The biggest science breakthroughs in 2023

Summary

In 2023, Science Magazine's Breakthrough of the Year was GLP-1 therapies, which not only treat diabetes and obesity but also offer additional health benefits. Other notable scientific advances include the launch of the exascale supercomputer Frontier, new evidence supporting early human arrival in the Americas, the potential of natural hydrogen as a clean energy source, the first large-scale evaluation of a malaria vaccine, and the discovery that global overturning circulation in the oceans is slowing faster than expected. Additionally, there was a rise in collective action by early career scientists demanding better pay and conditions, the detection of supermassive black holes merging through pulsar monitoring, the approval of a drug to slow Alzheimer's cognitive decline, and the use of AI in weather forecasting.

Takeaways

• 💊 **GLP-1 Therapies**: Recognized by Science Magazine as the Breakthrough of the Year for their effectiveness in treating diabetes, obesity, and additional health benefits.
• 💻 **Supercomputers**: Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Frontier supercomputer, capable of 1 quintillion operations per second, is aiding in predicting electron behavior and climate modeling.
• 👣 **Ancient Footprints**: New dating methods support the theory that humans arrived in the Americas between 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, possibly during the last ice age.
• ♻️ **Natural Hydrogen**: Reevaluated as a potential clean energy source, with enough reserves to meet global energy needs for millennia.
• 💉 **Malaria Vaccines**: A large-scale evaluation confirms the safety and efficacy of the first malaria vaccine, with a second vaccine recently approved by WHO.
• 🌊 **Ocean Circulation**: Global overturning circulation, crucial for ocean heat and carbon dioxide distribution, is slowing faster than expected.
• 🔬 **Scientist Activism**: Early career scientists are unionizing and demanding better pay and working conditions, leading to increased personnel costs for institutions.
• 🌌 **Black Holes**: Physicists detected strong evidence of two supermassive black holes merging by monitoring pulsars.
• 🧠 **Alzheimer's Treatment**: Lecanemab, the first drug to slow cognitive decline from Alzheimer's, targets protein clumps in the brain but comes with risks.
• 🌐 **AI in Weather Forecasting**: AI models are being used to predict weather up to ten days in advance, offering faster, less resource-intensive, and sometimes more accurate forecasts than traditional methods.

Q & A

What was recognized as the Breakthrough of the Year by Science Magazine in 2023?

GLP-1 therapies were picked as the Breakthrough of the Year by Science Magazine in 2023, known for their effectiveness in treating diabetes and obesity, and for offering additional health benefits as revealed by clinical trials.

What is the significance of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Frontier computer?

The Frontier computer is significant because it is a new class of supercomputer capable of performing 1 quintillion mathematical operations per second, placing it in the exascale range. It has been used to predict electron behavior in new materials and to incorporate the physics of clouds into climate models.

How did the dating of human footprints in White Sands National Park change the estimated arrival of people in the Americas?

The dating of human footprints in White Sands National Park pushed the estimated arrival of people in the Americas back to between 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, suggesting that people made the journey into the Americas at the peak of the last ice age.

What is the potential of natural hydrogen as a source of clean energy according to the United States Geological Survey?

The United States Geological Survey estimates that there may be enough natural hydrogen in the earth’s crust to satisfy the world’s energy needs for thousands of years, challenging conventional thinking that hydrogen was too reactive to exist in large quantities.

What is the significance of the large-scale evaluation of the first malaria vaccine?

The large-scale evaluation revealed that the first malaria vaccine is safe and effective enough for greater use, and a second vaccine was approved by the World Health Organization. These vaccines have the potential to reduce severe cases and deaths of children who are often most vulnerable to malaria.

How is the global overturning circulation, as studied in the Southern Ocean, changing?

Several studies revealed that the global overturning circulation, a fundamental process involving the sinking of salty waters in the Southern Ocean, is slowing down faster than expected. Researchers expect this slowdown to continue.

What has been the impact of collective action by early career scientists on academic pay and conditions?

Collective action by early career scientists demanding higher pay and better working conditions has led to pay increases for grad students and postdocs, especially after the largest academic strike in U.S. history at the University of California. This has prompted more academic workers to unionize and speak out around the world.

What evidence of supermassive black holes merging was detected by physicists?

Physicists detected the strongest evidence yet of two supermassive black holes merging by monitoring dying stars called pulsars. They used radio telescopes to detect tiny changes in the pulsars' rhythm that could indicate a gravitational wave passing through.

What is the new treatment approved by U.S. regulators for Alzheimer's disease?

The new treatment approved by U.S. regulators for Alzheimer's disease is Lecanemab, which targets the tangled protein clumps found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. However, it comes with risks such as swelling and hemorrhaging in the brain.

How have technology companies revolutionized weather forecasting?

Technology companies have succeeded in using AI modeling for weather forecasting, which finds patterns in past data to predict weather up to ten days in advance. These new models are faster, require less computing power, and are sometimes more accurate than traditional models.