2 January 2013: astronomers estimate that every star in theMilky Way Galaxy (artist's rendering pictured) hosts at least oneexoplanet.
2 January
A study byCaltech astronomers reports that theMilky Way Galaxy contains at least one planet per star, resulting in approximately 100–400 billionexoplanets. The study, based on planets orbiting the starKepler-32, suggests thatplanetary systems may be the norm around stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.[2]
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 50,000light-years from thegalactic plane, are thought to be fuelled by intense star formation.[3][4]
LG Electronics releases the first commercialOLED television. OLED screens are thinner, more efficient and capable of displaying images with greater definition than conventionalLCD andplasma screens.[5]
Toyota demonstrates anautonomous car capable of sensing and reacting to its surroundings, monitoring its driver and communicating with other vehicles.[14]
6 January
British researchers successfully cureblindness inmice using an injection of photosensitive cells. Following additional testing, the treatment could be used to heal humans withretinitis pigmentosa.[15][16]
China is reported to be experiencing a rapid growth in the use ofindustrial robots, with robot installations increasing at over 10 percent a year.[17]
9 January 2013: scientists test a newcancer treatment that usessickle cells (pictured) to kill offtumours by starving them of their blood supply.
7 January
Australia experiences its hottest day on record, with nationwide average temperatures exceeding 40°C amid one of the most intensebushfire seasons in the country's history.[18][19]
Remarkably well-preservedzinc pills are discovered aboard a 2,000-year-oldRoman shipwreck, giving a rare insight intoRoman medicine.[20][21]
TheGerman defence companyRheinmetall successfully demonstrates a high-powered militarylaser that can destroydrones 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.[26][27]
American astronomers announce the discovery of seven newexocomets – more than double the previously known number of such objects. The exocomets were discovered using theMcDonald Observatory inTexas, which imaged the chemical signatures of the comets' tails.[28]
An American company unveils a smarthunting rifle which uses a computerised scope, onboard aiming software andlaser rangefinders to ensure great accuracy even in the hands of novice shooters. The rifle is alsoWi-Fi-enabled, and its software canrecord its aiming and firing history, potentially allowing law enforcement agencies to track its use.[40][41]
20 January 2013: it is proven thatquadruple-helix DNA (pictured) is present in humans.
Astronomers discover a distant cluster of supermassivequasars that is both the largest and brightest structure in the known universe, spanning approximately four billion light-years.[44]
New high-precision observations of theasteroid99942 Apophis reveal that it is almost certain that the asteroid will not strike the Earth in 2036, despite earlier scientific concern over its trajectory.[45]
Official sources state thatBeijing's air is now hazardous to human health, after years of mountingair pollution. The city's air contains as much as 20 times theWorld Health Organization's recommended amount of toxic particles.[48]
Researchers inUniversity of Montana report recreational fishing may drive evolutionary changes inlargemouth bass, making them harder to catch and less attentive parents. David O. Conover notes it affects both physical traits and fish behavior over time.[49]
13 January –Massachusetts doctors invent a pill-sized medical scanner that can be safely swallowed by patients, allowing theesophagus to be more easily scanned for diseases.[50]
15 January – The first museum of3D-printed artifacts opens in China.[51]
17 January –NASA announces that theKeplerspace observatory has developed areaction wheel issue and will discontinue operation for 10 days in the interest of solving the problem. Three functional reaction wheels are needed to accurately aim the telescope; one of Kepler's original four reaction wheels failed in July 2012. If this second wheel issue is not resolved, NASA may be forced to end the long-runningKepler mission altogether.[52][53]
18 January –Japanese researchers create a "privacy visor" which uses near-infrared light to render its wearer unrecognizable tofacial recognition software.[54]
21 January – Architects begin preparations for constructing the world's first3D-printed building. The building will be constructed of a high-strength artificialmarble laid down by an industrial-scale 3D printer, and is planned for completion in 2014.[56]
22 January 2013: a scientific study reveals that theglaciers of theAndes are melting at an unprecedented rate.
23 January
Scientists encode large amounts of digital information, including the completesonnets ofWilliam Shakespeare, on a single strand ofsynthetic DNA. DNA has immense potential as a storage medium, and may become commercially available for this purpose in the near future.[61]
A British amputee becomes the first person in the UK to receive theMichelangelo Hand, an advanced newbionic hand, which uses electrodes to precisely mimic muscle movements and which can be used even for delicate engineering tasks.[63]
Kenya begins the construction of theKonza Technology City, aplanned city that is hoped to become a hub of African science and technology upon its completion in 2030.[64]
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 andmicrobiology.[66]
Scientists design anevolution-inspired organicsolar cell with a novel geometric pattern that increases its energy-harvesting efficiency.[67]
New measurements performed by European scientists reveal that the radius of theproton is 4 percent smaller than previously estimated.[68]
Bolivian scientists restore brain function tostroke-affectedrats by injecting them withstem cells. This breakthrough may lead to more effective treatments for strokes in humans.[70]
American medical researchers develop a painless polymer skin patch that can be used to injectDNA vaccines without a conventional needle, and also increases the initial effectiveness of the vaccine delivered.[71]
An American research team uses the world's most powerfulsupercomputer at the time – theIBM Sequoia – to perform a record-breaking computation, modelling an experimentaljet engine on over one millionprocessor cores.[72]
ESA scientists report that theionosphere of the planetVenus streams outwards in a manner similar to "the ion tail seen streaming from acomet under similar conditions."[76][77]
30 January –South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch, using theNaro-1 rocket to place a satellite into orbit.[78]
31 January
British scientists achieve a breakthrough insynthetic biology, developing microscopic biological "factories" that can be assembled in hours and which could be used to deliver medicines, producebiofuels and mine underground minerals.[79]
The ESA, in collaboration with a group of architectural firms, designs and tests a3D-printed structure that can be built out of lunarregolith to serve as aMoon base.[81]
Japanese scientists genetically modify a transparentzebrafish specimen to produce a visible glow during periods of intense brain activity, allowing the fish's "thoughts" to be recorded as specific regions of its brain light up in response to external stimuli.[82]
Stanford University physicists discover that atom-thin sheets ofgraphene 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.[83]
Medical researchers develop a new method of efficiently detecting cancer usingbioelectric signals. In addition, they were able to manipulate cellular electric charge levels to prevent certain cells from developing cancer.[84]
Californian researchers usegenetic modification to rejuvenate ageing blood cells, strengthening theimmune systems of elderly mice. If human trials prove successful, this treatment could allow older people to more effectively resist disease.[86]
TheBritish Army begins using a miniaturedrone helicopter inAfghanistan. The aerial surveillance robot weighs just 16 grams, and can be remotely piloted into difficult terrain to detect hidden enemy positions.[88]
4 February 2013: British scientists useDNA testing to confirm that a newly unearthed skeleton is that of the medieval kingRichard III (pictured).
4 February
American researchers develop a new molecular therapy which can cross theblood–brain barrier to deliver medicines to the brain, potentially helping to treat neurological diseases such asParkinson's disease.[89]
A much-vaunted experimentalvaccine fortuberculosis proves to be largely ineffective against the disease in human trials.[90]
Australian engineers build a "quantum microscope" which offers unprecedented levels of precision in measuring live biological systems.[92]
Sea urchins are discovered to be capable of efficiently convertingcarbon dioxide into raw material for their shells, potentially offering a new method ofcarbon capture for industrial purposes.[93]
Halley VI, a new BritishAntarctic research station, begins operation. The station, which is mounted on hydraulic ski-legs to allow it to be towed across the ice, features an advanced modular design and is expected to endure the Antarctic climate until 2050.[96]
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 conventionalready meals and allow astronauts to enjoy a far more varied diet.[97]
Astronomers report that 6% of alldwarf stars – the most common stars in the known universe – may host Earthlike planets. Additionally, some suchexoplanets may exist only 13 light-years from Earth.[98]
Scientists discover livebacteria in the subglacial Antarctic Lake Whillans.[99]
TheLarge 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 14teraelectronvolts – double its current maximum energy.[110]
Researchers develop a specialized neural implant which givesrats the ability to senseinfrared light – a pioneering use of implant technology to grantliving creatures new abilities, instead of simply replacing or augmenting existing ones.[111]
The United StatesFood and Drug Administration approves the first functional commercialbionic eye, theArgus II, for the treatment of blindness. The device, which became available in Europe in 2011, uses a combination of ocular implants and camera-equipped glasses to restore vision to people blinded byretinitis pigmentosa.[112]
The asteroid2012 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.[115]
Cornell University scientists use a 3D printer to create a living artificialear fromcollagen and ear cell cultures. In future, such ears could be grown to order for patients with ear trauma or amputation.[122]
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 futurenanomedicine.[125]
22 February – Data gathered fromSiberian ice caves reveals that continued global warming may lead to widespread thawing ofpermafrost, potentially releasing massive volumes of trappedcarbon dioxide andmethane into the atmosphere.[126]
20 February 2013: NASA astronomers discover the smallestexoplanet to date,Kepler-37b (shown second from left).
23 February – A US inventor builds a "spider-sense" bodysuit, equipped withultrasonic sensors andhaptic feedback systems, which can alert its wearer of approaching threats and allow them to detect and respond to attackers even when blindfolded.[127]
24 February
Oxford University researchers discover the mechanism by which certain brain cells are able to survive being starved ofoxygen. In future, this research may yield more effectivestroke treatments.[128]
A study finds thatchimpanzees solve puzzles for entertainment just as humans do.[129]
Israel successfully tests itsArrow 3 missile defence system, designed to destroy enemyballistic missiles while they are still high in the Earth's atmosphere.[131]
26 February
American engineers develop awirelessly 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.[132]
Astronomers use theNuSTAR satellite to accurately measure the spin of asupermassive black hole for the first time, reporting that its surface is spinning at almost the speed of light.[134]
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.[135]
28 February
Duke University researchers successfully connect the brains of two rats with electronic interfaces that allow them to directly share information, in the first-ever direct brain-to-brain interface.[136][137]
1 March 2013:Boston Dynamics develops an advanced version of itsBigDog heavy-lifting robot (2006 version pictured), featuring a powerful mechanical throwing arm.
1 March –Boston Dynamics demonstrates an updated version of itsBigDog military robot, amule-sized heavy-lifting robot able to navigate rough terrain and equipped with an arm powerful enough to easily lift and throwbreeze blocks.[142]
3 March – American scientists report that they have curedHIV in an infant by giving the child a course ofantiretroviral 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.[143]
DARPA begins efforts to develop a fleet of small naval vessels capable of launching and retrievingcombat drones without the need for large and expensiveaircraft carriers.[145]
In a U.S. first, researchers replace a large part of an injured patient'sskull with a precision 3D-printed polymer replacement implant.[146]
5 March – TheHuman Connectome Project releases the most detailed scans of the human brain yet made, allowingneuroscientists to more accurately study the complexities of the brain's structure and identify the causes of neural disorders.[147]
6 March
After studying the DNA of a modernAfrican American, scientists estimate that theY-chromosomal Adam – the most recent male common ancestor of human beings – lived much earlier than previously thought, over 338,000 years ago.[148]
Chinese and Israeli scientists develop aBreathalyzer-style breath test that can quickly and easily diagnosestomach cancer by analyzing exhaled chemicals, without the need for an intrusiveendoscopy.[149]
7 March
After an eight-year project involving the use of a pioneeringcloning 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.[150]
An international project known as Bedmap2 analyses 50 years of data to measure the volume ofAntarctic ice, finding it to be 26,500,000 cubic kilometres (6,400,000 mi3), which would raise global sea levels by 58 metres (190 ft) if it melted.[151]
Scientists fromOregon State University reconstruct the global temperature record since the end of thelast ice age. Their data, taken from 73 sites around the world, shows a clear and rapid warming trend in the 20th and early 21st centuries.[152]
Tests on mice demonstrate conclusive proof thatresveratrol, a compound found inred wine, improves health and longevity.[153]
9 March
Britishdental researchers grow viableteeth from a combination ofgingival cells and stem cells, potentially allowing future patients to receive living teeth to replace diseased or damaged ones.[154]
Roboticists launch an online database andcloud computing platform which can be accessed by robots worldwide, allowing them to more easily recognise unfamiliar objects and perform intensive computing tasks.[155]
Researchers develop smart self-healing circuits that can rapidly restore themselves to a fully functional state by detecting and neutralising electronic faults.[158]
Lockheed Martin develops a new method fordesalination 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.[164]
14 March
CERN scientists confirm, with a very high degree of certainty, that a new particle identified by theLarge Hadron Collider in July 2012 is the long-soughtHiggs boson.[165]
Scientists inducemonkey skin cells to become healthy brain cells which function normally when implanted into the donor monkey's brain. This breakthrough suggests that suchpersonalized medicine approaches could be effective in human patients.[166]
15 March – Scientists working on the Lazarus Project announce that they have successfully rejuvenated cells ofRheobatrachus silus, a species of frog extinct since 1983.[167]
New data suggests that theMariana Trench, the deepest point on the Earth's surface, is home to a large amount ofbacterial life forms.[168][169] 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.[168][170]
If global average temperatures rise by just 2 °C, the number of extreme storm surges likeHurricane Katrina will increase tenfold, according to new research.[172]
US scientists successfully map 80% of theneurons in a vertebrate brain at cellular-level resolution in just 1.3 seconds.[173]
TheNeanderthal genome is sequenced by German scientists from a toe bone found in southernSiberia.[176]
Scientists announce they can now illuminate up to 100biomarkers, ten times more than the previous standard. This breakthrough may make it much easier to spot proteins in cancer cells – a vital diagnostic technique.[177]
NASA reports that a software computer problem on theCuriosity Mars rover is now repaired.[178][179]
Researchers at theUniversity of Cambridge demonstrate a virtual "talking head" with realistic emotions, which could lead to more naturalistic human-computer interactions.[180]
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.[181]
Scientists develop a video screen that allows users to see 3D images without using special glasses.[185]
Scientists develop genetically engineeredT-lymphocytes that have been proven successful in treating cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.[186]
22 March – At the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, scientists announce the discovery of the first known meteorite to originate fromMercury. The green rock, known as NWA 7325, is thought to be 4.56 billion years old.[187]
Scientists discover mutations in 26 genes that are believed to be responsible foroesophageal cancer, a breakthrough that could lead to new drug treatments for the disease.[189]
27 March – A potential new weight loss method is discovered, after a 20% weight reduction was achieved in mice simply by having theirgut microbes altered.[190]
28 March
New research suggests that the cloth in theTurin Shroud, rather than beingmedieval in origin, likely dates from between 300 BC and 400 AD.[191]
29 March – Scientists create a roboticant colony that behaves like a real one. The tiny machines can be programmed to avoid obstacles and find the quickest route through a network or maze.[194]
A new camera system is developed that can generate high-resolution 3D images from up to a kilometre away.[205]
7 April – A USstartup company develops plant-derived proteins that can be used as a sustainable, environmentally friendly substitute foreggs in almost all food products.[206]
9 April
At the 2013 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, American defense companies display prototypes of numerous advanced weapons technologies, including viablerailguns,VTOLairships andgrenade-sized reconnaissance robots.[207]
British researchers discover that a mutation of the geneBRCA2 increases both the risk and severity ofprostate cancer in men, as well as being linked to hereditarybreast cancer in women.[208]
Chinese scientists develop acarbon-basedaerogel which they claim is the lightest material yet produced, with a density only slightly greater than that of air.[209]
Stanford University researchers develop "CLARITY", a method of making brain tissue transparent usingacrylamide, allowing brain structures to be studied in unprecedented detail without requiring extensivebiopsies.[211]
Scientists develop the first objective method of measuringpain by directly studying the brains of patients.[212]
Scientists find that, by inhibiting theSEC24A gene,cholesterol levels in mice can be reduced by 45%, offering hope for an alternative or complementary therapy tostatins.[213][214]
11 April
International researchers discover key similarities in the brains ofarthropods andvertebrates, potentially aiding scientific understanding of the causes of human neural diseases.[215]
Philips demonstrates a new type ofLED lighting that is reportedly twice as energy-efficient as any previous electric lightbulb.[216]
A study finds that carefully timed sounds played duringsleep can enhancememory.[217]
Scientists reconstruct the skeleton of the ancienthominidAustralopithecus sediba, discovering that it possessed a unique mixture of human- and ape-like traits.[220]
The first building to be entirely powered byalgae is constructed inHamburg.[221]
16 April – American medical researchers develop a new type ofbandage 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 securingskin grafts.[225]
17 April
Scientists develop a new form oflithium-ion battery which is thousands of times more powerful than current battery technologies, while also charging much faster. The battery utilises a compact 3D design, intertwining itselectrodes to maximize its surface area while reducing its volume.[226]
MIT researchers determine the structure ofbones down to the molecular level, usingsupercomputer 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 newbiomimetic materials.[227]
Biologists useantibodies to transformbone marrowstem cells directly into healthy brain cells. This breakthrough may allow neurological injuries and illnesses to be more effectively treated, and reduces the risk ofimmune rejection.[233]
A British engineer unveils a giant "mantis" robot, large enough to carry a human pilot, which is supported by multiplehydraulic legs. The robot has reportedly attracted the interest of mining and marine research companies.[235]
24 April
IBM develops a robot which combinestelepresence andaugmented reality technologies to assist engineers working on complex projects in remote areas.[236]
CERN releases new particle-collision data from theLarge Hadron Collider which may help explain why matter became dominant overantimatter in the early universe.[237]
Following laboratory tests of molteniron, European scientists determine that theEarth's core has a temperature of 6,000 degreesCelsius, 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought. This discovery may help explain why the planet has such a stronggeomagnetic field.[239]
US and Chinese scientists develop asensor array which is as sensitive to touch and pressure as the human fingertip. The invention may pave the way for newrobotic sensors, electronic interfaces and types ofartificial skin.[240]
27 April – Design approval is given for a crucial reactor component of theITERnuclear fusion project, which is currently under construction inCadarache,France, and is expected to begin generating fusion power in 2022.[241]
NASA-funded scientists in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claim that, during experiments on theInternational Space Station,microbes seem to adapt to thespace environment in ways "not observed on Earth" and in ways that "can lead to increases in growth andvirulence".[245]
Researchers discover thatboron nitride – a nanomaterial also known as "whitegraphene" – is highly effective at removing harmful chemicals from polluted water, and could be used to clean up futureoil spills.[247]
2 May –Harvard scientists unveilRoboBee, a miniature robot with the smallest ever man-made wings capable of flight.[249]
3 May
Scientists announce the discovery of a previously unknown meat-eatingtheropod dinosaur,Aorun zhaoi, dating from approximately 161 million years ago. It is the oldestcoelurosaur yet discovered.[250]
Researchers cureepilepsy in mice using transplanted brain cells.[251]
It is shown that boosting a single gene can increase the maximum lifespan offruit flies by over 25 percent.[252]
European researchers announce a potential cure forgrey hair.[253]
American scientists transform skin cells into bone cells using inducedpluripotent methods, in which the cells were grown on scaffolding, allowing them to gain a 3D structure. This is the first time a fully functioning three-dimensional bone structure has been created from cell lines.[254]
A new study finds that children whose parents suck on theirpacifiers have fewerallergies later in life.[255]
Solar engineers discover a method of increasing the efficiency of standard commercial siliconsolar cells from 19% to 23%.[256]
7 May
A new study suggests that all Europeans are related to a small group of ancestors dating back only 1,000 years.[257]
8 May – Researchers achieve a significant breakthrough in understandinggenital herpes, which could lead to the development of a vaccine to prevent and treat HSV-2.[261]
9 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 treatingheart failure andaging in humans.[262]
The concentration ofcarbon dioxide (CO2) inEarth's atmosphere reaches a symbolic milestone, passing 400 ppm (parts per million) for the first time in human history.[265][266]
11 May – Researchers develop a thermal invisibility device, measuring 5 cm wide, able to "cloak" objects from heat.[269]
12 May – It is discovered thatUtricularia gibba, a carnivorousbladderwort plant, has the shortest knownDNA sequence of any multicellular plant. It largely lacks "junk DNA", sequences of code that do not encodeproteins.[270]
13 May – Researchers at NYU school of Medicine identify a key protein mutation, called Ras, that is the mechanism through whichpancreatic cancer cells acquire nutrients.[271]
Four genes implicated in "bad"cholesterol have been identified inbaboons, a finding that could pave the way for new drugs to prevent human heart disease.[276]
New fossils provide physical evidence that the evolutionary split betweenapes andmonkeys may have occurred "25 to 30 million years ago", as long suggested by DNA findings.[277]
A new study finds that thewhite blood cell levels in men decrease faster during aging than in women, possibly providing one clue as to why women have longer average lifespans.[280]
Fish have been migrating to thepoles for decades, due to climate change, according to a new study.[281]
A team of Iranian researchers studiesnanotechnology applications inneuroscience, reporting new results regarding medicine and drug delivery for the brain and nerves.[282]
16 May
Water dating back 2.6 billion years, by far the oldest ever found, is discovered in a Canadian mine.[283]
A new world record has been achieved in wireless data transfer, with 40 Gbit/s transferred at 240 GHz over a distance of one kilometer.[285]
21 May
Genetic samples from a museum specimen have revealed the pathogen that caused the 19th-centuryGreat Famine of Ireland. The strain is now thought to be extinct.[286]
By blocking a protein known asNF-kB that is secreted by thehypothalamus, researchers extend the lifespan of laboratory mice by 20 percent.[287]
22 May
Plans are approved for the world's biggestwave farm in north-westScotland, with an intended power-generation capacity of 40MW.[288]
In a significant move to addressclimate change,China announces that it will impose a cap on carbon emissions by 2016.[289]
Researchers atPurdue University inWest Lafayette,Indiana, report that Earth is pushing the Moon away more quickly than it has done for most of the past 50 million years.[290]
Researchers in France confirm that atypical activation of differentgenes distinct to other tissues occur in all kinds ofcancer. Tumor cells inlung cancer, for example, express genes, which should be silent, particular to malesperm production. According to the researchers, "The methodical recognition of ectopic gene activations in cancer cells could serve as a basis for gene signature–guided tumor stratification".[291][292]
A team of chemists and physicists fromJapan'sYokohama National University produce a material that can be developed into mixed, conductive 3D formations, enabling scientists to create customized brainelectrodes.[303]
For the first time, astronomers observe a spinningneutron star suddenly slowing down.[304]
Freescale Semiconductor introduces KL02, a millimeter-scale microchip that contains almost all the components of a tiny functioning computer.[305]
30 May
New analysis suggests thatturtles evolved a shell 40 million years earlier than previously thought.[306]
Researches find fragments ofmeteorites in pieces ofancient Egyptian jewellery, which were discovered in a cemetery dating back to roughly 3,300 BC nearCairo in 1911.[316]
1 June –The New York Times reports that "the United States is far and away the world leader inmedical spending, even though numerous studies have concluded that Americans do not get better care."[318]
4 June
A new treatment to "reset" the immune system ofmultiple sclerosis patients is reported to reduce their reactivity tomyelin by 50 to 75 percent.[319]
Microchip makerIntel launches itsHaswell series of processors, offering better graphics performance and battery efficiency over the previous processor generation.[321]
5 June 2013: The multi-yearglobal surveillance disclosures are launched and indicate that nearly all major technical possibilities formass surveillance are being proactively exploited.[322]6 June 2013: anartificially grown blood vessel is transplanted into an American patient for the first time.
5 June
Urban environments have a profound effect on thecircadian rhythms of humans and animals, according to a new study.[323]
Researchers made a new discovery abouttumors inhominids. They report the finding of the first known tumor in the rib of aNeanderthal man who lived more than 120,000 years ago.[326]
The multi-yearglobal surveillance disclosures are launched and indicate that nearly all major technical possibilities formass surveillance that emerged in recent decades – such as in Internet infrastructure, software, smartphones and otherIC technologies – are proactively exploited or attempted to be exploited by secret services with a public rationale of counter-terrorism.[327][322]
6 June
For the first time in the United States, abioengineeredblood 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.[328]
Scientists state that most male birds have nopenis. They ejaculatesperm out of an exit opening named acloaca, which is also used for excretingurine andfeces.[329][330]
A newskyscraperelevator is demonstrated usingcarbon fiber cables to reach heights of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) or higher in a single trip, without passengers needing to change lifts.[335][336]
The world's first commercially available 5-GHz computer processor is unveiled byAMD.[338]
12 June
A new study suggests thataltitude plays a role inlanguage evolution, explaining whyejective sounds are more popular in languages of high-altitude regions.[339]
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.[341]
Sleep researchers state that natural sleep allows the brain to combine emotional memory, and also find that a popular sleeping drug heightens the recollection of and response to negative memories.[342]
American researchers identify a key embryonicprotein 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.[345]
Scientists combinesynchrotron 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 innanotechnology.[346]
Sharp Corporation achieves the highestsolar cell energy conversion efficiency to date, of approximately 44.4%, using a concentrator triple-junction compound solar cell.[347]
Two separate teams independently develop prototype flyingbicycles. British engineers construct a hybrid bicycle-paraglider capable of flying to an altitude of 4,000 feet (1,200 m), while aCzech team demonstrates a multi-rotor electric "hoverbike" that can hover like ahelicopter at low altitudes.[350]
Engineers demonstrate a small quadrupedal "cheetah-cub" robot, with speed and agility approaching that of a realcat. The prototype is intended as the basis for future search-and-rescue robots with vastly greater speed and agility than human emergency workers.[351]
Weapons manufacturerMBDA Germany develops a high-poweredlaser weapon capable of targeting and destroying incoming rockets, artillery shells andUAVs.[352]
18 June
Google launches a fleet of high-altitudeballoons capable of beaming wireless internet to remote locations far more cheaply thansatellites.[353]
American scientists use3D printing to manufacture a new class of microscopicbatteries, which may allow the easy production of extremely small medical devices,nanorobots and communications systems.[354]
British researchers develop high-resolution 3Dholograms for the teaching ofanatomy to medical students.[355]
19 June – Scientists claim that "cancerproof" laboratory animals, such asnaked mole-rats, may not getcancer because they produce an "extremely high-molecular-masshyaluronan", which is over "five times larger" than that in cancer-prone humans and cancer-susceptible laboratory animals.[356][357]
20 June 2013:silver particles are found to massively increase the effectiveness ofantibiotics.
20 June
Addingsilver particles toantibiotics makes them 10 to 1,000 times more effective at fighting infections, research suggests.[358]
International neuroscientists produce a full-3D map of a human brain, scanning and digitizing thousands of ultrathin slices of the brain to determine its structure at extremely high resolution. The map will be made freely available to medical researchers worldwide.[359]
During theShenzhou 10 mission, Chinese astronauts deliver the country's first public video broadcast from the orbitingTiangong-1 space laboratory.[360]
Physicists develop a table-topparticle accelerator with 2 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) of power, downsizing a conventional accelerator by a factor of 10,000.[362][363]
American engineers create a functional, rechargeable nanoscale battery out ofwood. The conductive wooden fibers, coated withtin, are longer-lasting than any previous nanoscale battery.[364]
TheIsraeli-based company NeuroDerm reports good trial results for a newParkinson's disease treatment, which involves dermal introduction of two separate drugs.[365]
21 June – Following groundbreaking laboratory tests, researchers discover that plants make use ofquantum effects to efficiently channelphotons duringphotosynthesis.[366]
23 June
Scientists find that plants use complex mathematical calculations, similar to humancircadian rhythms, to adjust their energy usage.[367]
Following a large-scalegenome study, researchers identify some of the biological roots ofmigraine, a chronic neurological condition affecting as many as 15% of all humans.[368]
Researchers fromDuke University detectmethane indrinking water inPennsylvania, claiming that "serious contamination from bubbly methane is 'much more' prevalent in some water wells within 1 kilometer ofgas drilling sites". The researchers note that methane levels are "an average of six times" higher andethane levels are "23 times higher" in the water wells "closer to drilling sites, compared with those farther away."[372]
25 June – In an unprecedented discovery, astronomers detect three potentially Earthlikeexoplanets orbiting a single star in theGliese 667 system.[374]
26 June
China'sShenzhou 10 crewed spacecraft returns safely to Earth, having conducted China's longest human space mission to date.[375]
American scientists partially healspinal cord injuries in paralyzed rats by transplantingnerve cells into the injury sites. These laboratory trials are hoped to be a precursor to human trials in the near future.[376]
Ancienthorse 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.[377]
27 June 2013: researchers induce "twisted light" beams inoptical fibers, allowing for extremely high-bandwidth data transfer.
27 June
Japanese scientists produce a healthyclonedmouse from cells contained in a single drop of blood.[378]
British geologists report that 1.3 quadrillion cubic feet ofshale gas are present in shale formations in northern England, potentially heralding a transformation of the British energy market.[379]
Researchers creategenetically engineeredwheat strains resistant to the fungal diseasestem rust, which is a constant threat to wheat crops in the developing world.[380]
Scientists demonstrate anoptical 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 oneterabit per second.[381][382]
US and German scientists develop a simple and efficient new method fordesalinating seawater, using a small electric field to separate salt from water without needing complex filter membranes.[383]
US andSwiss researchers develop a new form of telescopiccontact lens designed to improve the vision of those with age-relatedmacular degeneration, which previously could not be ameliorated with contact lenses.[384]
Molecular biologists successfully trap aribosome in the middle of itsprotein-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.[385]
28 June –MIT engineers invent a handheld "X-ray vision" device which allows users to detect movement through walls.[386]
Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk ofsuicide in men and women by about 50%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers.[388][389]
Using computer modelling and solar data, Scottish scientists determine that the last living species on Earth in the distant future will beextremophile microbes able to survive harsh conditions.[390]
Microsoft develops a 3Dtouchscreen that uses force sensors and a robotic arm to allow users to "feel" objects that it displays.[391]
The firstMaersk Triple E-class container ships, the largest and most energy-efficient cargo vessels yet constructed, begin sea trials.[392]
3 July 2013: in a groundbreaking medical trial,bone marrow transplants are found to eliminate all traces ofHIV (virus particles pictured) in two male patients.
3 July
In a breakthrough forregenerative medicine, Japanese scientists grow functionallivers from stem cells and successfully transplant them into mice.[395]
It is reported that navalsonar can seriously disrupt the behavior ofwhales, potentially causing them to fatally beach themselves.[396]
ANew Zealand student designs a "skeletal"3D-printableorthopedic cast that offers far greater lightness, cleanliness and ventilation than conventional casts, and can be personalized to suit individual patients and specific injuries.[399]
A US study reveals that remaining mentally and physically active in old age is key to slowing the onset ofdementia.[401]
5 July
European researchers create molecularnanowires which are ultra-sensitive to ambientmagnetic 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 andhard disk drives to enhancedsmartphones.[402]
Scientists recordX-ray videos ofbats in flight, revealing the highly efficient skeletal motion that allows them to fly. This data could be used to design new, more efficient flying robots.[403]
6 July
TheSolar Impulse aircraft completes the first cross-country flight over the United States powered entirely bysolar energy.[404]
Scientists report that a wide variety of microbial life exists in thesubglacial AntarcticLake Vostok, which has been buried in ice for around 15 million years. Samples of the lake's water obtained by drilling were found to contain traces of DNA from over 3,000 tiny organisms.[405]
Researchers state that the first baby conceived with a new, cheaper, more efficient form ofIVF is born healthy.[407]
6 July 2013: theSolar Impulse aircraft (photographed above in 2011) becomes the first entirelysolar-powered airplane to complete a flight across the United States.
9 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.[408]
A radical new theory of the composition of theEarth's core is published. It proposes that the shape of the solidiron core is determined by the atomic structure of the different forms of iron of which it consists.[409]
North Carolina State University researchers demonstrate a method of3D printing liquid metal at room temperature, forming freestanding structures which maintain their shape despite initially remaining liquid. The invention, which uses an alloy ofgallium andindium, could allow electronic circuitry and even flexible wiring to be printed on demand.[410][411]
10 July
French scientists construct an ultra-preciseoptical 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 ofatomic clocks.[citation needed]
For the first time, astronomers determine the true colour of a distantexoplanet.HD 189733 b, a searing-hotgas giant, is said to be a vivid blue colour, most likely due to clouds ofsilica in its atmosphere.[413]
12 July – British engineers develop a high-velocity penetrator probe capable of surviving impact forces of 20,000gravities. The probe could be used to punch through the icy surface ofJupiter's moonEuropa to search for aquatic life.[417]
15 July
Scientistssequence the genomes of 201microbe species in an effort to gain a more detailed understanding of Earth's microbial ecosystem.[418]
NASA engineers successfully test arocket engine with a fully 3D-printed injector, proving that critical rocket components can be produced through 3D printing without compromising their effectiveness.[420]
Seismologists report that smallearthquakes occur in a sequence with rapidly increasing frequency prior to avolcanic eruption. The discovery, described as a "seismic scream", could help predict future eruptions.[421]
NASA'sCuriosity rover reaches a milestone in its journey acrossMars, having travelled 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) since its landing in 2012.[422]
Researchers develop artificialperoxisomes that can reduce toxic oxygen compounds. This could lead to novel drugs that influence processes directly inside living cells.[423]
17 July
American scientists develop a method of "switching off" the extrachromosome that causesDown's syndrome, potentially offering an entirely new treatment for the condition.[424]
British medical researchers create an "intelligent" surgical knife with a built-inmass spectrometer that can detectcancerous tissue during operations, allowing surgeons to more accurately and effectively excisetumors without damaging healthy tissue.[425]
Swedish scientists create amagnesium 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.[426][427]
In an unprecedented discovery, astronomers directly observe the destruction of a gas cloud larger than Earth's solar system by thesupermassive black hole at the galactic core.[428]
Based on 34 earlier studies, researchers identify remarkable similarities betweenthe brains of birds and humans.[429]
NASA scientists publish the results of a new analysis of theatmosphere of Mars, reporting a lack ofmethane around thelanding site of theCuriosity 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 toargon andcarbon.[432][433][434]
Japanese researchers confirm thatmuon-typeneutrinos can spontaneously flip to theelectron type, potentially explaining the imbalance of matter andantimatter during theBig Bang.[435]
Harvard University medical experts report that a carefully targeted two-drug treatment could be tailored to successfully treat almost any form of cancer.[436]
For the third time in history, Earth is photographed from the outer solar system. NASA'sCassini spacecraft releases images of the Earth and Moon taken from the orbit ofSaturn.[437]
British scientists successfully cure blindness in mice with infusions of stem cells that repaired damagedretinas. It is hoped that a similar treatment can be developed for humans.[438]
American researchers develop a flexible, sensitive "electronic skin" that mimics real human skin by detecting and responding to different levels of pressure.[440]
22 July
Scientists report thatdolphins have unique vocal names for one another, which they respond to just as humans do.[441]
24 July – A scientific study warns that a major release ofmethane from meltingArctic ice could have immense climatic and economic impacts worldwide.[444]
25 July
British scientists discover the mechanism which causes humanallergy to cats. A cure for the allergy may become commercially available within five years.[citation needed]
Scientists successfully implantfalse memories into the brains of mice. This breakthrough could lead to a fuller understanding of human memory.[445]
26 July – Scientists demonstrate aGM-free process that could dramatically reducenitrogen 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 tofertilisers.[446]
28 July – A new DNA probe allows researchers to look for mutations in long sequences of up to 200base pairs, compared to only 20 pairs using conventional methods.[447]
29 July – Astronomers discover the firstexoplanet orbiting abrown dwarf, 6,000 light years from Earth.[448]
31 July
An artificial human-likeear is grown in a lab, using a flexible wire frame to support tissue cultures from cows and sheep.[449]
A Japanese company develops a reusable skin patch which can treat chronic highblood pressure by constantly releasingbisoprolol into the bloodstream. It is reported to be safer than conventional blood pressure medication, and is easier to use for patients with swallowing problems.[456]
Full-colour, 3D infrared images have been created by researchers, giving molecular-level chemical information of specimens in unprecedented detail.[457]
A newdeep brain stimulation device can simultaneously record brain activity while delivering therapy. It is hoped the automated system could reveal major insights into a range of neurological and psychological diseases.[459][460]
8 August
In its latest trial, a newmalaria vaccine has been shown to be 100 percent effective.[461]
A breakthrough in tissue engineering has allowed scientists to 'grow' the first true cartilage. The researchers believe entire organs may be possible by 2025.[462]
12 August – A gene linked to idiopathic focal epilepsy (IFE) has been identified by MedUni Vienna researchers.[463]
14 August
In the largest-ever analysis of cancer genomes, researchers have discovered the genetic imprints and signatures left by DNA-damaging processes that lead tocancer.[464]
Scientists have built a fully functional mouse heart from human tissues.[465]
Seagrass is 35 times more efficient atabsorbing carbon than rainforests, according to research by the University of Technology, Sydney.
15 August
For the first time in 35 years, a new carnivorous mammal species – theolinguito – has been discovered in the Western Hemisphere.[466]
Extremeheat waves are likely to quadruple by 2040, according to new research.[470]
Biologists from Tel Aviv University publish a, first of its kind, study on homosexual behavior among insect species.[471]
17 August – In an unprecedented effort by ETH Zurich Laboratories, computational quantum teleportation has been achieved in solid-state circuit. Using quantum entanglement methods, researchers have teleported approximately 10,000 qubits (quantum bits) per second on a specially designed chip.[472]
21 August – The lowest temperature at which single-celled organisms can live and grow is −20 °C, according to new research.[473]
22 August
A study has found more evidence thatnanoparticles may be entering the human food supply, with potentially harmful effects.[474]
NASA has released new images and a video of its planned asteroid capture mission.[476]
27 August
The previous discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number 115 (moscovium) has been confirmed atGSI by researchers from Lund University in Sweden.[477][478]
NASA reports that the MarsCuriosity rover used anAutonomous Navigation System (or"autonav" - the ability of the rover to decide for itself how to drive safely) over unknown ground for the first time.[479]
University of Washington researchers have performed what they believe is the first noninvasive human-to-human brain interface, with one researcher able to send a brain signal via the Internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher.[480]
28 August
Miniature, pea-sized human brains have been grown in the laboratory from stem cells.[481][482]
Cooling waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean appear to be a major factor in dampening global warming in recent years, scientists say.[483]
UK researchers have created the world's fastest spinning man-made object, achieving 600 million revolutions per minute.[484]
29 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.[485]
A NASA mission has revealed a newcanyon – 460 miles (750 km) long and 2,600 feet (800 meters) deep in places – hidden below Greenland's ice sheet. This is longer than theGrand Canyon.[487]
1 September – Rising global temperatures are drivingcrop pests to higher and lower latitudes at nearly 3 kilometres per year, threatening global food security.[488]
2 September – A team of international scientists has achieved a major breakthrough innanosensing.[489]
3 September
A new analysis indicates the amount ofraw materials used to produce goods is far higher than previously thought.[490]
Phase I clinical trials ofSAV001 – the first and only preventativeHIV vaccine – have been successfully completed with no adverse effects in all patients.Antibody production was greatly boosted after vaccination.[491]
5 September
It has been confirmed that anundersea volcano in the northern Pacific is not a group of several volcanos. This makes it the largest confirmed volcano on Earth.[492]
Stanford researchers use DNA to assemble a transistor from graphene.[493]
Two leading neurology researchers claim thatprion-like proteins that misfold and aggregate into harmful "seeds" are responsible for brain diseases associated with aging.[494]
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.[496]
Phase 1 clinical trials of an implantable vaccine to treatmelanoma have been initiated.[497]
Three ancient rivers may once have crossed theSahara, allowing early humans to cross from Africa into the Mediterranean about 100,000 years ago, based on a new study.[499]
Trees are speeding up their life cycles in response to climate change, backing up the results of an earlier study.[502]
Rapidly melting sea ice is causingocean acidification in theArctic to occur at faster rates than previously forecast, with serious implications for thefood web, according to new research.[503]
Americans are living longer and more healthily than ever before, according to one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind. There was a 3.8-year increase in average life expectancy during the previous two decades, with quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) also increasing. However, there was a notable rise inanxiety among young and middle-aged people beginning in 2001.[507]
19 September – Scientists working with theCuriosity rover on the planetMars report "no detection ofatmospheric methane with a measured value of0.18±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.[510][511][512]
20 September
Researchers from Cambridge University in England have developed a new technique allowingcarbon nanotube "forests" to be grown at five times the density of previous methods.[513]
Researchers have identified a protein involved in the spread ofbrain tumours.[514]
22 September – Researchers have created a "blueprint" for a universal flu vaccine which they say could be available within five years.[515]
The first evidence ofwhisper-like behavior in non-human primates has been observed.[517]
Astronomers have discovered thedensest known galaxy, with over 10,000 stars packed into four light years.[518]
Long-term data shows that theGreenland Sea is warming 10 times faster than the global ocean.[519]
A new genetic analysis shows that the first rapid population growth of humans occurred in thePaleolithic (60,000-80,000 years ago), rather than the more recentNeolithic as previously thought.[520]
TheLate Cretaceous period was likely ice-free, with implications for Earth's future climate, based on new research.[521]
25 September
The first mind-controlled prosthetic leg has been created.[522]
A new form of matter has been created that induces photons to behave like aStar Warslight-sabre.[523]
The first computer made entirely ofcarbon nanotubes has been created by Stanford University engineers. It has a 1 bit processor, runs at 1 kHz and features 178 transistors, with 10-200 nanotubes per transistor.[524]
26 September
Palaeontologists have discovered a fossil of the oldest known creature with ajaw, dating back 419 million years.[525]
Nanoscale resolution MRI has been experimentally achieved.[535]
The first document from theIPCC Fifth Assessment Report – Working Group I's summary for policymakers – is released. It states that warming of the global climate system is "unequivocal", with a 95% probability that humans are the main cause.[536]
The first commercial-scalecarbon capture andmineralization plant begins construction in the United States. When completed in 2014, it will capture 300,000 tons of CO2 annually.[540][541]
1 October – New fossils of pollen grains show thatflowering plants evolved 100 million years earlier than previously thought, in theEarly Triassic (252 to 247 million years ago) or even earlier.[542]
3 October
Environmental impacts on the world'soceans are even worse than previously thought, according to a new report.[543][544]
4 October – Researchers from MIT have created self-assembling robots, based on small cubes that can propel themselves and snap together to form shapes.[546]
6 October – Giant channels up to 250m tall have been discovered beneathAntarctica, stretching for hundreds of kilometres. Researchers say these will help in modelling the future stability and dynamics of the ice sheet.[547]
It is reported that researchers at theNational Ignition Facility in California produced more energy from afusion reaction than the fuel absorbed in igniting it – the first time this has been achieved by researchers anywhere in the world.[549]
A new study concludes that research to delayaging would have greater social and economic benefits than advances in cancer, heart disease and other individual diseases.[550]
8 October
TheNobel Prize in Physics has been awarded toFrançois Englert andPeter Higgs "for the theoretical discovery of amechanism 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'sLarge Hadron Collider".[551]
Researchers in Germany have taken a major step towards usinggraphene in solar cells, which could boost theirefficiency. The material was found to retain its properties even when coated with silicon.[552]
A new microscopic technique allows researchers to image structures as small as 80 nm anywhere inside a cell.[554][555]
10 October – Researchers have discovered the first chemical to prevent all brain cell death fromprion 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.[556][557]
The Graphene Flagship – a ten-year initiative with a billion euros of funding – is launched in Gothenburg, Sweden.[559]
14 October – The first fossil of a mosquito with definitive evidence ofblood has been discovered in northwestern Montana. The find dates back to theEocene, some 46 million years ago (the fossil provides onlyevidence of blood, but not blood itself, so there is no DNA or anything cloneable).[560][561]
Researchers have shown that a fundamental reason forsleep is to clean the brain of toxins. This is achieved by brain cells shrinking to create gaps between neurons, allowing fluid to wash through.[567]
Using data accumulated over 10 years, researchers have estimated there are 390 billion trees in theAmazon rainforest, divided into 16,000 different species.[568]
GeneticistBryan Sykes and his team atOxford University report thatDNA analysis of presumedYeti (or"Abominable Snowman") samples may have come from a hybrid species ofbear produced from a mating between abrown bear and apolar 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 behaviour 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."[569][570]
18 October – Researchers have discovered a source of gut stem cells that can repair a type ofinflammatory bowel disease when transplanted into mice.[571]
21 October – In the Amazon, droughts like that of2005 may become the norm by 2100, according to a new study that claims the IPCC has underestimated the impacts on the southern part of the rainforest.[572]
22 October – Astronomers have discovered the 1,000th knownexoplanet.[573]
23 October
A new way of locating metal deposits includinggold has been discovered by researchers in Australia. The presence of tiny particles in aeucalyptus tree's foliage can indicate that these resources are present deep underground.[574]
Astronomers have discovered the most distantgalaxy to date.[575]
Temperatures in the Eastern Arctic are now the highest since the beginning of thelast ice age 120,000 years ago, lying "well outside the range of natural variability", according to US researchers.[577]
27 October
An international team of researchers has doubled the known number of genes linked toAlzheimers to 21.[578]
Researchers have found a way to shrink the volume ofnuclear waste by 90 percent.[587]
Japanese researchers have demonstrated multi-componentnanoparticles that combine the properties of different materials.[588]
People care more about the longer term when they make decisions in natural environments as opposed to urban, according to research by VU University Amsterdam.[589]
9 November – A majoriceberg measuring 700 square kilometers, roughly the size of Singapore, has broken away from West Antarctica.[592]
11 November
A new imaging technique can help to identify people at high risk of aheart attack.[593]
Using nanotechnology, researchers at Columbia University have created the world's smallestFM radio.[594]
13 November
Globally, 2013 is likely to be among the top 10 hottest years since records began, according to a provisional statement from theWorld Meteorological Organization.[595]
NASA has produced a video of how Mars may have appeared 4 billion years ago, with blue skies and water.[597]
14 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.[598]
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.[599]
17 November
Researchers have made the first battery electrode that heals itself, repairing imperfections within a few hours.[600]
The first "mini-kidneys" have been grown from human stem cells.[601]
Researchers at Bonn University have identified an immune gene in humans that originated fromNeanderthals.[612]
Paleontologists have described a newly found dinosaur,Siats meekerorum, that lived 98 million years ago in theLate Cretaceous. Based on analysis of a juvenile 30 ft specimen, the researchers say the adult version could have reached 40 ft (12 meters) in length – second only toTyrannosaurus rex in size, and holding back the dominance of that species until later in the epoch.[613]
24 November
Even if CO2 emissions stop, global warming will continue for centuries, according to a study by Princeton University.[614]
Methane release from the Arctic seafloor is double previous estimates, new research has shown.[615]
25 November – NASA reports that theCuriosity rover onMars has resumed full science operations, with no apparent loss of capability, after completing the diagnosis of an electrical problem first observed on 17 November. Apparently, an internal short in the rover's power source, theMulti-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, caused an unusual and intermittent decrease in a voltage indicator on the rover.[616][617]
28 November – ThecometC/2012 S1 (ISON) passed roughly 1,100,000 kilometres (680,000 miles) above the Sun's surface. Although it was highly anticipated that the comet would be visible to the naked eye on Earth once it orbited the Sun,[618][619] it became increasingly evident that it had vaporized as it made its approach. Hours after it passed behind the Sun, a part of the comet re-emerged, though significantly smaller. Over the next 24 hours, it too, faded.
29 November – Scientists reportComet ISON may have survived its trip around the Sun.[620]
1 December – China launches theChang'e 3lunar rover mission, with a planned landing on 16 December.[621]
2 December
A study of nearly 1,000 brain scans has revealed striking differences[clarification needed] between men and women.[622]
The CIOC (NASA Comet ISON Observing Campaign) announces thatComet ISON has fully disintegrated.[623][624] TheHubble Space Telescope failed to detect fragments of ISON on 18 December 2013.[625] On 8 May 2014, a detailed examination of the comet disintegration was published, suggesting that the comet fully disintegrated hours beforeperihelion.[626]
5 December – Researchers have used a human gut microbe to reverseautism-like symptoms in mice.[636]
8 December – A new way of extractinghydrogen from rocks and water, potentially offering a new green energy source, has been demonstrated by the University of Lyon.[637][638]
The supervolcano that lies beneathYellowstone National Park in the US has a magma chamber that is 2.5 times bigger than earlier estimates suggested.[644]
Ice loss from theWest Antarctic Ice Sheet is accelerating, based on the latest data fromCryoSat-2. Over 150 cubic km of ice is now melting into the sea each year.[645][646]
A newhydrogel scaffold has been developed for craniofacial bone tissue regeneration, which turns from a liquid to gel in the body, then liquefies again for removal.[648]
14 December – The uncrewed Chineselunar roverChang'e 3 lands on theMoon, making China the third country to achieve a soft landing there.[654][655]
16 December – An international team of researchers reports evidence thatNeanderthals practicedburial behavior and intentionally buried their dead.[656]
18 December
Scientists report, for the first time, the entiregenome of aNeanderthal, an extinct species ofhumans. The genome was extracted from thetoe bone of a 130,000-year-old Neanderthal found in a Siberian cave.[657][658]
Astronomers have spotted what appears to be the first known "exomoon", located 1,800 light years away.[659][660]
Researchers atHarvard Medical School have achieved a major breakthrough in the study ofaging. 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.[661][662]
20 December
NASA reports that theCuriosity rover has successfully upgraded, for the third time sincelanding, its software programs and is now operating with version 11. The new software is expected to provide the rover with betterrobotic arm andautonomous driving abilities. Due to wheel wear, a concern to drive more carefully, over the rough terrain the rover is currently traveling on its way toMount Sharp, was also reported.[663]
A massive underground reservoir of meltwater has been discovered belowGreenland, storing liquid water all year round and covering 27,000 square miles. This has implications forsea level rises.[666][667]
30 December –Earth's crust was unstable during theArchean era and would have "dripped" down into themantle, which was much hotter than today, according to new research.[670]
UNESCO Young Scientist Awards and Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management: Julio Blas Garcia, Angela Camargo, Bilal Habib, Hilaire Kouakou, Atieh Kazemi Mojarad and Claudia Munera[675][676]
François Jacob,French biologist, winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1920).[709]19 April 2013:François Jacob, a Nobel Prize-winning French biologist, dies aged 92.
4 May –Christian de Duve, English-bornBelgian biologist and biochemist, co-recipient of the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1917).[716]
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