Science news 2017

Here are some of the most significant science news stories from 2017:

Astronomy and Space Exploration

  1. Discovery of Exoplanets: NASA's Kepler space telescope discovered thousands of exoplanets in 2017, including some that are potentially habitable.
  2. Water on Mars: NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provided evidence of liquid water on Mars, which could potentially support life.
  3. First Image of a Black Hole: Astronomers captured the first-ever image of a black hole, located at the center of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87).

Biology and Medicine

  1. CRISPR Gene Editing: Scientists made significant advancements in CRISPR gene editing technology, including the first human trial to treat a genetic disease.
  2. Cancer Immunotherapy: Researchers made progress in developing cancer immunotherapies, which harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer.
  3. Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease: Scientists developed a gene therapy that cured sickle cell disease in mice, offering hope for a potential cure for humans.

Physics and Chemistry

  1. Discovery of Gravitational Waves: Scientists detected gravitational waves from the merger of two neutron stars, providing new insights into the universe.
  2. Breakthrough in Fusion Energy: Researchers achieved a major breakthrough in fusion energy, a clean and virtually limitless source of energy.
  3. New Form of Carbon Discovered: Scientists discovered a new form of carbon, known as Q-carbon, which has unique properties that could lead to new materials and technologies.

Environmental Science

  1. Record-Breaking Heat: 2017 was the hottest year on record, with global temperatures reaching 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels.
  2. Rise of Plastic Pollution: The world's oceans faced a growing plastic pollution crisis, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering the oceans each year.
  3. Climate Change Impacts: Scientists documented the devastating impacts of climate change, including more frequent and severe weather events, sea-level rise, and melting glaciers.

Other Notable Science News

  1. Artificial Intelligence: AI systems made significant advancements in 2017, including the development of more sophisticated language processing and image recognition capabilities.
  2. Quantum Computing: Researchers made progress in developing quantum computers, which could solve complex problems that are currently unsolvable by classical computers.
  3. Synthetic Biology: Scientists developed new biological systems and organisms, including a synthetic genome, which could lead to breakthroughs in biotechnology and medicine.

These are just a few of the many significant science news stories from 2017. It was a year marked by major breakthroughs, discoveries, and advancements in various fields of science.