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The incredible discoveries and scientific feats of 2023 demonstrate how far curiosity and wonder can take humanity.
The archaeological finds allowed researchers to take intriguing steps into the past and reveal more about our mysterious ancestors and creatures that roamed the planet before humans.
At the same time, technological advances allowed scientists to take bold steps in how we understand the vast expanse of the universe and our small cosmic neighborhood within it.
Each week brought new wonders and insights, along with dozens of pinch-me moments and breathtaking views of the cosmos once invisible to the human eye.
In this golden age of scientific discovery, my hope is that, like living legend Sylvia Earle, we never take for granted the ability to solve mysteries and gain new knowledge so we can better understand how to protect this extraordinary world.
wild kingdom
Nearly 1,000 new species were found worldwide in 2023, adding significantly to the tree of life and illuminating how much biodiversity is waiting to be found on Earth.
Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences and the Museum of Natural History in London discovered hundreds of creatures and plants from the ocean floor to an isolated peak in Angola.
Most of the newly discovered species were insects, including metallic-hued wasps named after “Doctor Who” characters that help eliminate agricultural pests. And scientists found unusual creatures, including a rare type of silent frog and a gecko that shoots goo from its tail.
As the climate crisis continues, scientists are racing to identify species in a bid to protect them before they disappear.
Return to the future
An emerging scientific trend in 2023 was resurrection biology, or the attempt to revive chains of complex molecules and organisms that were once extinct.
The study field sounds like the base of “Jurassic Park,” but scientists are using it to raise awareness about the rise of once-dormant viruses as the climate crisis causes permafrost to melt for the first time in centuries. . Resurrection biology is also used in the search for pharmaceutical solutions by studying the genetic proteins of our ancient ancestors.
Scientists used this technique to recreate the aroma of Egyptian mummification balms. Visitors can catch this smell of the past at Denmark’s Moesgaard Museum.
And yes, efforts are underway to resurrect extinct animals like the dodo, woolly mammoth, and Tasmanian tiger.
Defying gravity
The truth is stranger than fiction, especially when you look back at some of this year’s celestial moments that rivaled science fiction.
A lunar race began between several countries, with robotic missions that ended successfully and forced landings.
Meanwhile, a spacecraft delivered a sample taken from an asteroid to Earth for the first time; The rocks and dust are already surprising researchers.
And the most powerful rockets ever built were launched and exploded twice, reminding once again that the path to space flight is complicated.
Curiosities
When conservators used X-rays to scan one of Rembrandt’s masterpieces, “The Night Watch,” the scans revealed a secret that had remained hidden for nearly 400 years. Hidden beneath the paint of Dutch civilian soldiers was a layer full of lead.
Completed in 1642, the enormous painting was displayed in Amsterdam’s Kloveniersdoelen, or a musketeer’s shooting range. There, the piece would have been vulnerable to moisture and humidity.
Experts believe Rembrandt used lead, rather than the typical rigid layer of glue, to protect the canvas of the dramatic piece, which highlighted his mastery of lighting and shadows.
Secrets of the ocean
Researchers have used an unusual source to solve one of history’s mysteries about the West Antarctic ice sheet, which is melting rapidly due to global warming.
By studying the DNA of the Turquet’s octopus, which can be found on the seafloor of Antarctica, scientists have determined that the ice sheet last collapsed more than 100,000 years ago. Understanding how the ice sheet has behaved over time could provide insights into how sea levels could rise in the future.
“The DNA of animals alive today contains all the information about their ancestors (in the) past, so it’s like a time capsule,” said Dr Sally Lau, a postdoctoral researcher at James Cook University in Australia.
The wonder
Catch up on these mind-blowing stories:
— Apes can recognize old friends they haven’t seen in decades, according to new research that documented the longest social memory ever seen outside of humans.
— The Hubble Space Telescope captured a new image showing ghostly shadows called “spokes” dancing across Saturn’s rings.
— Traces of a surge that occurred in the Earth’s magnetic field thousands of years ago were literally baked into ancient Mesopotamian mud bricks.
— Before the year ends, send your name to one of Jupiter’s moons to accompany you a poem written by American poet laureate Ada Limón that will fly aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper mission.
The Wonder Theory team wishes you a Happy New Year and see you in 2024!
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