⚗️cross-coupling reactions
🥪sandwich complexes
⭕ozone chemistry
🪴raising awareness of climate change
which Nobel do you think is the greenest?
⚗️cross-coupling reactions
🥪sandwich complexes
⭕ozone chemistry
🪴raising awareness of climate change
which Nobel do you think is the greenest?
What’s the greenest Nobel Prize? Our columnists reflect on how the Nobel prizes—and not just those for science—have recognized green chemistry insights. cen.acs.org/environment/... #chemsky 🧪 #greenchemistry
What’s the greenest Nobel Prize?
Our columnists reflect on how the Nobel prizes—and not just those for science—have recognized green chemistry insights
cen.acs.org
October 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Among the contributors' answers are prizes awarded for:
⚗️cross-coupling reactions
🥪sandwich complexes
⭕ozone chemistry
🪴raising awareness of climate change
which Nobel do you think is the greenest?
⚗️cross-coupling reactions
🥪sandwich complexes
⭕ozone chemistry
🪴raising awareness of climate change
which Nobel do you think is the greenest?