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Culture · Geography · Health · History · Mathematics · Natural sciences · Philosophy · Religion · Society · Technology   Enzymes are known to catalyze about 4,000 reactions. However, not all biological catalysts are proteins, since some RNA molecules called ribozymes can also catalyze reactions. Enzymes are usually named according to the reaction they catalyze. Typically the suffix -ase is added to the name of the substrate (e.g., lactase is the enzyme that cleaves lactose) or the type of reaction (e.g., DNA polymerase forms DNA polymers). Like all catalysts, enzymes work by providing an alternative path of lower activation energy for a reaction and dramatically accelerating its rate. Some enzymes can make their conversion of substrate to product occur many millions of times faster. For example, the reaction catalysed by orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase will consume half of its substrate in 78 million years if no enzyme is present. However, when the decarboxylase is added, the same process takes just 25 milliseconds. Chemically, enzymes are like any catalyst and are not consumed in chemical reactions, nor do they alter the equilibrium of a reaction. However, enzymes do differ from most other catalysts by being much more specific. Enzyme activity can be affected by other molecules. Inhibitors are molecules that decrease enzyme activity, and activators are molecules that increase activity. Drugs and poisons are often enzyme inhibitors. Some enzymes are used commercially, for example, in the synthesis of antibiotics. In addition, some household cleaning products use enzymes to speed up chemical reactions (e.g., enzymes in biological washing powders break down protein or fat stains on clothes).  Chemist Otto Hahn and physicist Lise Meitner collaborated on radiochemistry for thirty years in Berlin. In 1918 they discovered the first long-lived isotope of protactinium, and they are also both credited for the 1938 discovery of nuclear fission. Hahn went on to win the 1944 Nobel Prize for Chemistry alone, but Meitner is regarded as having provided the explanation for Hahn's observations. Meitner had fled Nazi Germany in 1938, preventing joint publication. She is now commemorated in element no. 109, meitnerium. 
 Many chemists have an interest in the history of chemistry. Those with philosophical interests will be interested that the philosophy of chemistry has quite recently developed along a path somewhat different from the general philosophy of science. Other articles that might interest you are: There is a Wikipedia Project on the History of Science and portals for the scientific method and philosophy of science.  Wikipedia:WikiProject Chemicals/Data is a collection of links and references that are useful for chemistry-related works. This includes free online chemical databases, publications, patents, computer programs, and various tools. Science is Fun University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, shares the fun of science. megaConverter The Web's best place to figure out what equals what. General Chemistry Online Clear text and comprehensive coverage of general chemistry topics by Fred Senese, Dept. of Chemistry Frostburg State University General Chemistry Demonstration at Purdue Video clips (and descriptions) of lecture demonstrations. Intota Chemistry Experts A large online listing of real-world chemistry expert biographies provides examples of the many areas of expertise and careers in chemistry. Chemistry Webercises Directory A large listing of chemistry resources maintained by Steven Murov, Emeritus Chemistry Professor Modesto Junior College. MathMol MathMol (Mathematics and Molecules) is a good starting point for those interested in the field of molecular modeling. Chemistry Educational Resources and Essential References from Wiley, the world's largest chemistry publisher ABC Chemistry A directory of free full-text journals in chemistry, biochemistry and related subjects. 
    Companies: AstraZeneca - Bayer - BP - BASF - Bristol Myers Squibb - Degussa - Dow - DuPont - ExxonMobil - GlaxoSmithKline - Mitsubishi - Monsanto - OSI - Shell - Sigma-Aldrich - Total
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