The researchers caught an intermediate step in the process by which hydrogen is removed from tryptamine, namely the point at which a proton disappears from a carbon atom as the carbon-hydrogen bond breaks.

ECONOMIST: Biochemistry: Evolving enzymes | The

Some people include things as small as a tenth of a nanometre, which is about the size of the bond between two carbon atoms.

ECONOMIST: Small wonders

By tuning the laser very precisely to the frequency of one particular sort of bond (such as that with a heavy carbon atom at one end), a molecule containing that bond can be shaken up.

ECONOMIST: Diamonds

To make the Mach3, Gillette has found a way to bond diamond-hard carbon to slivers of steel.

ECONOMIST: Gillette: Taking it on the chin | The