A recent study published in Chemistry - A European Journal examines the use of alizarin, a natural dye, as a photocatalyst for converting methane. The researchers discovered that when alizarin is combined with trifluoroacetic acid and chloride, it can selectively convert methane into methyl trifluoroacetate and methylene ditrifluoroacetate using visible light. This finding has the potential to offer a cost-effective and scalable method for methane conversion, which could have significant implications for future research. The study also discusses the challenges of methane conversion and the potential of photocatalysis as a solution. [Extracted from the article]