Whenever cancer is discussed, a familiar phrase is often heard: the earlier it's caught, the better the chances of survival. Early detection is the next best thing to avoiding cancer altogether, and now researchers are hoping to have discovered a safe, new method of detection that relies on a newcomer in the fight for early detection: the nanoparticle. More specifically, MIT's Tech Review reported last week that researchers are beginning early-stage clinical trials on infrared-emiting nanoparticles that they hope will prove effective in detecting early-stage melanoma.

Tom Beddard, a web developer and designer with a PhD in laser physics, has combined his math and science expertise with his visual abilities in a new Web-based program that creates gorgeous 3D fractal worlds. Take a look at the sample video in the panel to the right.

The ongoing saga of the Air Products attempted hostile takeover of Airgas has come to a conclusion—for now. Late Tuesday night, a year after this battle began, a Delaware Court ruled against Air Products and did not force a redemption of Airgas’s "poison pill."

In this fantastic piece entitled Replacing Body Parts on PBS’s NOVA series, Neil deGrasse Tyson explores new research in the field of human organ transplantation. He notes that a common problem with organ donation is that the recipient’s body rejects the transplant because it identifies the organ as being foreign. A new solution for this problem is to create an organ that is made of the recipient’s own cells. The researchers included in the video, including Chemical Engineer and MIT professor Bob Langer, take organs from cadavers of humans or other mammals and wash out the cells with a chemical found in shampoo.

There’s no such thing as starting at the top for most people. Learn how some of today’s prominent chemical engineers got their start in the working world in this weekly series of personal profiles. This week, we feature AIChE board member Jennifer Sinclair Curtis.

In the search for biofuels, algae shows great potential. In a TEDx talk, Dr. Kimberly Ogden takes on the subject of algae-based biofuels as an alternative energy source. Her talk can be viewed in the video panel at right.

Brazil's energy sector is booming and investors have recently moved billions of dollars into advanced, sustainable biofuels, changing the country profoundly. Now the country desperately needs young scientific talent.

This week we were introduced to this Lady Gaga parody, thanks to the people at NPR's Science Friday and Talking Science. According to Talking Science, the star of the video is Josephine Coburn, a freshman from from UC Berkeley. As Lady Gallium, she transforms Lady Gaga's song "Telephone" into a great lesson on genetics, titled "Chromosome."

It all began in 1951 when the National Society of Professional Engineers declared the third week of February National Engineers Week. This year, the 60th Annual National Engineers Week falls on February 20–26.

Only a few weeks ago at the HMAS Albatross Navy base airstrip in Nowra, Australia, a student-designed and built solar car broke the record for the world's fastest solar-powered vehicle.

The Sunswift IV—nick-named "IVy" by the 60-member University of New South Wales team—crushed the previous 48 mph record by [...]

There’s no such thing as starting at the top for most people. Learn how some of today’s prominent chemical engineers got their start in the working world in this weekly series of personal profiles. This week, we feature AIChE president Maria K. Burka.