25 Most Exciting Scientific Discoveries of 2024

Summary

2024 has been an extraordinary year for science, with groundbreaking discoveries across various fields. AI has identified thousands of hidden asteroids, while scientists have made strides in reversing Type 1 diabetes and understanding human evolution at high altitudes. The world has also witnessed incredible advances in medicine, from stem cell treatments for spinal injuries to personalized cancer vaccines. Among the most surprising finds is a genetic discovery that explains why some families have only daughters. With such remarkable innovations, 2024 is already shaping up to be a milestone year for science and technology.

Takeaways

• 😀 AI has helped scientists discover thousands of hidden asteroids, including over 100 near-Earth asteroids that could pose potential threats.
• 😀 A groundbreaking IVF technique has helped scientists get a southern white rhino pregnant, offering hope for saving the nearly extinct Northern White Rhino.
• 😀 Researchers have developed water-based and calcium-based batteries that are more eco-friendly, recyclable, and cheaper than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
• 😀 A new AI tool, Fast Goma, can detect brain tumors in just 10 seconds during surgery with 92% accuracy, reducing the chances of leaving residual cancer cells behind.
• 😀 A discovery of ultramassive galaxies formed just 1 billion years after the Big Bang challenges previous beliefs about the speed of star formation in the early Universe.
• 😀 Marmoset monkeys use unique vocal calls to communicate and identify each other, indicating advanced communication methods similar to those of humans.
• 😀 Scientists may be closer to reversing lupus by developing a drug that blocks a key protein called interferon, restoring balance to the immune system.
• 😀 A breakthrough drug has been developed to repair brain cells affected by Timothy syndrome, offering potential treatments for other neurological disorders like epilepsy and autism.
• 😀 The FDA has approved the first-ever cell therapy for melanoma using tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, offering new hope for treating deadly skin cancer.
• 😀 NASA's Mars Insight Lander discovered liquid water beneath the surface of Mars, suggesting the potential for life or clues to its past existence on the Red Planet.
• 😀 Scientists have successfully reversed Type 1 diabetes in a woman by reprogramming her fat cells into insulin-producing cells, marking a major milestone in diabetes treatment.

Q & A

What discovery challenges the traditional belief about the relationship between brain size and childhood duration?

A recent study of ancient human fossils revealed that humans may have had longer childhoods not because of bigger brains, but because prolonged childhoods may have kickstarted the evolution of larger, more complex brains.

How might IVF help in saving the Northern White Rhino from extinction?

Scientists successfully used IVF to impregnate a Southern White Rhino with the sperm of a Northern White Rhino, providing a proof of concept for saving the nearly extinct Northern White Rhino species through surrogate mothers.

What makes the new water-based and calcium-based batteries stand out?

Water-based batteries can be recycled indefinitely by swapping out electrolytes, making them eco-friendly. Calcium-based batteries are cheaper and easier to produce compared to lithium-ion ones, which makes them both economically and environmentally beneficial.

How does the AI tool Fast Goma help in brain tumor surgeries?

Fast Goma is an AI tool that can analyze tissue samples during surgery and detect remaining cancer cells with 92% accuracy, helping surgeons ensure they remove all tumor tissue and reduce the risk of leaving dangerous remnants behind.

What surprising discovery was made about the formation of early galaxies?

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered three ultramassive galaxies that formed much faster than previously thought, challenging our understanding of star formation in the early universe.

What communication ability have researchers observed in marmoset monkeys?

Marmoset monkeys have been found to use unique vocal calls to address and identify each other, similar to human names, which shows that other animals might have advanced communication methods that we have not fully studied.

What new drug could potentially help in reversing lupus?

A drug called an aulab has been found to block a protein called interferon, which plays a role in the imbalance of immune cells in lupus patients. This could lead to a breakthrough in treating and possibly reversing lupus symptoms.

How has a new drug shown promise in repairing brain cells affected by Timothy syndrome?

Researchers have developed a drug using anti-sense Aon nucleotide, which helps neurons affected by Timothy syndrome develop normally, potentially paving the way for treatments of other neurological conditions like epilepsy, ADHD, and autism.

What is the significance of lab-grown organs in regenerative medicine?

Lab-grown organoids, miniature versions of organs grown from stem cells, are being used to study diseases and test new drugs. While they can't replace full-sized organs for transplants yet, they offer hope for addressing the global organ shortage in the future.

What is the importance of discovering liquid water on Mars?

The discovery of liquid water under Mars's surface, detected by the Mars Insight Lander, raises the possibility that life may have existed on Mars. It also suggests that there are still hidden reservoirs of water on the planet, crucial for future exploration and potential colonization.

What role do tiny robots play in the treatment of brain aneurysms?

Tiny nanobots, guided by magnets, deliver clot-forming drugs directly to the site of brain aneurysms, offering a safer and more precise treatment compared to traditional methods like stents, which involve higher risks.

What genetic discovery could explain why some families consistently have baby girls?

A rare genetic variant has been discovered that increases the likelihood of having a baby girl. People with this variant have a 60% chance of having a daughter, as opposed to the usual 50/50 odds, and the gene is linked to sperm production and fertilization.