Thursday, December 31, 2015

Wish You A Happy (and Science-filled) New Year

Needless to say science is amazing! When it comes to recent scientific breakthroughs, 2015 is full of them. From the first new antibiotic in decades, to lab grown human muscle, and a man-made leaf that can go through photosynthesis, the scientific discoveries made in 2015 will boggle your mind and change your view of the world.

So what were the biggest discoveries in science and tech in 2015? Read on to find out!


Four New Elements Officially Join the Periodic Table



In late 2015, a Russian/United States collaboration attained sufficient evidence to claim the discovery of elements 115, 117, and 118. As well, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) awarded credit for the discovery of element 113 to scientists at RIKEN in Wako, Japan.

The elements will be given official names in due time, with "Uu" prefixes serving as placeholders on the Periodic Table for the time being.


Astronomers Discover Twin Planets That Could Share Life


Astronomers like Paul Kalas discussed the existence of twin Earth-like plants in another solar system. They said that although Earth is the only planet in our system that lies in the habitable zone (not to far away or to close to the sun), other solar systems can have more than one planet orbiting at just the right distance. What's more, "Life in a multi-habitable system may have a higher probability of surviving," according to University of Nevada's Jason Steffen.


Doctors Grow Human Vocal Cords from Scratch



Using cells from human donors, doctors have, for the first time, built a set of vocal cords from scratch. The cells were urged to form a tissue that mimics vocal fold mucosa - vibrating flaps in the larynx that create the sounds of the human voice. This amazing breakthrough could someday restore speech to patients who lost their vocal cords due to illness or surgery.


Astronomers May Have Found Alien-Built Structures


The Kepler Space Telescope identified a pretty cool star (KIC 8462852),said astronomers in October 2015. What makes it so cool? Well, it may harbor structers that might have been built by intelligent life (aliens). The large cluster of objects apparently looks like something you would ""expect an alien civilization to build."
Astronomers are planning a variety of follow-up observations to check out these bizarre structures.

200+ New Species Identified in Fragile Himalayan Region

In a new report, scientists from various organizations announced that between 2009 and 2014 they discovered 211 new species in the Eastern Himalayas, including 133 plants, 39 invertebrates, 26 fish, 10 amphibians, one reptile, one bird, and one mammal. Among the most notable and flashy discoveries are the blue dwarf ‘walking’ snakehead fish (which can breathe air and survive on land for up to four days), a monkey with an upturned nose that sneezes when it rains, and the bejeweled lance-headed pit viper, which looks like a genuine piece of jewelry.

NASA Finds Evidence of Water on Mars

"There is liquid water today on the surface of Mars." So said Michael Meyer, lead scientist of NASA’s Mars exploration program. Thanks to satellite images taken from the Mars orbit in 2015, the team has determined that salty water runs down canyons and crater walls throughout the Red Planet's summer months. The images show that the steep walls of valleys and craters are streaked with summertime flows, which form intricate fan patterns.



Artificial Pancreas Could Help Diabetes Patients Regulate Blood Sugar



Scientists have developed an implantable artificial pancreas. This device could help patients with Type 1 diabetes better control their blood sugar levels. The artificial pancreas continuously measures the user's glucose levels, using an algorithm designed by researchers, and will automatically release insulin as needed.


 
Cancer Patient Receives 3D-Printed Sternum and Ribs



The first surgical procedure of its time, a 54-year-old Spanish man received a custom, 3D-printed sternum and ribs. The man had chest wall sarcoma, a tumor that grows in the chest wall. His had grown around his sternum and in order to remove it, doctors also had to remove the sternum and part of his ribcage.

However, using high-resolution CT scans of his chest, the Australian medical device company Anatomics was able to 3D-print an accurate implant, and let the surgical team accurately plan their procedure.

Scientists Discover Fossils of a New Species of Human Ancestor


A group of scientists searching for fossils in a South African cave turned up a brand new human ancestor, different enough to be worthy of its own species. Dubbed Homo naledi, the species is rather primitive, but also looks remarkably like modern humans and will likely force scientists to take another look at how they see human evolution.




Scientists Say EM Drive Propulsion Is Actually Possible

Though previously thought to be impossible to achieve and accused of violating the laws of physics, scientists have presented some promising results.

The EM Drive (short for electro magnetic drive) uses electromagnetic microwave cavities to directly convert electrical energy to thrust without the need to expel any propellant - a pretty important factor when you are in space and any kind of propellant will alter your course (you saw Apo
llo 13, right?).


New Horizons Reaches Pluto


After a 10 year, 3.6 billion mile mission, NASA's New Horizons space probe reached the Pluto-Charon system in early July 2015. The probe began gathering data and capturing images and transmitting them back to Earth for analysis. Scientists immediately began processing the data and will likely release many findings. Among the initial discoveries were that Pluto has four unique dark spots and a heart-shaped feature on its surface, and, most surprisingly, it has lumpy terrain and huge ice mountains. Scientists previously did not think that the dwarf planet would have any geology.

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