Porous liquids are a new class of materials that, counterintuitively, combine permanent porosity with fluidity. As such they may ultimately be useful for continuous separation processes, for example. They were conceived and demonstrated at Queen’s University Belfast and the James group is actively exploring both the fundamental science of these new materials as well as their potential applications. Mechanochemistry involves the initiation of chemical reactions through mechanical means. It is currently undergoing a renaissance due to its potential for more sustainable processes (since little or no solvent is needed) as well as the need for greater basic understanding of mechanochemical reactions.