A photo of different medicinal drugs, tablets and pills on blue background.
As an AI language model, I can provide information on some groundbreaking scientific discoveries from the past year (2020-2021). However, it is important to note that selecting the top 10 discoveries can be subjective. Here are ten significant scientific breakthroughs:
1. COVID-19 Vaccines: Multiple vaccines were developed and approved for emergency use to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
2. mRNA Technology: The mRNA vaccine technology used in COVID-19 vaccines has shown remarkable efficacy and has potential applications for future vaccine development.
3. Quantum Supremacy: Google’s team achieved “quantum supremacy,” demonstrating a quantum computer’s ability to solve a particular problem exponentially faster than a classical computer.
4. Neowise Comet: Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE became visible to the naked eye, providing a rare opportunity for astronomers to study its composition and tail formation.
5. Mars Mission: NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars, beginning its mission to search for signs of past microbial life, gather samples, and pave the way for human exploration.
6. Gravitational Waves: The discovery of gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) added more evidence to Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
7. Gene Editing Advancements: CRISPR gene editing technology continued to advance, with researchers achieving breakthroughs in treating genetic diseases like sickle-cell anemia.
8. Earth-like Exoplanet: Astronomers discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet called TOI 700 d, located within the habitable zone and with potentials for hosting liquid water, a key factor for supporting life.
9. Quantum Computing Progress: IBM demonstrated progress in quantum computing by building a quantum computer with 65 qubits, making it one of the largest and most powerful quantum systems developed.
10. Dark Matter Detection: Scientists at Fermilab’s Dark Energy Survey announced progress towards detecting weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), a candidate for dark matter.
This selection covers a range of scientific achievements, but there are many other impactful discoveries and advancements made over the past year across various scientific disciplines.
