Christine Dell'Amore
@cdellamore.bsky.social
Science journalist and editor, bug lover, world traveler. Co-founder of Newsbrief Award. Author of South Pole (Assouline, 2012). Deputy EiC at Chemical & Engineering News
In my first feature for @cenmag.bsky.social, I wrote about a topic very close to my heart: Life-saving cancer drugs. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
Paclitaxel saved my life. New discoveries could boost supply
After decades, scientists have finally pieced together the 23-step biosynthetic pathway to produce this cancer drug
cen.acs.org
February 18, 2026 at 9:02 PM
In my first feature for @cenmag.bsky.social, I wrote about a topic very close to my heart: Life-saving cancer drugs. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic...
I have been shouting this from the rooftops for years! European honeybees are not native species, yet there is this false narrative that we must protect them. Meanwhile, North America has 5,000 native bee species that are virtually ignored by the public.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Column | Good news: We saved the bees. Bad news: We saved the wrong ones.
Honeybees have never been in danger of extinction. But scientists are finding that they can accelerate the demise of native bee populations.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:09 PM
I have been shouting this from the rooftops for years! European honeybees are not native species, yet there is this false narrative that we must protect them. Meanwhile, North America has 5,000 native bee species that are virtually ignored by the public.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
Did a trip down my journalistic memory lane today and I discovered I wrote about chemistry back in the day! Looking at some of my old columns from a series I once managed on UPI, EcoWellness, and found this piece on polonium. www.upi.com/Health_News/...
EcoWellness: Polonium's dangerous kin - UPI.com
Polonium-210, the rare radioactive substance that fatally poisoned a Russian ex-spy, doesn't pose a threat to most. Found in tiny amounts in the Earth's crust,
www.upi.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Did a trip down my journalistic memory lane today and I discovered I wrote about chemistry back in the day! Looking at some of my old columns from a series I once managed on UPI, EcoWellness, and found this piece on polonium. www.upi.com/Health_News/...
Producing a significant amount of oil from Venezuela is not like turning on a tap. Alex Tullo writes a timely analysis for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/business/pet...
For Venezuela, a post-Maduro boom in chemicals could take years
Even if the country’s oil and gas sector gets back on its feet, petrochemical projects may be ill-timed
cen.acs.org
January 7, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Producing a significant amount of oil from Venezuela is not like turning on a tap. Alex Tullo writes a timely analysis for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/business/pet...
The color-changing pigment xanthommatin may also lead to better, petroleum-free paints. What can't octopuses do?! 🐙 @theoceanwriter.bsky.social has the story for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/biological-c...
This octopus pigment could lead to a more sustainable sunscreen
A new metabolic engineering technique makes xanthommatin cheaper and easy to produce
cen.acs.org
December 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The color-changing pigment xanthommatin may also lead to better, petroleum-free paints. What can't octopuses do?! 🐙 @theoceanwriter.bsky.social has the story for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/biological-c...
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
I've been adding kefir to my fruit smoothies for years. We did a deep dive into the research of why it's so good for you. cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
How chemistry makes kefir such a powerful superfood
The popular drink has an unusual mixture of organisms that can kill harmful bacteria
cen.acs.org
December 4, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I've been adding kefir to my fruit smoothies for years. We did a deep dive into the research of why it's so good for you. cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
Our inaugural Year in Pictures at @cenmag.bsky.social takes a visual look at how chemistry shaped the world—and vice versa—in 2025. cen.acs.org/education/sc...
Photos capture some of 2025’s most notable events in chemistry
Los Angeles wildfires, a CRISPR milestone, and a de-extinction controversy are among 2025’s notable events captured in photos
cen.acs.org
December 2, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Our inaugural Year in Pictures at @cenmag.bsky.social takes a visual look at how chemistry shaped the world—and vice versa—in 2025. cen.acs.org/education/sc...
November rose. My house in D.C. came with several rose plants, and they bloom at unexpected times — even apparently in 44-degree weather.
November 29, 2025 at 2:21 AM
November rose. My house in D.C. came with several rose plants, and they bloom at unexpected times — even apparently in 44-degree weather.
What a story! Now this is good journalism. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Theft of $24,000 wine bottle spurs high-speed chase through Va. countryside
A couple talked their way into the Virginia wine cellar, where the woman reportedly distracted their guide while the man slipped bottles into his overcoat.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
What a story! Now this is good journalism. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Sports + science fans, rejoice! @cenmag.bsky.social has a bracket -- for chemistry pictures. Check out our cool new feature. 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 3:45 PM
Sports + science fans, rejoice! @cenmag.bsky.social has a bracket -- for chemistry pictures. Check out our cool new feature. cen.acs.org/education/sc...
Help! In the last 24 hours I've been mass followed by hundreds of accounts, most of which I suspect are bots. Has this happened to anyone?
November 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Help! In the last 24 hours I've been mass followed by hundreds of accounts, most of which I suspect are bots. Has this happened to anyone?
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
We only saw a light red blush from our neighborhood before it got cloudy last night, but friends in Colorado sent me amazing photos of red and green pillars. There’s another CME on the way, and depending on when it arrives, we might see the #aurora again tonight
It’s pretty exciting that we might see big auroral displays in Maryland tomorrow night! Last fall, I couldn’t believe how purple the sky got… anyway, if you’re interested in how CMEs and solar flares form, check out the story I wrote last month for C&EN! 🌌☀️
cen.acs.org/physical-che...
cen.acs.org/physical-che...
What causes space weather and how does it affect Earth?
The aurora borealis is a spectacle of space weather, but solar flares and coronal mass ejections have far more Earthly impacts
cen.acs.org
November 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM
We only saw a light red blush from our neighborhood before it got cloudy last night, but friends in Colorado sent me amazing photos of red and green pillars. There’s another CME on the way, and depending on when it arrives, we might see the #aurora again tonight
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
The next big breakthroughs in chemistry start here. Explore 10 innovative start-ups in fields including food, agriculture, industrial chemicals, textiles, energy, mining, and drug discovery: cen.acs.org/business/sta...
#10StartUpsToWatch #chemsky 🧪
#10StartUpsToWatch #chemsky 🧪
November 11, 2025 at 11:37 AM
The next big breakthroughs in chemistry start here. Explore 10 innovative start-ups in fields including food, agriculture, industrial chemicals, textiles, energy, mining, and drug discovery: cen.acs.org/business/sta...
#10StartUpsToWatch #chemsky 🧪
#10StartUpsToWatch #chemsky 🧪
As a mom to a 7yo who grins impishly whenever I ask what 6-7 means, I enjoyed this read! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
What Does ‘6-7’ Mean? Maybe Tweens Don’t Want You to Know.
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:19 PM
As a mom to a 7yo who grins impishly whenever I ask what 6-7 means, I enjoyed this read! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/s...
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
Reading Frankenstein made him want to be a chemist!?! At this year's ACS fall meeting, Victor Olet said this and caught the attention of several of our editors. What a thrill to work with him on this piece about what he's gained by reading the book 25 times cen.acs.org/people/Chemi...
My Chemical Story: How ‘Frankenstein’ made me want to be a scientist
The book is more than a tale of horror; it’s a psychological drama about the drive to develop knowledge and be seen
cen.acs.org
October 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Reading Frankenstein made him want to be a chemist!?! At this year's ACS fall meeting, Victor Olet said this and caught the attention of several of our editors. What a thrill to work with him on this piece about what he's gained by reading the book 25 times cen.acs.org/people/Chemi...
No one has ever photographed a will-'o'-the-wisp, and their origins have been shrouded in mystery. Until now! @annieroth.bsky.social has the spooky season tale for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/environment/... #halloween #spookyseason #chemsky
Spooky will-o’-the-wisps finally explained
A newly discovered molecular phenomenon is responsible for the spectral balls of light seen in swamps and cemeteries
cen.acs.org
October 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
No one has ever photographed a will-'o'-the-wisp, and their origins have been shrouded in mystery. Until now! @annieroth.bsky.social has the spooky season tale for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/environment/... #halloween #spookyseason #chemsky
What makes civet coffee so special -- from a chemical perspective? @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social has the story for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
This coffee comes from civet poop. What makes it chemically distinct?
Kopi luwak is a specialty coffee that’s fermented in the gut of a civet. It’s also rich in fatty acids
cen.acs.org
October 23, 2025 at 3:39 PM
What makes civet coffee so special -- from a chemical perspective? @maxhenrybarnhart.bsky.social has the story for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
Here's why we FALL for pumpkin spice every year.
What’s pumpkin spice flavor, and why do we fall for it every autumn? The popular latte and treat seasoning contains no actual pumpkin, but it boasts plenty of food chemistry.
#NationalChemistryWeek #ACS_NCW #SpiceChemistry cen.acs.org/articles/92/...
#NationalChemistryWeek #ACS_NCW #SpiceChemistry cen.acs.org/articles/92/...
What’s pumpkin spice flavor, and why do we fall for it every autumn?
The popular latte and treat seasoning contains no actual pumpkin, but it boasts plenty of food chemistry
cen.acs.org
October 21, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Here's why we FALL for pumpkin spice every year.
Amen. They have a right to live on this planet just like us.
October 4, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Amen. They have a right to live on this planet just like us.
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
"Ok, these ROCK!... Very easy and delicious fall treat - I will definitely make them again." These pumpkin chocolate chip bars are made for this season.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe
While most pumpkin cookies skew cakey, these bars are as rich and chewy as the center of a chocolate chip cookie To counteract the added moisture from the pumpkin purée, this recipe has a few tricks up its sleeve: For starters, it completely ditches the eggs Browning the butter does double duty, removing water while also giving the dough a deeper flavor with nutty notes
nyti.ms
October 3, 2025 at 7:06 PM
"Ok, these ROCK!... Very easy and delicious fall treat - I will definitely make them again." These pumpkin chocolate chip bars are made for this season.
Formic acid, the chemical defense for ants in the Formica genus, lends a zesty, citrusy flavor to yogurt made with ants. Would you try it? Liz Langley writes about a traditional Balkan recipe for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
Why yogurt fermented with live ants is so delicious
Scientists explore a traditional Balkan recipe that uses the insect and its microbiome as fermentation
cen.acs.org
October 3, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Formic acid, the chemical defense for ants in the Formica genus, lends a zesty, citrusy flavor to yogurt made with ants. Would you try it? Liz Langley writes about a traditional Balkan recipe for @cenmag.bsky.social cen.acs.org/food/ferment...
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
Primatologist Jane Goodall's recent passing left an incredible legacy that transformed our understanding of chimpanzee behavior and intelligence. New insights show that great apes use medicinal plants to treat wounds like humans. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪
Chimpanzees use the same plants we do to treat similar illnesses
A new review of recent studies shows the great apes rely on medicinal plants to heal infections, but the plants’ chemistry remains mostly a mystery
cen.acs.org
October 2, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Primatologist Jane Goodall's recent passing left an incredible legacy that transformed our understanding of chimpanzee behavior and intelligence. New insights show that great apes use medicinal plants to treat wounds like humans. cen.acs.org/pharmaceutic... #chemsky 🧪
Reposted by Christine Dell'Amore
More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
Hundreds of Alligator Alcatraz detainees drop off the grid after leaving site
As of the end of August, the whereabouts of two-thirds of more than 1,800 men detained at Alligator Alcatraz during the month of July could not be determined by the Miami Herald.
www.miamiherald.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
It's the first day of fall!!!! Psyched for my fav season. Unfortunately, the tree colors are dulling across the planet. Marta Zaraska has the story for @enenkay.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/biological-c... #fall #autumnalequinox #firstdayoffall
Leaf peepers in Japan finding duller forests thanks to climate change
In Japan, warming temperatures may hamper an ancient tradition of leaf-peeping
cen.acs.org
September 22, 2025 at 2:16 PM
It's the first day of fall!!!! Psyched for my fav season. Unfortunately, the tree colors are dulling across the planet. Marta Zaraska has the story for @enenkay.bsky.social: cen.acs.org/biological-c... #fall #autumnalequinox #firstdayoffall