Uncovering the Hidden 99%: The Quest for Life-Changing Chemical Compounds

Scientists have only identified 1% of the billions of chemical compounds in the universe, and the search for new compounds with potential applications in areas such as greenhouse gas removal and medicine is ongoing. While there are rules in chemistry, they can be flexible, allowing for more possibilities. Chemists explore known compounds and reactions to find related compounds, but they also look to the natural world for inspiration. Determining the structure of new compounds has become easier with techniques like X-ray and MRI, but actually making these compounds remains a challenge.