Organic synthesis: The robo-chemist

Peplow, Mark

From 2004 to 2006, Mark was an online news reporter for Nature, covering the physical sciences. After spending a couple of years as the editor of Chemistry World magazine, he rejoined Nature in July 2008, initially as online news editor, then as chief news editor. He left Nature in January 2013.

Published online 6 August 2014

Nature 512(7512):p 20-22, August 7, 2014. | DOI: 10.1038/512020a

The race is on to build a machine that can synthesize any organic compound. It could transform chemistry.