Protyle issue 15

Issue 15 January 2014

Hello Readers, First of all me and whole Protyle team wishes you all a very Happy New Year. May this new year bring prosperity in your life. With each new year things changes and bring new scenes in life. I hope in this year every scene of your life will be filled with joy and laughter. This January we have bought sum up of all the discoveries and research happened all over the world for you. So enjoy the New Year special edition and rewind the time line of science with us.

We are planning to change the format of magazine again for you all and this time it will be more exciting then the older version because every update is always exciting. The proposed format is not yet out but it will be decided by end of February and thus the older version journey ends this February and from March 2014, you will have new joy ride of science entertainment.

As we are highly involved in regular activities too enjoy the Protyle magazine and provide us your valuable feed back without fail.

Editor Kuldeep K Sarvaiya

Protyle magazine [email protected]

Issue 15 2 January 2014

A study by Caltech astronomers reports that the Milky Way Galaxy contains at least one planet per star, resulting in approximately 100–400 billion exoplanets. The study, based on planets orbiting the star Kepler-32, suggests that planetary systems may be the norm around stars in our galaxy.

Issue 15 January 2014 3

January

Astronomers report the discovery of giant "geysers" of charged particles emanating from the core of the Milky Way Galaxy. These outflows, which extend as far as 50,000 light-years from the galactic plane, are thought to be fuelled by intense star formation.

LG Electronics releases the first commercial OLED television. OLED screens are thinner, more efficient and capable of displaying images with greater definition than conventional LCD and plasma screens.

2 January

3 January

Scientists analyze a meteorite, NWA 7034, that was found in the Sahara Desert and purchased in Morocco in 2011, and report that it is a new type of Mars rock with an unusually high water content.

American researchers state that a gene associated with active personality traits is also linked to increased longevity.

Physicists create a potassium-based quantum gas which can be manipulated by lasers and magnetic fields to reach negative temperatures. At such temperatures, matter begins to exhibit previously unknown qualities.

4 January

Toyota demonstrates an autonomous car capable of sensing and reacting to its surroundings, monitoring its driver and communicating with other vehicles.

Britain's first hand transplantation operation is successfully conducted.


6 January

British researchers successfully cure blindness in mice using an injection of photosensitive cells. Following additional testing, the treatment could be used to heal human sufferers of retinitis pigmentosa.

7 January

Remarkably well-preserved zinc pills are discovered aboard a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck, giving a rare insight into Roman medicine.

Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) report that "at least 17 billion" Earth-sized exoplanets are estimated to reside in the Milky Way Galaxy.

8 January

The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show opens in Las Vegas, Nevada. Among the new technologies showcased are flexible tablet computers, autonomous cars, medical telepresence robots, ultra-definition TVs and high-efficiency microchips.

The German defense company Rheinmetall successfully demonstrates a high-powered military laser that can destroy drones in mid-flight and cut through steel from over 1 mile (1.6 km) away, even in adverse weather conditions. The company plans to mount the laser on a variety of vehicles for battlefield use.

American astronomers announce the discovery of seven new exocomets – more than double the previously known number of such objects. The exocomets were discovered using the McDonald Observatory in Texas, which imaged the chemical signatures of the comets' tails.

Astronomers affiliated with the Kepler space observatory announce the discovery of KOI-172.02, an Earth-like exoplanet candidate which orbits a star similar to the Sun in the habitable zone, and is possibly a "prime candidate to host alien life".

9 January

A gamma secretase inhibitor previously experimented for treating Alzheimer's disease is found to have regenerative effects on inner ear hair cells, potentially allowing for the effective treatment of deafness.

The most distant known supernova is discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, at a distance of around 10 billion light-years.

Medical researchers state that sickle cells can be induced to attack treatment-resistant tumors by starving them of blood.


10 January

The British General Lighthouse Authority activates a new backup navigation system that allows ships to navigate even if their GPS signals fail.

The first vessel of a new class of nuclear submarine goes into service with the Russian Navy, featuring a built-in escape pod to allow crew members to survive a critical hull breach.

An American company unveils a smart hunting rifle which uses a computerised scope, onboard aiming software and laser rangefinders to ensure great accuracy even in the hands of novice shooters. The rifle is also Wi-Fi-enabled, and its software can record its aiming and firing history, potentially allowing law enforcement agencies to track its use.

11 January

Manchester University chemists develop a functional molecular machine, only a few nanometers in size, that can assemble complex molecular structures in a fashion similar to DNA ribosomes. The invention could be used to precisely fashion new medicines or polymers.

Astronomers discover a distant cluster of supermassive quasars that is both the largest and brightest structure in the known universe, spanning approximately four billion light-years.

New high-precision observations of the asteroid 99942 Apophis reveal that it is almost certain that the asteroid will not strike the Earth in 2036, despite earlier scientific concern over its trajectory.

Scientists develop a Breathalyzer-like breath test that could be used to quickly and accurately diagnose lung infections.

13 January

Massachusetts doctors invent a pill-sized medical scanner that can be safely swallowed by patients, allowing the esophagus to be more easily scanned for diseases.

18 January

Japanese researchers create a "privacy visor" which uses near-infrared light to render its wearer unrecognizable to facial recognition software.

20 January

Scientists prove that quadruple-helix DNA is present in human cells.


Architects begin preparations for constructing the world's first 3D-printed building. The building will be constructed of a high-strength artificial marble laid down by an industrial-scale 3D printer, and is planned for completion in 2014.

French glaciologists release a report stating that the glaciers of the Andes are melting at an unprecedented rate.

21 January

22 January

NEC and Corning Inc. develop a multi-core fiber optic cable that can transfer a record-breaking petabit of data per second.

The private spaceflight venture Deep Space Industries announces plans to begin scanning and mining asteroids for precious metals. The company intends to launch its first prospecting spacecraft in 2015.

A resolution is introduced to the United States Congress to designate 12 February 2013 (Charles Darwin's 204th birthday) as "Darwin Day" in order to recognize "the importance of sciences in the betterment of humanity".

Scientists encode large amounts of digital information, including the complete sonnets of William Shakespeare, on a single strand of synthetic DNA. DNA has immense potential as a storage medium, and may become commercially available for this purpose in the near future.

23 January

Scientists resume controversial research into the H5N1 influenza subtype, which was previously halted due to fears of biological terrorism.

A Br i t i sh ampu tee becomes the first person in the UK to receive the Michelangelo Hand, an advanced new bionic hand, which uses electrodes to precisely mimic muscle movements and which can be used even for delicate engineering tasks.


25 January

An international team of scientists develops a functional light-based "tractor beam", which allows individual cells to be selected and moved at will. The invention could have broad applications in medicine and microbiology.

Scientists design an evolution-inspired organic solar cell with a novel geometric pattern that increases its energy-harvesting efficiency.

New measurements performed by European scientists reveal that the radius of the proton is 4 percent smaller than previously estimated.

Asteroid 274301, a main belt asteroid, is officially renamed "Wikipedia" by the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature.

27 January

28 January

Bolivian scientists restore brain function to stroke-affected rats by injecting them with stem cells. This breakthrough may lead to more effective treatments for human stroke sufferers.

American medical researchers develop a painless polymer skin patch that can be used to inject DNA vaccines without a conventional needle, and also increases the initial effectiveness of the vaccine delivered.

ESA scientists report that the ionosphere of the planet Venus streams outwards in a manner similar to "the ion tail seen streaming from a comet under similar conditions."

29 January

31 January

British scientists achieve a breakthrough in synthetic biology, developing microscopic biological "factories" that can be assembled in hours and which could be used to deliver medicines, produce biofuels and mine underground minerals.

Scientists sequence the genome of the domestic pigeon, discovering that all modern pigeon breeds are descended from the wild rock dove.


February

1 February

Stanford University physicists discover that atom-thin sheets of graphene are 100 times more chemically reactive than thicker sheets. This reactivity may be crucial to developing new practical applications for graphene, which is already widely known for its immense strength and conductivity.

Medical researchers develop a new method of efficiently detecting cancer using bioelectric signals. In addition, they were able to manipulate cellular electric charge levels to prevent certain cells from developing cancer.

2 February

Californian researchers use genetic modification to rejuvenate ageing blood cells, strengthening the immune systems of elderly mice. If human trials prove successful, this treatment could allow older people to more effectively resist disease.

American researchers develop a new molecular therapy which can cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver medicines to the brain, potentially helping to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease.

4 February

A much-vaunted experimental vaccine for tuberculosis proves to be largely ineffective against the disease in human trials.

Australian engineers build a "quantum microscope" which offers unprecedented levels of precision in measuring live biological systems.

Sea urchins are discovered to be capable of efficiently converting carbon dioxide into raw material for their shells, potentially offering a new method of carbon capture for industrial purposes.

Scientists at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University develop a 3D printer that can produce clusters of living stem cells, potentially allowing complete organs to be printed on demand in future.

5 February

American researchers partially cure Usher syndrome in mice, a severe form of congenital deafness, using a precisely targeted gene therapy.

In a series of separate developments, American and Japanese engineers create 3D printers that can produce edible meals with a range of flavours and textures on demand. These could both replace conventional ready meals and allow astronauts to enjoy a far more varied diet.

Scientists discover live bacteria in the subglacial Antarctic Lake Whillans.

New York researchers successfully cure leukodystrophy in mice by using skin cells to repair damaged myelin sheaths. This treatment may also prove effective in curing human multiple sclerosis.

8 February

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover uses its onboard drill to obtain the first deep rock sample ever retrieved from the surface of another planet.

A genetically engineered strain of the vaccinia virus is found to triple the average survival time of patients suffering from a severe form of liver cancer.

University of Oxford engineers construct an autonomous car that can be easily switched between manual and self-driving modes.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) begins a planned two-year shutdown, during which it will undergo a major systems upgrade. Upon its reactivation in 2014, the LHC will operate at an energy of approximately 14 teraelectronvolts – double its current maximum energy.

10 February

Researchers develop a specialized neural implant which gives rats the ability to sense infrared light – a pioneering use of implant technology to grant living creatures new abilities, instead of simply replacing or augmenting existing ones.


6 February

13 February

The United States Food and Drug Administration approves the first function-al commercial bionic eye, the Argus II, for the treatment of blindness. The device, which became available in Europe in 2011, uses a combination of ocular implants and camera-equipped eyeglasses to restore vision to people blinded by retinitis pigmentosa.


A 10-ton meteoroid i m p a c t s i n Chelyabinsk, Russia, producing a powerful s h o c k w a v e a n d injuring over 1,000 people.

The asteroid 2012 DA14, which masses around 130,000 tons, makes the closest Earth flyby yet recorded for a large asteroid, passing within 27,000 kilometres (17,000 mi) of the Earth's surface.

Studies of a recently discovered Higgs boson-like particle suggest that the universe may end in a false vacuum collapse billions of years from now.

18 February

A new species of bent-toed gecko is formally described, having been discovered in Vietnam.

NASA reports the discovery of Kepler-37b, the smallest exoplanet yet known, around the size of Earth's Moon.

The President of the United States, Barack Obama, announces the Brain Activity Map Project – a decade-long collaborative effort to map the structures and functions of the human brain, with the aim of yielding new treatments for a range of neural diseases.

19 February

15 February

20 February


Cornell University scientists use a 3D printer to create a living artificial ear from collagen and ear cell cultures. In future, such ears could be grown to order for patients suffering from ear trauma or amputation.

University of Pennsylvania researchers develop a "protein passport" able to bypass the body's immune system. This could aid the delivery of medicinal nanoparticles in future nanomedicine.

A study finds that bumblebees can sense electric fields around flowers.

Data gathered from Siberian ice caves reveals that continued global warming may lead to widespread thawing of permafrost, potentially releasing massive volumes of trapped carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

22 February

A US inventor builds a "spider-sense" bodysuit, equipped with ultrasonic sensors and haptic feedback systems, which can alert its wearer of approaching threats and allow them to detect and respond to attackers even when blindfolded.

Oxford University researchers discover the mechanism by which certain brain cells are able to survive being starved of oxygen. In future, this research may yield more effective stroke treatments.

A study finds that chimpanzees solve puzzles for entertainment just as humans do.

Scientists announce that they have found fragments of Rodinia, an ancient "lost" supercontinent, in what is now the Indian Ocean.

23 February

21 February

24 February


American engineers develop a wirelessly charged flexible battery that can continue to function even if stretched to three times its usual size. With further development, the invention could be used to power flexible smartphones, tablets and medical electronics.

A study finds that sleep loss can alter the behavior of genes, which may explain why it often precedes more serious medical problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Astronomers use the NuSTAR satellite to accurately measure the spin of a supermassive black hole for the first time, reporting that its surface is spinning at almost the speed of light.

An American company constructs a lightweight, high-efficiency urban car with an entirely 3D-printed plastic body that is as damage-resistant as steel. The vehicle's construction is entirely automated, requiring no human input beyond the uploading of the car's design.

27 February

Duke University r e s e a r c h e r s successfully connect the brains of two rats with electronic interfaces that allow them to directly share information, in the first-ever direct b r a i n - t o - b r a i n interface.

A study finds common genetic links between five major psychiatric disorders: autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

A third radiation belt is discovered around the Earth.

Researchers identify adult stem cells in the bone marrow that could one day be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

28 February

26 February


March

1 March

Boston Dynamics demonstrates an updated version of its BigDog military robot, a mule-sized heavy-lifting robot able to navigate rough terrain and equipped with an arm powerful enough to easily lift and throw breeze blocks.

American scientists report that they have cured HIV in an infant by giving the child a course of antiretroviral drugs very early in its life. The previously HIV-positive child has reportedly exhibited no HIV symptoms since its treatment, despite having no further medication for a year.

3 March

Scientists announce that they have directly measured the polarization of light, overcoming aspects of the uncertainty principle.

The Human Connectome Project releases the most detailed scans of the human brain yet made, allowing neuroscientists to more accurately study the complexities of the brain's structure and identify the causes of neural disorders.

4 March

After studying the DNA of a modern African American, scientists estimate that the Y-chromosomal Adam – the most recent male common ancestor of human beings – lived much earlier than previously thought, over 338,000 years ago.

Chinese and Israeli scientists develop a Breathalyzer-style breath test that can quickly and easily diagnose stomach cancer by analyzing exhaled chemicals, without the need for an intrusive endoscopy.

6 March

5 March


7 March

After an eight-year project involving the use of a pioneering cloning technique, Japanese researchers create 25 generations of healthy cloned mice with normal lifespans, demonstrating that clones are not intrinsically shorter-lived than naturally born animals.

In a world first, researchers replace 75 percent of an injured patient's skull with a precision 3D-printed polymer replacement implant. In future, damaged bones may routinely be replaced with custom-manufactured implants.

Tests on mice demonstrate conclusive proof that resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, improves health and longevity.

British dental researchers grow viable teeth from a combination of gingival cells and stem cells, potentially allowing future patients to receive living teeth to replace diseased or damaged ones.

9 March

A study concludes that heart disease was common among ancient mummies.

Researchers develop smart self-healing circuits that can rapidly restore themselves to a fully functional state by detecting and neutralizing electronic faults.

11 March

12 March

Roboticists launch an online database and cloud computing platform which can be accessed by robots worldwide, allowing them to more easily recognize unfamiliar objects and perform intensive computing task.

NASA's Curiosity rover finds evidence that conditions on Mars were once suitable for microbial life after analyzing the first drilled sample of Martian rock, "John Klein" rock at Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater. The rover detected water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, chloromethane and dichloromethane. Related tests found results consistent with the presence of smectite clay minerals.

Japan becomes the first country to successfully extract natural gas from offshore methane clathrate deposits.


13 March

Lockheed Martin develops a new method for desalination that is reportedly vastly cheaper and more efficient than conventional methods. The new technique uses carbon membranes with nanoscale pores to efficiently filter salt molecules from seawater to make drinkable water.

CERN scientists confirm, with a very high degree of certainty, that a new particle identified by the Large Hadron Collider in July 2012 is the long-sought Higgs boson.

Scientists induce monkey skin cells to become healthy brain cells which function normally when implanted into the donor monkey's brain. This breakthrough suggests that such personalized medicine approaches could be effective in human patients.

14 March

Japanese researchers unveil the "smelling screen", a digital display screen capable of emitting pinpointed smells.

15 March

16 March

Scientists working on the Lazarus Project announce that they have successfully rejuvenated cells of Rheobatrachus silus, a species of frog extinct since 1983.

New data suggests that the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on the Earth's surface, is home to a large amount of bacterial life forms. Other researchers reported related studies that microbes thrive inside rocks up to 580 m (1,900 ft) below the sea floor under 2,600 m (8,500 ft) of ocean off the coast of the northwestern United States.

US scientists successfully map 80% of the neurons in a vertebrate brain at cellular-level resolution in just 1.3 seconds.

17 March

18 March


19 March

Scientists announce they can now illuminate up to 100 biomarkers, ten times more than the previous standard. This breakthrough may make it much easier to spot proteins in cancer cells – a vital diagnostic technique.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrate a virtual "talking head" with realistic emotions, which could lead to more naturalistic human-computer interactions.

Swiss scientists develop a medical scanner that can be implanted just under the skin and can monitor a range of blood-related conditions, providing instant results via mobile phone. They say it will be available to patients by 2017.

The European-led research team behind the Planck cosmology probe releases the mission's all-sky map of the cosmic microwave background. The map suggests the universe is slightly older than thought; according to the team, the universe is 13.798 ± 0.037 billion years old, and contains 4.9% ordinary matter, 26.8% dark matter and 68.3% dark energy. Also, the Hubble constant was measured to be 67.80 ± 0.77 (km/s)/Mpc.

20 March

21 March

Gene therapy is used to cure leukaemia in three adult patients.

Scientists develop a video screen that allows users to see 3D images without using special glasses.

At the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, scientists announce the discovery of the first known meteorite to originate from Mercury. The green rock, known as NWA 7325, is thought to be 4.56 billion years old.

22 March

Scientists develop genetically engineered T-lymphocytes that have been proven successful in treating cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Pluto may have up to 10 moons, along with at least one ring system, according to a new study.


24 March

Supplementation of the protein SNX27 reverses the Down syndrome phenotype in mice.

Scientists discover mutations in 26 genes that are believed to be responsible for esophageal cancer, a breakthrough that could lead to new drug treatments for the disease.

A potential new weight loss method is discovered, after a 20% weight reduction was achieved in mice simply by having their gut microbes altered.

New research suggests that the cloth in the Turin Shroud, rather than being medieval in origin, likely dates from between 300 BC and 400 AD.

27 March

28 March

Stanford researchers announce the construction of a working transistor-like device, dubbed a transcriptor, out of DNA and RNA molecules.

Scientists create a robotic ant colony that behaves like a real one. The tiny machines can be programmed to avoid obstacles and find the q u i c k e s t r o u t e through a network or maze.

29 March

NIH scientists report studies that life began 9.7±2.5 billion years ago, billions of years before the Earth was formed, based on "extrapolation of the genetic complexity of organisms to earlier times".


April

3 April

A breakthrough is achieved in the production of hydrogen fuel, allowing large quantities to be extracted from any plant.

A new species of g i ant tarantu la , Poecilotheria rajaei, is formally described, h a v i n g b e e n discovered in Sri Lanka in 2009.

4 April

A new camera system is developed that can generate high-resolution 3D images from up to a kilometer away.

A US startup company develops plant-derived proteins that can be used as a sustainable, environmentally friendly substitute for eggs in almost all food products.

British researchers discover that a mutation of the gene BRCA2 increases both the risk and severity of prostate cancer in men, as well as being linked to hereditary breast cancer in women.

Chinese scientists develop a carbon-based aerogel which they claim is the lightest material yet produced, with a density only slightly greater than that of air.

9 April

7 April

NASA states that complex organic chemicals could arise on Titan, a moon of Saturn, based on studies simulating the atmosphere of Titan.

American scientists announce that they have identified a number of genetic markers that are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.


10 April

Stanford University researchers develop "CLARITY", a method of making brain tissue transparent using acrylamide, allowing brain structures to be studied in unprecedented detail without requiring extensive biopsies.

Philips demonstrates a new type of LED lighting that is reportedly twice as energy-efficient as any previous electric light bulb.

11 April

Animal trials are set to begin on a gene therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a degenerative condition which counts Stephen Hawking among its sufferers.

The first building to be entirely powered by algae is constructed in Hamburg.

A functional lab-grown kidney is successfully transplanted into a live rat in Massachusetts General Hospital. This breakthrough is a major step forward for the nascent field of regenerative medicine.

American medical researchers develop a new type of bandage which uses microscopic needles to adhere to injured flesh. The bandage requires no adhesive chemicals, is significantly stronger than existing medical adhesives, and could offer a safer and more efficient means of securing skin grafts.

15 April

12 April

Scientists develop the first objective method of measuring pain by directly studying the brains of patients.

A study finds that carefully timed sounds played during sleep can enhance memory.

Scientists find that, by inhibiting the SEC24A gene, cholesterol levels in mice can be reduced by 45%, offering hope for an alternative or complementary therapy to statins.

16 April


17 April

Scientists develop a new form of lithium-ion battery which is thousands of times more powerful than current battery technologies, while also charging much faster. The battery utilizes a compact 3D design, intertwining its electrodes to maximize its surface area while reducing its volume.

Biologists use antibodies to transform bone marrow stem cells directly into healthy brain cells. This breakthrough may allow neurological injuries and illnesses to be more effectively treated, and reduces the risk of immune rejection.

22 April

IBM develops a robot which combines telepresence and augmented reality technologies to assist engineers working on complex projects in remote areas.

CERN releases new particle-collision data from the Large Hadron Collider which may help explain why matter became dominant over antimatter in the early universe.

24 April

MIT researchers determine the structure of bones down to the molecular level, using supercomputer simulations twinned with studies of real bone fibers. Their data grants new insights into the compounds that grant living bone its strength, and may permit the manufacture of versatile new biomimetic materials.

University of Exeter scientists report the creation of a genetically modified strain of E. coli bacteria which can convert sugar into diesel fuel.

The genome of the coelacanth, an endangered deep-sea "living fossil", is sequenced.

A British engineer unveils a giant "mantis" robot, large enough to carry a human pilot, which is s u p p o r t e d b y multiple hydraulic legs. The robot has reportedly attracted the interest of mining and marine research companies.


Following laboratory tests of molten iron, European scientists determine that the Earth's core has a temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought. This discovery may help explain why the planet has such a strong geomagnetic field.

26 April

US and Chinese scientists develop a sensor array which is as sensitive to touch and pressure as the human fingertip. The invention may pave the way for new robotic sensors, electronic interfaces and types of artificial skin.

29 April

NASA-funded French scientists claim that, during experiments on the International Space Station, microbes seem to adapt to the space environment in ways "not observed on Earth" and in ways that "can lead to increases in growth and virulence".

Issue 15 December 2013 22

3 May

May

1 May

IBM sc ient i st s release A Boy and His Atom, the smal les t s top -motion animation ever created, made by manipulating individual carbon monoxide molecules with a scanning tunneling micro-scope.

American engineers create a multi-lens digital camera that mimics an insect's compound eye, providing immense depth of field without distorting the image.

2 May

Researchers cure epilepsy in mice using transplanted brain cells.

It is shown that boosting a single gene can increase the maximum lifespan of fruit flies by over 25 percent.

European researchers announce a potential cure for grey hair.

Solar engineers discover a method of increasing the efficiency of standard commercial silicon solar cells from 19% to 23%.

7 May

Researchers discover that boron nitride – a nanomaterial also known as "white graphene" – is highly effective at removing harmful chemicals from polluted water, and could be used to clean up future oil spills.

Harvard scientists unveil RoboBee, a miniature robot with the smallest ever man-made wings capable of flight.


9 May

12 May

10 May

In a breakthrough they describe as "huge", researchers have identified a protein that reduces heart size and thickness in mice. This could potentially offer a way of treating heart failure and aging in humans.

Researchers create a form of magnetic graphene that could transform the electronics industry.

11 May

It is discovered that Utricularia gibba, a carnivorous bladderwort plant, has the shortest known DNA sequence of any multicellular plant. It largely lacks "junk DNA", sequences of code that do not encode proteins.

Researchers at NYU school of Medicine identify a key protein mutation, called Ras, that is the mechanism through which pancreatic cancer cells acquire nutrients.

Four genes implicated in "bad" cholesterol have been identified in baboons, a finding that could pave the way for new drugs to prevent human heart disease.

New fossils provide physical evidence that the evolutionary split between apes and monkeys may have occurred "25 to 30 million years ago", as long suggested by DNA findings.

13 May

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth's atmosphere reaches a symbolic milestone, passing 400 ppm (parts per million) for the first time in human history.

Researchers develop a thermal invisibility device, measuring 5 cm wide, able to "cloak" objects from heat.

15 May

A new study finds that the white blood cell levels in men decrease faster during aging than in women, possibly providing one clue as to why women have longer average lifespans.


16 May

23 May

21 May

Water dating back 2.6 billion years, by far the oldest ever found, is discovered in a Canadian mine.

Mild electric shock is shown to provide a lasting improvement to mathematical ability.

22 May

Very early symptoms of Huntington's disease, such as depression and anxiety, can be prevented in mice by switching off a protein, according to a new study.

Using new algorithms, researchers generate accurate images of sub-cellular structures in milliseconds rather than minutes.

By blocking a protein known as NF-kB that is secreted by the hypothalamus, researchers extend the lifespan of laboratory mice by 20 percent.

Four-hundred-year-old bryophyte specimens left behind by retreating glaciers in Canada are brought back to life in the laboratory.

26 May

A study suggests that marijuana may improve blood sugar levels by decreasing insulin resistance.

Researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, report that Earth is pushing the Moon away more quickly than it has done for most of the past 50 million years.

27 May

Archaeologists announce the discovery of nearly 5,000 cave paintings, some of which may date back as early as 6,000 BC, near Burgos, Mexico.

Genetic samples from a museum specimen have revealed the pathogen that caused the 19th-century Irish potato famine. The strain is now thought to be extinct.


28 May

29 May

The first graphene-based circuits to break the gigahertz barrier are created by researchers in the US and Italy.

Freescale Semiconductor introduces KL02, a millimeter-scale microchip that contains almost all the components of a tiny functioning computer.

30 May

Stanford University researchers unveil a zinc-air battery that is more energy-dense and cheaper than lithium-ion counterparts.

Researchers create the first-ever high-resolution images of a molecule as it breaks and reforms chemical bonds.

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) discovers 28 asteroid families through the Jupiter-Mars chief asteroid belt. It also finds a large number of formerly concealed and unclassified asteroids through infrared snapshots for the first time.

Biomedical researchers at SCRM in Edinburgh, Scotland, successfully synthesize human blood using stem cells.

A team of chemists and physicists from Japan's Yokohama National University produce a material that can be developed into mixed, conductive 3D formations, enabling scientists to create customized brain electrodes.

New analysis suggests that turtles evolved a shell 40 million years earlier than previously thought.

31 May

Researches find fragments of meteorites in pieces of ancient Egyptian jewellery, which were discovered in a cemetery dating back to roughly 3,300 BC near Cairo in 1911.

Russian scientists announce the discovery of mammoth blood and well-preserved muscle tissue from an adult female specimen in Siberia.


11 June

June

6 June

4 June

A new treatment to "reset" the immune system of multiple sclerosis patients is reported to reduce their reactivity to myelin by 50 to 75 percent.

Urban environments have a profound effect on the circadian rhythms of humans and animals.

5 June

For the first time in the United States, a bioengineered blood vessel is transplanted into a patient's arm. The patient, a man with end-stage kidney disease, is part of a clinical trial of laboratory-grown veins.

Scientists report that the earlier claims of an Earth-like exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri B, a star close to our Solar System, may not be supported by astronomical evidence.

Scientists at the University of Nottingham discover a previously undetected layer in the hu-man cornea, dubbed Dua's layer.

10 June

Microchip maker Intel launches its Haswell series of processors, offering better graphics performance and battery efficiency over the previous processor generation.

Researchers made a new discovery about tumors in hominids. They report the finding of the first known tumor in the rib of a Neanderthal man who lived more than 120,000 years ago.


14 June

12 June

Scientists discover a method to use pressure to make a material expand instead of compress/contract. The pressure-treated material has half the density of the first state.

The US Supreme Court rules that naturally occurring genes may not be patented, with significant implications for future medical research.

13 June

Scientists combine synchrotron X-rays with scanning tunneling microscopy to create highly detailed images of different materials at the atomic level. By combining the two methods, researchers are now able to not only see where individual atoms reside but also determine a material's chemical and magnetic properties. This discovery could have wide applications in accelerating discoveries in a number of fields, particularly in nanotechnology.

Physicists report the possible detection of a new subatomic particle, Zc(3900), a hadron which may be the first tetra quark to have been observed experimentally.

Engineers demonstrate a small quadrupedal "cheetah-cub" robot, with speed and agility approaching that of a real cat. The prototype is intended as the basis for future search-and-rescue robots with vastly greater speed and agility than human emergency workers.

17 June

American researchers identify a key embryonic protein that, though usually deactivated shortly after birth, is reactivated in patients with advanced cancer. This breakthrough may allow for better treatment of advanced cancer cases, which typically respond poorly to currently available therapies. As a result of this discovery, scientists may be able to determine from the structure of the protein the fundamental process through which cancer cells seek out new tumor sites and create secondary tumors after leaving the primary tumor site.


British researchers develop high-resolution 3D holograms for the teaching of anatomy to medical students.

18 June

Google launches a fleet o f h i g h - a l t i t u d e balloons capable of beaming wireless internet to remote locations far more cheaply than satellites.

23 June

19 June

Scientists claim that "cancer-proof" laboratory animals, such as naked mole rats, may not get cancer because they produce an "extremely high-molecular-mass hyaluronan", which is over "five times larger" than that in cancer-prone humans and cancer-susceptible laboratory animals.

Adding silver particles to antibiotics makes them 10 to 1,000 times more effective at fighting infections, research suggests.

20 June

Scientists find that plants use complex mathematical calculations, similar to human circadian rhythms, to adjust their energy usage.

American scientists partially heal spinal cord injuries in paralyzed rats by transplanting nerve cells into the injury sites. These laboratory trials are hoped to be a precursor to human trials in the near future.

Ancient horse bones dating back 700,000 years are found to contain by far the oldest preserved DNA sequence yet discovered, predating all previous finds by 500,000 years.

26 June

American engineers create a functional, rechargeable Nano scale battery out of wood. The conductive wooden fibers, coated with tin, are longer-lasting than any previous Nano scale battery.


Researchers create genetically engineered wheat strains resistant to the fungal disease stem rust, which is a constant threat to wheat crops in the developing world.

27 June

Japanese scientists produce a healthy cloned mouse from cells contained in a single drop of blood.

Scientists demonstrate an optical fiber that uses "twisted light" to transmit massive amounts of information, potentially revolutionizing the field of data transfer. The prototype fiber was able to transmit data at rates of over one terabit per second.

US and German scientists develop a simple and efficient new method for desalinating seawater, using a small electric field to separate salt from water without needing complex filter membranes.

MIT engineers invent a handheld "X-ray vision" device which allows users to detect movement through walls.

28 June

Molecular biologists successfully trap a ribosome in the middle of its protein-forming state, allowing them to study the precise motions it uses to translate genetic code into functional proteins. This discovery sheds new light on the basic building-blocks of life, and may allow the development of new antibiotics.


5 July

July

2 July

Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers.

Microsoft develops a 3D touchscreen that uses force sensors and a robotic arm to allow users to "feel" objects that it displays.

3 July

Bone marrow transplants are found to remove all traces of HIV from two test patients, in conjunction with antiretroviral treatments.

A New Zealand student designs a "skeletal" 3D-printable orthopedic cast that offers far greater lightness, cleanliness and ventilation than conventional casts, and can be personalized to suit individual patients and specific injuries.

A US study reveals that remaining mentally and physically active in old age is key to slowing the onset of dementia.

European researchers create molecular nanowires which are ultra-sensitive to ambient magnetic fields, requiring no actual magnetic materials to change their electrical conductivity. The invention, which is similar to the system used for navigation by migratory birds, could have numerous applications in electronics, from improved magnetic sensors and hard disk drives to enhanced smartphones.

4 July

Using computer modeling and solar data, Scottish scientists determine that the last living species on Earth in the distant future will be extremophile microbes able to survive harsh conditions.

In a breakthrough for regenerative medicine, Japanese scientists grow functional livers from stem cells and successfully transplant them into mice.

8 July

Nanoparticles of rust could be used to efficiently generate hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water, according to a scientific study.


11 July

15 July

North Carolina State University researchers demonstrate a method of 3D printing liquid metal at room temperature, forming freestanding structures which maintain their shape despite initially remaining liquid. The invention, which uses an alloy of gallium and indium, could allow electronic circuitry and even flexible wiring to be printed on demand.

9 July

DARPA and Boston Dynamics unveil the Atlas humanoid robot, a 6-foot (1.8 m) autonomous machine capable of a wide variety of military and disaster-response operations.

NASA engineers successfully test a rocket engine with a fully 3D-printed injector, proving that critical rocket components can be produced through 3D printing without compromising their effectiveness.

For the first time, astron-omers determine the true color of a distant exoplanet. HD 189733 b, a searing-hot gas giant, is said to be a vivid blue color, most likely due to clouds of silica in its atmosphere.

Scientists sequence the genomes of 201 microbe species in an effort to gain a more detailed understanding of Earth's microbial ecosystem.

10 July

Scientists develop a blood test for babies that can reportedly predict a person's long-term health and rate of ageing in later life.

French scientists construct an ultra-precise optical lattice clock that misses only one second in 300 million years. The clock's measurements could form a new basis for global time standards, replacing the present generation of atomic clocks.


18 July

15 July

16 July

Researchers develop art i f ic ial peroxisomes that can reduce toxic oxygen compounds. This could lead to novel drugs that influence processes directly inside living cells.

British medical researchers create an "intelligent" surgical knife with a built-in mass spectrometer that can detect cancerous tissue during operations, allowing surgeons to more accurately and effectively excise tumors without damaging healthy tissue.

17 July

Japan begins a clinical trial of stem cells harvested from patients' own bodies. The stem cells will be used to treat age-related macular degeneration.

Japanese researchers confirm that muon-type neutrinos can spontaneously flip to the electron type, potentially explaining the imbalance of matter and antimatter during the Big Bang.

A "giant" new genus of virus, Pandoravirus, is announced, along with two recently identified species, Pandoravirus dulcis and Pandoravirus salinus.

NASA scientists publish the results of a new analysis of the atmosphere of Mars, reporting a lack of methane around the landing site of the Curiosity rover. In addition, the scientists found evidence that Mars "has lost a good deal of its atmosphere over time", based on the abundance of isotopic compositions of gases, particularly those related to argon and carbon.

American scientists develop a method of "switching off" the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome, potentially offering an entirely new treatment for the condition.

Swedish scientists create a magnesium carbonate-based material with an unparalleled surface-area-to-volume ratio and excellent water absorption abilities. The new material, dubbed "Upsalite", could have applications in many fields, including electronics, toxic waste cleanup, sanitation and medical drug delivery.


28 July

Harvard University medical experts report that a carefully targeted two-drug treatment could be tailored to successfully treat almost any form of cancer.

25 July

26 July

21 July

American researchers develop a flexible, sensitive "electronic skin" that mimics real human skin by detecting and responding to different levels of pressure.

Scientists successfully implant false memories into the brains of mice. This breakthrough could lead to a fuller understanding of human memory.

22 July

Scientists demonstrate a GM-free process that could dramatically reduce nitrogen pollution. It allows virtually all of the world’s crop species to automatically obtain up to 60% of their nitrogen requirements from air, as opposed to fertilizers.

British scientists discover the mechanism which causes human allergy to cats. A cure for the allergy may become commercially available within five years.

A new DNA probe allows researchers to look for mutations in long sequences of up to 200 base pairs, compared to only 20 pairs using conventional methods.

Scientists report that dolphins have unique vocal names for one another, which they respond to just as humans do.


14 August

12 August

August

1 August

Efficient chemical synthesis of ingenol mebutate is achieved for the first time. This compound – found in the Euphorbia genus of plants – is of great interest to drug developers for its ant-carcinogenic properties.

In its latest trial, a new malaria vaccine has been shown to be 100 percent effective.

2 August

A gene linked to idiopathic focal epilepsy (IFE) has been identified by MedUni Vienna researchers.

In the largest-ever analysis of cancer genomes, researchers have discovered the genetic imprints and signatures left by DNA-damaging processes that lead to cancer.

Scientists have built a fully functional mouse heart from human tissues.

Seagrass is 35 times more efficient at absorbing carbon than rainforests, according to research by the University of Technology, Sydney.

8 August

A new "super-glass" coating produced by Harvard University researchers could lead to self-cleaning, scratch-resistant windows and other surfaces.

A breakthrough in tissue engineering has allowed scientists to 'grow' the first true cartilage. The researchers believe entire organs may be possible by 2025.

A NASA mission has revealed a new canyon – 460 miles (750 km) long and 2,600 feet (800 meters) deep in places – hidden below Greenland's ice sheet. This is longer than the Grand Canyon.


28 August

The lowest temperature at which single-celled organisms can live and grow is -20°C, according to new research.

22 August

27 August

15 August

For the first time in 35 years, a new carnivorous mammal species – the Olinguito – has been discovered in the Western Hemisphere.

NASA reports that the Mars Curiosity rover used an Autonomous Navigation System (or "autonav" - the ability of the rover to decide for itself how to drive safely) over unknown ground for the first time.

21 August

By reducing the action of a single gene, mTor, researchers have increased the average lifespan of mice by 20 percent. Their research also shows that the effects of aging are not uniform.

The previous discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number 115 (temporarily named Ununpentium, symbol Uup) has been confirmed at GSI by researchers from Lund University in Sweden.

Miniature, pea-sized human brains have been grown in the laboratory from stem cells.

A study has found that urban environments may cause increased brain size in animals.

29 August


6 September

September

2 September

A team of international scientists has achieved a major breakthrough in nanosensing.

It has been confirmed that an undersea volcano in the northern Pacific is not a group of several volcanoes. This makes it the largest confirmed volcano on Earth.

3 September

Two leading neurology researchers claim that prion-like proteins that mis-fold and aggregate into harmful "seeds" are responsible for brain diseases associated with aging.

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is launched by NASA. It will measure the extremely thin atmosphere that surrounds the Moon.

Researchers have developed a new method for improving the connections between stacked solar cells. It allows them to operate at concentrations of 70,000 suns worth of energy without losing much voltage as "wasted energy" or heat.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants of $17 million to eight research teams, with a focus on nanopore technology aimed at more accurate and efficient DNA sequencing.

5 September

Phase I clinical trials of SAV001 – the first and only preventative HIV vaccine – have been successfully completed with no adverse effects in all patients. Antibody production was greatly boosted after vaccination.

Stanford researchers use DNA to assemble a transistor from graphene.

Researchers have identified a protein involved in the spread of brain tumors.


18 September

Trees are speeding up their life cycles in response to climate change, backing up the results of an earlier study.

12 September

14 September

11 September

Three ancient rivers may once have crossed the Sahara, allowing early humans to cross from Africa into the Mediterranean about 100,000 years ago, based on a new study.

Orbital Sciences launches the first Cygnus spacecraft. It is designed to transport supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).

20 September

Scientists working with the Curiosity rover on the planet Mars report "no detection of atmospheric methane with a measured value of 0.18±0.67 ppbv corresponding to an upper limit of only 1.3 ppbv (95% confidence limit)" and, as a result, conclude that the probability of "current methanogenic microbial activity on Mars" is reduced.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has launched its first Epsilon rocket, a new generation of smaller and cheaper launch vehicles.

Rapidly melting sea ice is causing ocean acidification in the Arctic to occur at faster rates than previously forecast, with serious implications for the food web.

19 September

NASA announces that Voyager I has officially left the Solar System, having travelled since 1977.

The Late Cretaceous period was likely ice-free, with implications for Earth's future climate, based on new research.

26 September


25 September

27 September

24 September

Researchers from Cambridge University in England have developed a new technique allowing carbon nanotube "forests" to be grown at five times the density of previous methods.

A new world record solar cell efficiency of 44.7% has been achieved.

22 September

The first mind-controlled prosthetic leg has been created.

A new form of matter has been created that induces photons to behave like a Star Wars light-sabre.

Palaeontologists have discovered a fossil of the oldest known creature with a jaw, dating back 419 million years.

23 September

– Researchers have created a "blueprint" for a universal flu vaccine which they say could be available within five years.

The first evidence of whisper-like behavior in non-human primates has been observed.

NASA scientists report the Mars Curiosity rover detected "abundant, easily accessible" water (1.5 to 3 weight percent) in soil samples at the Rocknest region of Aeolis Palus in Gale Crater. In addition, the rover found two principal soil types: a fine-grained mafic type and a locally derived, coarse-grained felsic type.

The FDA approves the first artificial pancreas.


6 October

October

1 October

New fossils of pollen grains show that flowering plants evolved 100 million years earlier than previously thought, in the Early Triassic (252 to 247 million years ago) or even earlier.

Researchers from MIT have created self-assembling robots, based on small cubes that can propel themselves and snap together to form shapes.

3 October

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to James E. Rothman, Randy W. Schekman and Thomas C. Südhof, for their work on how vesicles fuse with cell membranes, releasing their contents.

It is reported that researchers at the National Ignition Facility in California produced more energy from a fusion reaction than the fuel absorbed in igniting it — the first time this has been achieved by researchers anywhere in the world.

4 October

Using genetic engineering, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have boosted production of ethanol biofuel by 50 percent.

Giant channels up to 250m tall have been discovered beneath Antarctica, stretching for hundreds of kilometers. Researchers say these will help in modeling the future stability and dynamics of the ice sheet.

7 October

14 October


11 October

10 October

The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to François Englert and Peter Higgs "for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider".

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Arieh Warshel, Martin Karplus and Michael Levitt ―for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems‖.

8 October

Researchers have discovered the first chemical to prevent all brain cell death from prion disease in mice. This could lead to drug targets for a range of neurodegenerative conditions in humans - including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the "conventions under which it was founded in 1997" because they, according to the award citation, ―have defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law. Recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again been put to use, have underlined the need to enhance the efforts to do away with such weapons.‖

9 October

A new microscopic technique allows researchers to image structures as small as 80 nm anywhere inside a cell.

The first fossil of a mosquito with definitive evidence of blood has been discovered in northwestern Montana. The find dates back to the Eocene, some 46 million years ago (the fossil provides only evidence of blood, but not blood itself, so there is no DNA or anything cloneable).


23 October

16 October

Russian authorities raise a large fragment, 654 kg (1,440 lb) total weight, of the Chelyabinsk meteor, a Near-Earth asteroid that entered Earth's atmosphere over Russia on 15 February 2013, from the bottom of Chebarkul lake.

A new fossil discovery suggests that Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis and Homo erectus may all have been part of a single species that later evolved into humans.

Using data accumulated over 10 years, researchers have estimated there are 390 billion trees in the Amazon rainforest, divided into 16,000 different species.

Geneticist Bryan Sykes and his team at Oxford University report that DNA analysis of presumed Yeti (or "Abominable Snowman") samples may have come from a hybrid species of bear produced from a mating between a brown bear and a polar bear. According to Sykes, "I think this bear, which nobody has seen alive, may still be there and may have quite a lot of polar bear in it. It may be some sort of hybrid and if its behavior is different from normal bears, which is what eyewitnesses report, then I think that may well be the source of the mystery and the source of the legend."

17 October

Researchers have identified 127 repeatedly mutated genes that appear to drive the development and progression of a range of tumors in the body.

Researchers have shown that a fundamental reason for sleep is to clean the brain of toxins. This is achieved by brain cells shrinking to create gaps between neurons, allowing fluid to wash through.

22 October

A new way of locating metal desposits including gold has been discovered by researchers in Australia. The presence of tiny particles in a eucalyptus tree's foliage can indicate that these resources are present deep underground.

Astronomers have discovered the 1,000th known exoplanet.


31 October

An international team of researchers has doubled the known number of genes linked to Alz-heimer's to 21.

A breakthrough in artificial intelligence has been achieved, with a new software algorithm capable of solving CAPTCHAs.

27 October

A new study adds weight to the idea that the oceans have absorbed some of the excess heat from recent global warming.

30 October

Doctors in China have regrown the face of a 17 year old girl with burn injuries, using tissue from her chest.

6 November


14 November

4 November

Astronomers report, based on Kepler space mission data, that there could be as many as 40 billion Earth-sized planets orbiting in the habitable zones of sun-like stars and red dwarf stars within the Milky Way Galaxy. 11 billion of these estimated planets may be orbiting sun-like stars. The nearest such planet may be 12 light-years away, according to the scientists.

Researchers have found a way to shrink the volume of nuclear waste by 90 percent.

A new imaging technique can help to identify people at high risk of a heart attack.

5 November

India launches its first Mars probe, Mangalyaan.

11 November

Globally, there was a net loss of 1.5 million sq ft of forest between 2000 and 2012, based on 650,000 high-resolution satellite images.

Using nanotechnology, researchers at Columbia University have created the world's smallest FM radio.

November

15 November

A fragile quantum memory state has been held stable at room temperature for a "world record" 39 minutes, 100 times longer than ever before.

Researchers at Bonn University have identified an immune gene in humans that originated from Neanderthals.


24 November

17 November

Researchers have made the first battery electrode that heals itself, repairing imperfections within a few hours.

The MAVEN spacecraft, part of NASA's Mars Scout Program, is launched successfully.

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory has made the first discovery of very high energy neutrinos on Earth which had originated from beyond our Solar System.

A potential new compound to treat osteoporosis has shown promising results in mouse experiments.

18 November

The first "mini-kidneys" have been grown from human stem cells.

NASA releases detailed data about a powerful gamma-ray burst, designated GRB 130427A, that was observed on 27 April 2013.

22 November

Even if CO2 emissions stop, global warming will continue for centuries, according to a study by Princeton University.

The Swarm mission is launched by ESA. It will map the Earth's magnetic field in unprecedented detail.

21 November

Researchers at the University of Southampton have identified undersea regions that could store huge volumes of sequestered CO2, potentially helping to reverse climate change.


3 December

5 December

1 December

China launches the Chang'e 3 lunar rover mission, with a planned landing on December 16.

The Hubble Space Telescope has found evidence of water in the atmospheres of five distant exoplanets: HD 209458b, XO-1b, WASP-12b, WASP-17b and WASP-19b.

Researchers have discovered that a protein, PC7, plays an important role in anxiety disorders and trauma.

2 December

A study of nearly 1,000 brain scans has revealed striking differences between men and women.

4 December

Researchers have used a human gut microbe to reverse autism-like symptoms in mice.

Scientists report the results of the oldest human DNA found. The DNA is from a 400,000 year old hominin femur bone fossil uncovered in Spain and matches the DNA of extinct human Denisovans that lived thousands of miles away in Siberia.

December

8 December

A new way of extracting hydrogen from rocks and water, potentially offering a new green energy source, has been demonstrated by the University of Lyon.


A new drug has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women by 53 percent.

12 December

9 December

NASA scientists report that the planet Mars had a large freshwater lake (which could have been a hospitable environment for microbial life) based on evidence from the Curiosity rover studying Aeolis Palus near Mount Sharp in Gale Crater.

A new record low temperature on Earth has been recorded, with NASA satellite data showing -94.7°C (-135.8°F) in a region of East Antarctica. The previous record had been -89.2°C (-128.6°F), set in 1983 at Vostok Station.

A new hydrogel scaffold has been developed for craniofacial bone tissue regeneration, which turns from a liquid to gel in the body, then liquefies again for removal.

A newly-discovered greenhouse gas, perfluorotributylamine, has been shown to have 7,100 times the heat-trapping ability of CO2.

10 December

The unmanned Chinese lunar rover Chang'e 3 lands on the Moon, making China the third country to achieve a soft landing there.

NASA announces, based on studies with the Hubble Space Telescope, that water vapor plumes were detected on Europa, moon of Jupiter, and was similar to water vapor plumes detected on Enceladus, moon of Saturn.

11 December

14 December

16 December

An international team of researchers reports evidence that Neanderthals practiced burial behavior and intentionally buried their dead.

Earth's crust was unstable during the Archean era and would have "dripped" down into the mantle, which was much hotter than today, according to new research.


22 December

18 December

Scientists report, for the first time, the entire genome of a Neanderthal, an extinct species of humans. The genome was extracted from the toe bone of a 130,000-year-old Neanderthal found in a Siberian cave.

French Professor Alain Carpentier has developed the first self-regulating artificial heart, using biomaterials and electronic sensors. The device was successfully implanted by a team at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris.

19 December

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have achieved a major breakthrough in the study of aging. By using a chemical that occurs naturally in the human body, it was possible to restore tissues in two year old mice to a much younger state.

20 December

A massive underground reservoir of meltwater has been discovered below Greenland, storing liquid water all year round and covering 27,000 square miles. This has implications for sea level rises.

30 December

Protyle issue 15

Documents

new year things

happy new year

new scenes

new year special edition

new type of mars rock

format of magazine

sarvaiya protyle magazine

milky way galaxy