Molecule World

iOS Universel / Education

Molecule World

A modern molecular visualization app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Molecule World is back — completely redesigned for Apple's modern ecosystem. Developed, in part, with funding from the National Science Foundation* and recognized for its contributions to science education, Molecule World has been rebuilt from the ground up as a single, unified app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). The new version pairs high-quality molecular visualization with a streamlined experience that follows you across every device.

Explore Molecular Structures in 3D
Students, educators, and researchers can interactively explore proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules in a fully three-dimensional environment. Rotate, zoom, and pan through structures with smooth, high-quality rendering built for clarity and scientific understanding.

Bring In Structures From the Major Databases
Open files you already have, or fetch structures right inside the app — search the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword and have them download and open in seconds.

Connect Sequences to Structure and Function on iPad and Mac
The sequence viewer (iPad & Mac) makes it easy to see the number and kind of sequences in a structure — protein, DNA, and RNA — along with its heterogens: modified amino acids and nucleotides within a sequence, and external organic and inorganic molecules such as ligands and ions. Each sequence is colored to match your current view.

Powerful Visualization Tools

- Smooth, interactive 3D — rotate, zoom, and pan

- Multiple representation styles: ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh

- Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces

- Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, and B-factor

- Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at

Designed for Education and Discovery
Molecule World is used in classrooms and laboratories to support teaching in structural biology, chemistry, and molecular science. Educators can illustrate key concepts — protein folding, molecular interactions, and the structure of DNA and RNA — with visuals students manipulate themselves.
Built for the Apple Ecosystem

One app runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Optional iCloud support keeps your library of structures — and your place in them — in sync across all your devices.

Built for What's Next
This release lays the foundation for upcoming features, including enhanced analysis tools, richer educational workflows, and professional research capabilities.

*NSF awards IIP 1315426 and DUE 2055036
Molecule World is developed by Digital World Biology LLC.

Quoi de neuf dans la dernière version ?

New in 4.5:

- New layout on Mac and iPad to support sequence viewing.

- Sequence view (iPad & Mac) — Tap Sequence at the bottom of the screen to see each chain's protein, DNA/RNA sequences, and heterogens, colored to match your current view. Scroll with the arrow keys, mouse drag, or scroll wheel.

- Better keyboard support — Move through your file list with the arrow keys, and open a structure with Shift (Mac) or Return (iPad) — works with search results too.

- Search that sticks — Your search term now stays put while you browse, just like folders already do, and clears when you quit and relaunch.

- Visual polish and an updated in-app Help and other improvements.

This version also includes everything from previous releases:
- Full 3D visualization — rotate, zoom, and pan through proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules

- Multiple representation styles — ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh

- Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces

- Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, domain, and B-factor

- Fetch structures directly from the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword

- iCloud sync keeps your library — and your place in it — consistent across iPhone, iPad, and Mac

- Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at

This version is a cosmetic app store fix that resolves an issue where a portrait orientation screen capture broke the iPad display.