Comparison

COM vs Molecules that changed the World

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

COM

Features
Read full description

COM simulates experiments with isolated mitochondria in an incubation chamber fitted with an oxygen electrode (oxygraph). Add mitochondria, substrates, ADP, inhibitors and uncouplers one after another and follow, in real time, O₂ consumption and the electrical potential of the inner membrane (Δψ). The challenge is to find out what each compound does: which ones stimulate oxygen consumption, which ones inhibit it, where each electron transport chain inhibitor acts and how uncouplers separate respiration from ATP synthesis. • 15 compounds: malate, pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, TMPD + ascorbate, ADP + phosphate, rotenone, malonate, antimycin A, cyanide, carbon monoxide, oligomycin, 2,4-dinitrophenol and FCCP • Recording of dissolved O₂ and Δψ, with a numbered history of every addition • Several experiments side by side for comparison • Question guide for undergraduate classes and an answer table for teachers • Portuguese, English and Spanish Current version of the COM simulator, created in 1997 at the Educational Technology Laboratory (LTE), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (Unicamp), and used in biochemistry courses ever since. Part of BIOQUÍMICA +30. Free, no ads, no sign-up and no data collection. Works offline.

About

Molecules that changed the World

Explore the scientific facts and captivating stories behind molecules that have shaped our world. Discover how basic compounds like water and complex synthetics like aspirin influenced culture, civilization, and life itself.

Highlights
  • Scientific facts about influential molecules
  • Stories of cultural and civilizational impact
  • Covers basic and synthetic compounds
  • Explains chemical background
  • Details historical and cultural influence
Features
Read full description

The "Molecules that changed the World" App is meant to convey the scientific facts and interesting stories of molecules that changed our culture, course of civilisation and in short, the world. Among the represented molecules are such basic compounds like water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, which not only influenced the way we think about resources, climate and food production but also affected the development of early life on Earth, and synthetic complex compounds such as nitroglycerin, polyethylene and aspirin. App is aiming at telling you more about the chemical background of such molecules and their influence onto the historical and cultural developments and the life as we know it. This app is a translation of the interactive 3D installation "Molecules that Changed the World" by Ljiljana Fruk and Bernd Lintermann, which was designed at ZKM/Institute for Visual Media to accompany the "Molecular Aesthetics" Symposium held at ZKM | Centre for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany in 2011.

Screenshots

COM4 screens
Molecules that changed the World4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Molecules that changed the World at every 3 weeks against COM's every 3 months. Molecules that changed the World also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

COM ships an update every 3 months, Molecules that changed the World every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
COM versus Molecules that changed the World: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCOMMolecules that changed the World
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.3 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB79 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEduardo GalembeckZKM | Zentrum fuer Kunst und Medientechnologie Karlsruhe

In-app purchases

None

COM

No in-app purchases

None

Molecules that changed the World

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is COM free?
COM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Molecules that changed the World free?
Molecules that changed the World is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do COM or Molecules that changed the World have ads?
Neither COM nor Molecules that changed the World shows ads.
Which is updated more often, COM or Molecules that changed the World?
COM ships an update every 3 months, and Molecules that changed the World every 3 weeks. Most recently, COM was updated on November 13, 2026 and Molecules that changed the World on November 2, 2026.

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