From tacky Hallowe’en decorations to the stuff of an arachnophobe’s nightmares, spiders don’t have the greatest reputation. But, as Kat Arney is here to prove, there’s fascinating chemistry at work in their webs.

Jamie Durrani on the compound that gives pepper its characteristic kick

Brian Clegg with the winemaking byproduct that may be lurking in your larder

Kat Arney discovers the strange things that happen when organic compounds go round the twist

A component of 'trench atmosphere' and ‘the most powerful antiseptic known’, Mike Freemantle explores calcium hydroxide and the birth of a chemical dynasty 

Swipe, tap, pinch, poke and prod – Neil Withers gets hands on with touchscreen material indium tin oxide, ITO

Science imitates art imitating science, as sitcom The big bang theory inspires the creation of a new compound

Concluding our pair of podcasts on a recent cycling scandal, Ben Valsler looks at the steroid triamcinolone

Acetylcysteine is a versatile drug, helping manage lung conditions and treat paracetamol overdose. But, as Ben Valsler discovers, it has found itself at the centre of a cycling controversy

Jamie Durrani presents a pair of plant-based poisons