2012 in science

The year 2012 involved many significant scientific events and discoveries, including the first orbital rendezvous by a commercial spacecraft, the discovery of a particle highly similar to the long-sought Higgs boson, and the near-eradication of guinea worm disease. A total of 72 successful orbital spaceflights occurred in 2012, and the year also saw numerous developments in fields such as robotics, 3D printing, stem cell research and genetics. Over 540,000 technological patent applications were made in the United States alone in 2012.[1]

List of years in science (table)
25 May 2012: SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft (pictured) becomes the first commercial spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station.

2012 was declared the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All by the United Nations.[2] 2012 also marked Alan Turing Year, a celebration of the life and work of the English mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and computer scientist Alan Turing.[3]

Events, discoveries and inventions

January
1 January 2012: NASA's twin GRAIL satellites (artist's impression shown) begin studying the Moon's gravitational field.
4 January 2012: scientists create genetically engineered silkworms capable of producing bulk quantities of steel-strong spidersilk.
11 January 2012: astronomers report that nearly every star in the Milky Way galaxy may host exoplanets (artist's impression of Upsilon Andromedae d pictured).
12 January 2012: Paedophryne amauensis, the world's smallest known vertebrate, is formally described.
  • 13 January
    • IBM researchers successfully store a single bit of data in a group of just 12 supercooled iron atoms; current commercial hard disks require over 1 million atoms to store one bit of data. The breakthrough, which was achieved with the use of a scanning tunnelling microscope, may permit the production of ultra-high-density computer storage media in future.[35][36]
    • German scientists convert a gold sphere just 60 nanometres in diameter into an ultra-sensitive listening device, potentially allowing the sounds of bacteria and other single-celled organisms to be recorded.[37][38]
  • 14 January – Researchers at the University of Cambridge repair myelin sheath damage in ageing mice with multiple sclerosis by injecting the blood of younger mice into them, reactivating the older mice's regenerative stem cells.[39][40]
  • 15 January – Russia's Fobos-Grunt Martian sample return spacecraft, which became stranded in orbit after a post-launch malfunction in November 2011, re-enters Earth's atmosphere.[41]
  • 18 January
    • Astronomers report the discovery of the most distant dwarf galaxy yet found, approximately 10 billion light-years away.[42][43]
    • A British amateur astronomer discovers a new Neptune-sized exoplanet, just days after the BBC's Stargazing Live program makes a public appeal for volunteers to assist scientists in the search for potential exoplanets. Over 100,000 volunteers are reportedly taking part in the ongoing search.[44]
    • Archaeologists find a novel tulip-shaped fossil, formally named Siphusauctum gregarium, in the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rockies. The 20-centimetre-long creature reportedly possessed a unique filter feeding system.[45][46]
    • A working 9-nanometer transistor is developed by IBM engineers, demonstrating that nanotubes could serve as a viable alternative to silicon in future nanoelectronic devices.[47][48]
  • 19 January
    • Austrian researchers develop a quantum computer capable of performing calculations without revealing any of the data involved, using encoded strings of photons designed to appear random. This method of "blind quantum cryptography" may permit sensitive data to be processed and transferred without any danger of interception or decryption, leading to ultra-secure cloud computing.[49][50]
    • NASA data shows that in 2011, temperatures in the Arctic rose beyond the record established in 2010 — setting a new record.[51]
  • 20 January – Virologists agree to a temporarily hiatus on experiments on the H5N1 influenza virus, due to fears that an airborne strain of the lethal virus could be used by bioterrorists.[52][53]
  • 22 January
    • American researchers report that nanoparticles can be successfully engineered to mimic part of the body's immune system, improving its response to vaccines.[54][55]
    • An international team of scientists concludes that anthropogenic CO2 emissions over the last 100 to 200 years have already raised ocean acidity far beyond the range of natural variations.[56][57]
23 January 2012: stem cell therapy is successfully used to ease the symptoms of blindness in human volunteers (human embryonic stem cell shown).
27 January 2012: the most detailed 3D image of the Amazon rainforest yet produced is published.
  • 27 January
    • An international team of scientists reports that graphene, already widely known for its conductive properties, is also able to selectively filter gases and liquids. The material could thus potentially find use in industrial distillation and water purification.[77][78][79]
    • A study published in the journal Carcinogenesis shows that in both cell lines and mouse models, grape seed extract (GSE) kills head and neck cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.[80][81]
    • Using an airborne LIDAR system, scientists produce the most detailed 3D image of the Amazon rainforest yet recorded, allowing the accurate measurement of the rainforest's ecosystem and rate of deforestation.[82]
    • 2012 BX34, an asteroid between 8 metres (26 ft) and 11 metres (36 ft) across, passes within 60,000 kilometres of the Earth, performing one of the closest asteroid flybys yet recorded.[83][84]
    • British animators develop a new algorithmic method of creating highly realistic CGI trees, allowing films and video games to easily display realistic 3D foliage.[85][86]
  • 29 January – Using stem cells generated from patients with schizophrenia, bipolar depression and other mental illnesses, scientists at the University of Edinburgh create neurones with brain tissue genetically identical to the person's brain. The breakthrough could allow new treatments for mental illnesses to be accurately tested without endangering patients.[87]
  • 30 January
31 January 2012: American scientists demonstrate a method of decoding human thoughts by studying the superior temporal gyrus (indicated).
  • 31 January

February
3 February 2012: the Very Large Telescope array enters operation in northern Chile.
  • 1 February – Researchers report that the eruption of supervolcanoes could be predicted several decades before the event by detecting the seismic and chemical signs of a massive magma buildup.[103][104]
  • 2 February
    • The European Commission issues a 225-million-euro (US$330 million) contract to an Anglo-German consortium for eight additional satellites to expand Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system.[105]
    • Astronomers report the discovery of a large exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of a star 22 light-years distant. This is the fourth potentially life-supporting exoplanet discovered since May 2011.[106]
    • Researchers reportedly create the world's thinnest pane of glass, a sheet of silicon and oxygen just three atoms wide. The glass formed in an accidental reaction when the scientists were synthesizing graphene on copper-covered quartz.[107][108]
  • 3 February
    • The European Southern Observatory successfully activates its Very Large Telescope (VLT) by linking four existing optical telescopes to operate as a single device. The linked VLT is the largest optical telescope yet built, with a combined mirror diameter of 130 metres (430 ft).[109]
    • Physicists at Germany's Max Planck Institute unveil a microscope that can image living brain cells as they function inside a living animal.[110][111]
    • American scientists demonstrate a medical procedure that may allow patients suffering from nerve damage to recover within weeks, rather than months or years. The procedure makes use of a cellular mechanism similar to that which repairs nerve axons in invertebrates.[112][113]
    • MIT researchers develop high-temperature photonic crystals capable of efficiently converting heat to electricity, potentially allowing the creation of pocket-sized microreactors with ten times the efficiency and lifespan of current commercial batteries. As photonic crystals are already a relatively mature technology, the new invention could be commercialised in as little as two years.[114]
    • A Lancet study reports that global malaria deaths may be badly underestimated, giving a revised 2010 malaria death toll of 1.24 million. By contrast, the World Health Organization estimated that 655,000 people died of malaria in 2010.[115][116]
  • 4 February – Dutch doctors successfully fit an 83-year-old woman with an artificial jaw made using a 3D printer. This operation, the first of its kind, could herald a new era of accurate, patient-tailored artificial transplants.[117]
4 February 2012: Dutch doctors successfully fit the first artificial jaw made with a 3D printer (ORDbot Quantum 3D printer pictured).
  • 6 February
    • After nearly 20 years of intermittent drilling, Russian scientists reportedly break through to the surface of the subterranean Lake Vostok, buried 2.5 miles (4.0 km) under the Antarctic ice. The lake, which has not been uncovered for over 15 million years, may harbour a unique prehistoric ecosystem.[118][119]
    • A team of engineers and biologists develop a working WORM computer memory out of salmon DNA molecules by combining the DNA with silver nanoparticles.[120][121]
  • 7 February
    • Scientists report that rapid declines in some British and European ladybird species are being caused by the spread of the invasive harlequin species.[122][123]
    • The entire genome of an extinct species of human – the 40,000-year-old Denisova hominin – has been decoded from a fossil.[124]
  • 8 February – NASA data reveals that the total land ice lost from Greenland, Antarctica and Earth's glaciers and ice caps between 2003 and 2010 totalled about 4.3 trillion tons (1,000 cubic miles), adding about 0.5 inches (12 millimeters) to global sea levels. Such a quantity of ice would be sufficient to cover the entire United States to a depth of 1.5 feet (0.5 meters).[125]
  • 9 February – Researchers at Case Western Reserve University discover that bexarotene, a drug normally used to treat skin cancer, can quickly reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice, removing over 50% of the disease's trademark amyloid plaque from the brain within 72 hours.[126][127]
  • 10 February – Scientists at the University of California, San Diego report the creation of the tiniest telecommunications laser yet built, just 200 nanometers wide. The highly efficient nanolaser could be used to develop optical computers and ultra-high-resolution imaging systems.[128][129]
  • 13 February
    • A new UN report warns that 24 percent of global land area has declined in productivity over the past 25 years due to unsustainable land-use, and soil erosion rates are about 100 times greater than nature can replenish.[130][131]
    • The European Space Agency successfully conducts the maiden launch of its new Vega rocket, transporting several satellites into orbit, including the first Polish, Hungarian and Romanian satellites.[132]
    • BAE Systems engineers unveil a carbon-fiber-based structural battery capable of being integrated into a device's framework, reducing weight while maintaining structural strength and power capacity.[133]
  • 14 February – In a groundbreaking human trial, American scientists report that damaged heart tissue in heart attack patients can be repaired with infusions of the patient's own stem cells. The treatment halved the amount of extant scar tissue within a year.[134][135]
15 February 2012: Nevada becomes the first US state to release official regulations for the public testing of autonomous cars (prototype autonomous Audi pictured).
  • 15 February – Nevada becomes the first US state to allow the testing of autonomous vehicles on US public roadways.[136]
  • 16 February – The speed at which someone walks may predict their likelihood of developing dementia later in life, according to researchers in the US.[137][138]
  • 20 February – Scientists report regenerating Silene stenophylla from 32,000-year-old remains. This surpasses the previous record of 2,000 years for the oldest material used to regenerate a plant.[139][140]
  • 22 February
    • Scientists have extended the life of male mice by 15%, using an enzyme called SIRT6.[141][142]
    • Engineers at Stanford University reveal a wirelessly powered, self-propelled medical device that can travel through the bloodstream to deliver drugs, perform diagnostics or microsurgeries.[143][144]
    • NASA reports the detection of the solid form of buckyballs (buckminsterfullerene) in deep space.[145][146]
    • Researchers show that sirtuin, a class of proteins, is directly linked to longevity in mammals.[147][148]
  • 24 February – British-Italian researchers demonstrate a giant 3D printer capable of constructing a full-sized house in a single 24-hour session. The machine, which uses sand and a chemical binder as its working material, prints structures from the ground up, including stairs, partition walls and even piping cavities.[149]
  • 26 February
    • Researchers publish the first images of the charge distribution in a single molecule, precisely showing the motion of electrons. The observed distribution apparently corresponds closely with predictive models.[150][151]
    • It may be possible to one day create an "unlimited" supply of human eggs to aid fertility treatment, US doctors say.[152][153]
  • 27 February
  • 28 February
  • 29 February – Raspberry Pi single-board computer is commercially launched through U.K. online retailers.[160]

March
7 March 2012: scientists sequence the genome of the western gorilla.
15 March 2012: scientists send the first coherent message using neutrinos (first recorded neutrino event pictured).
  • 14 March
    • A fly species, kept in complete darkness for 57 years (1,400 generations), showed genetic alterations that occurred as a result of environmental conditions, offering clear evidence of evolution. (Discover Magazine) (PLOS One)
    • A pill which doubles the length of time that patients with advanced skin cancer can survive has gone on sale in Britain for the first time. (The Telegraph)
    • America's coastlines are even more vulnerable to sea level rise than previously thought, according to a pair of new studies. Up to 32% more real estate could be affected by a 1-meter rise in sea level, while the population exposed to rising water is 87% higher than previously estimated. (Christian Science Monitor) (Environ. Res. Lett. 1) (Environ. Res. Lett. 2)
    • A process to "unprint" toner ink from paper has been developed by engineers at the University of Cambridge, using short laser pulses to erase words and images. (BBC) (Proc. Roy. Soc. A)
  • 15 March – American scientists use a particle accelerator to send a coherent neutrino message through 780 feet of rock. This marks the first use of neutrinos for communication, and future research may permit binary neutrino messages to be sent immense distances through even the densest materials, such as the Earth's core. (PopSci) (Mod. Phys. Lett. A.)
  • 16 March – Physicists found no discernible difference between the speed of a neutrino and the speed of light in latest test of the faster-than-light neutrino anomaly. (New York Times) (BBC) (ArXiv)
  • 18 March
    • Researchers have identified why a mutation in a particular gene can lead to obesity. (BBC) Nat. Med.
    • NEC has developed "organic radical battery" (ORB) technology with a thickness of just 0.3mm. (PhysOrg)
  • 19 March
    • Even if humankind manages to limit global warming to 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F), as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommends, future generations will have to deal with sea levels 12 to 22 meters (40 to 70 feet) higher than at present, according to research published in the journal Geology. (Rutgers) (Geology)
    • Researchers at the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute (Japan) have developed a way to create full-color holograms with the aid of surface plasmons. (PhysOrg)
    • The amount of photovoltaic solar panels installed in the US more than doubled from 2010 to 2011, according to a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research. (PhysOrg)
    • Seagate claims it has paved the way for 3.5-inch hard drives with 60TB capacities, after breaking the 1TB/square inch density threshold. (PC Pro)
19 March 2012: researchers report that the number of solar panels in the United States more than doubled between 2010 and 2011.

April
5 April 2012: the Large Hadron Collider completes a landmark energy upgrade.
  • 2 April – The British Army announces the development of a conductive smart fabric for infantry uniforms. The fabric, which should enter widespread service by 2015, will eliminate the need for heavy, vulnerable power cables, making soldiers' electronics safer, cheaper and more durable. (BBC)
  • 4 April
    • A new, detailed record of past climate change has shown compelling evidence that the last ice age was ended by a rise in temperature driven by an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The key result from the new study is that it shows the carbon dioxide rise during this major transition ran slightly ahead of increases in global temperature. (BBC) (Nature)
    • Austrian and Japanese researchers unveil solar cells that are thinner than a thread of spider silk, and flexible enough to be wrapped around a single human hair. (PhysOrg) (Nat. Commun.)
    • American researchers begin a new project, funded by the National Science Foundation, to develop printable robots that can be designed and made to order by the average person in less than 24 hours. The project, which is hoped to come to fruition by 2020, could allow any individual to cheaply build automated tools for any task in their own home. (BBC)
  • 5 April
  • 6 April – An international team of researchers reports that a new, drug-resistant strain of malaria has emerged on the Thai–Cambodian border, potentially threatening global efforts to contain the disease. (Medical News Today) (The Lancet)
  • 8 April – American scientists reveal that transparent graphene sheets can be used to encapsulate liquids for study by electron microscopes. The discovery will greatly ease the accurate imaging of liquids at micro- and nanoscales. (BBC) (Science)
  • 10 April – The Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest private funders of scientific research, states that it is launching a new online journal to promote the free sharing of scientific papers. The new journal, titled eLife, is part of a widespread push for open access to scientific research, and will compel researchers to make their work freely available online. (The Guardian)
  • 12 April
12 April 2012: German scientists create the world's first quantum computing network using entangled rubidium atoms (rubidium sample shown).
19 April 2012: international researchers develop synthetic DNA compounds.

May
6 May 2012: scientists develop a drug capable of preventing the breakdown of cerebral protein production, potentially offering a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease (cerebral plaques pictured).
20 May 2012: an annular solar eclipse occurs (eclipse photograph from Wolfforth, Texas, shown).
25 May 2012: SpaceX's Dragon becomes the first commercial spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station.
30 May 2012: the tomato genome is fully sequenced by international researchers.

June
  • 1 June
    • In a major milestone for neuroscience, researchers publicly release the first installment of data from their project to construct the first whole-brain wiring diagram of a vertebrate brain, that of a mouse. (KurzweilAI)
    • Scientists publish the results of a successful neurorehabilitation study, in which paralysed rats regained the ability to walk and even sprint after receiving targeted electrochemical therapy. The rats' damaged spinal cords were stimulated with chemicals and implanted electrodes, and a robotic assistive harness was used to "teach" the rats to walk again. (Science Daily) (BBC) (Science)
    • Australian researchers publish a new study revealing how the zebrafish heals its spinal cord after injury. According to the study, a specialised protein prevents paralysing glial scars forming when zebrafish suffer spinal cord damage. It is hoped that this protein may be exploited for the treatment of paralysed humans. (Sci-News) (J. Neurosci.)
  • 4 June – A partial lunar eclipse takes place. (MSNBC)
  • 5 June
5–6 June 2012: a transit of Venus, the last such event until 2117, occurs (transit image from Minneapolis shown).
13 June 2012: scientists publish the complete genome of the bonobo (female pictured).
29 June 2012: scientists develop an fMRI brain scanner which allows paralyzed people to communicate using thought alone (fMRI images shown).

July
4 July 2012: CERN scientists report the discovery of a particle with significant similarities to the Higgs boson (Higgs collision signature shown).
15 July 2012: the parasitic disease Dracunculiasis (extraction of a causative guinea worm pictured) is reportedly close to being eradicated.

August
  • 1 August – Researchers claim to have resolved one of the biggest controversies in cancer research – discovering the specific cancer cells that seem to be responsible for the regrowth of tumours. (Nature News)
6 August 2012: NASA's Curiosity rover, the largest such spacecraft yet launched, successfully lands on Mars (artist's impression pictured).
14 August 2012: Boeing's X-51 hypersonic scramjet prototype (pictured in launch configuration) is destroyed following a test flight malfunction.
21 August 2012: a study of major coastal cities asserts that Shanghai (skyline pictured) may be highly vulnerable to large-scale flooding in the near future.

September
5 September 2012: the most detailed analysis of the human genome yet produced is published.
12 September 2012: the monkey species Cercopithecus lomamiensis is formally described.
  • 10 September
    • A new scientific model suggests that even more extrasolar planets could harbour life than previously estimated. The model assumes that subsurface liquid water could host alien life, in addition to the surface water that scientists are searching for on nearby exoplanets. (BBC)
    • Caribbean coral reefs are on the verge of collapse, with less than 10% of the reef area showing live coral cover. (The Guardian) (IUCN)
  • 12 September
    • UK researchers report a major advance in the treatment of deafness, using stem cells to successfully restore hearing in animals for the first time. (BBC) (Nature)
    • A new species of monkey is identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Found in remote forests, it is only the second new monkey species to be discovered in Africa in 28 years. (The Guardian) (PLOS One)
    • Intel Corporation reveals details of its new Haswell microarchitecture, a 22 nanometer microchip family offering unprecedented computing power and energy efficiency for consumer electronics. The first commercial Haswell-powered devices are expected to emerge in 2013. (The Register)
    • Microsoft unveils a patent for a 3D video gaming system that would allow real-time video to be projected on the walls of any room, creating a 360-degree game environment to immerse players. (BBC)
  • 13 September
    • Small spherical "blueberries" found in Martian rocks may have been formed by microbes, possibly indicating that life existed on Mars in the distant past. (Life Scientist) (Geology)
    • UNICEF reports that global child mortality rates have decreased significantly in recent years. Whereas approximately 12 million children died before their fifth birthday in 1990, by 2011 this figure had dropped to 6.9 million. This improvement is reportedly due to a combination of rising living standards, foreign aid and broader immunisation. (AFP)
    • An IBM team in Zürich has published single-molecule images so detailed that the type of atomic bonds between their atoms can be discerned. (BBC) (Science)
    • Scientists identify five genes that determine the form of the human face, in a find that could lead to police identification sketches based solely on DNA findings. (BBC) (PLoS Genet.)
  • 14 September
    • Scientists demonstrated that a brain implant can improve cognitive function in primates for the first time ever. IOP[169] (io9)
    • UK weather forecasters can predict extreme winter weather in future seasons with more confidence, due to a new analytical computer model. (BBC) (Environ. Res. Lett.)
17 September 2012: after nine months studying the Moon's gravitational field, NASA's GRAIL satellites report that the lunar crust is much thinner than previously estimated.
  • 17 September
    • A warp drive to achieve faster-than-light travel, a supposedly impossible goal, may not be as unrealistic as once thought, scientists say. (Space.com)
    • Scientists working on the Blue Brain Project have achieved a major breakthrough in mapping the human brain, identifying key principles that determine synapse-scale connectivity and making it possible to accurately predict the locations of synapses in the neocortex. (EPFL) (PNAS)
    • NASA's twin GRAIL gravitational research satellites reveal that the Moon has a much thinner crust than previously assumed. (Nature News)
  • 18 September
  • 19 September
    • Researchers at the University of Cambridge develop a method for cheaply printing liquid crystal-based lasers using a standard inkjet printer. The invention could allow the creation of "smart wallpaper" with built-in video displays. (BBC) (Soft Matter)
    • Arctic sea ice has reached its minimum extent for the year, setting a record for the lowest cover since satellite records began in the 1970s. The 2012 extent has fallen to 3.41 million km2 (1.32 million sq mi), 50% lower than the 1979–2000 average. (BBC) (NASA)
    • When a huge meteor collided with Earth about 2.5 million years ago and fell into the southern Pacific Ocean, it not only could have generated a massive tsunami, but may also have plunged the world into the Ice Ages, a new study suggests. (Science Daily) (J. Quat. Sci.)
    • A new study reveals that fast-flowing and narrow glaciers have the potential to trigger massive changes in the Antarctic ice sheet and contribute to rapid ice-sheet decay and sea-level rise. (Science Daily) (PNAS)
19 September 2012: sea ice cover in the Arctic reaches the lowest extent ever recorded.
  • 20 September
  • 22 September – NASA reveals plans for the "Gateway Spacecraft", a permanent outpost beyond the Moon, to be constructed from leftover components of the International Space Station. (Orlando Sentinel)
  • 23 September
    • Researchers have shown that many species of fruit fly will be unable to survive even a modest increase in temperature. Many are now close to or beyond their temperature safety margin, and very few have the genetic ability to adapt to climate change. (Sydney Morning Herald) (PNAS)
    • Japanese researchers achieve a new world record for data transmission, demonstrating one-petabit-per-second fiber transmission over 50 kilometres (31 mi): equivalent to sending 5,000 HDTV videos per second over a single fiber. (NTT)
    • The first continent-wide estimate of African great ape distribution and its changes over time has revealed a dramatic decline in ape habitats. (BBC) (Div. Distrib.)
  • 24 September
    • UK doctors report that a new "SARS-like" respiratory coronavirus has been identified. The disease has infected at least two people in the Middle East and killed one. (BBC)
    • A major reassessment of 18 years of satellite observations provides a new, more detailed view of the changes in sea level around the world. Incorporating the data from a number of spacecraft, the study re-affirms that ocean waters globally are rising by just over 3mm per year. (BBC)
    • The entire field of particle physics is set to switch to open-access publishing, a milestone in the push to make research results freely available to readers. (Nature News)
  • 25 September
  • 26 September – An international team of scientists identifies a key factor responsible for declining muscle repair during ageing, and discovers how to halt the process in mice with a common drug. (EurekAlert) (Nature)
  • 27 September
  • 30 September – Climate change will lead to smaller fish, according to a new study led by fisheries scientists at the University of British Columbia. Under a high emissions scenario, the maximum body weight most fish species reach could decline by up to a quarter by 2050. (Nat. Clim. Change)

October
3 October 2012: scientists discover that the black mamba (pictured), best known for its lethal venom, also produces a highly effective painkiller.
8–10 October 2012: the year's Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry and medicine (medal pictured) are awarded.
17 October 2012: scientists discover a new exoplanet (artist's impression pictured) orbiting Earth's nearest alien star, Alpha Centauri.
22 October 2012: a Da Vinci surgical robot (pictured) is used to perform the UK's first robot-assisted open-heart surgery.
  • 22 October
  • 24 October
    • As much as 44 billion tons of nitrogen and 850 billion tons of carbon stored in Arctic permafrost could be released over the next century, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey. This is roughly the amount of carbon already stored in the atmosphere today. (USGS) (Geophys. Res. Lett.)
    • Binge drinking – drinking less during the week and more on the weekends – significantly reduces the structural integrity of the adult brain, according to a new study. (Science Daily) (Neuroscience)
    • A new gene therapy method to prevent the inheritance of certain genetic diseases has been successfully demonstrated in human cells. It is believed that this research, along with other efforts, will pave the way for future clinical trials in human subjects. (Science Daily) (Nature)
    • The world's first commercial vertical farm opens in Singapore. The farm maximizes its growing space by using 120 high-rise cultivation towers, and can produce half a ton of vegetables a day. (Channel News Asia)
  • 25 October – Microsoft launches Windows 8, the most fundamental update to its Windows operating system in 17 years. (The Guardian)
  • 26 October
    • The oldest Mayan tomb yet discovered is found in Guatemala. The ancient tomb is believed to date back to between 400 BC and 700 BC. (BBC)
    • Scientists have recovered the sounds of music and laughter from the oldest playable American recording, dating back to 1878. (The Atlantic)
  • 27 October – Women who give up smoking by the age of 30 will almost completely evade the risks of dying young from tobacco-related diseases, according to a study of more than a million women. (BBC)
  • 28 October
    • The unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully completes its first fully operational resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS), landing intact in the Pacific Ocean after over two weeks docked with the ISS. (BBC)
    • British scientists invent a simple liquid-based test that can accurately diagnose diseases such as cancer or HIV by detecting small concentrations of biomarkers such as anomalous proteins. (BBC) (Nat. Nanotechnol.)
    • IBM researchers demonstrate the initial steps toward commercial fabrication of carbon nanotubes as a successor to silicon-based electronics. (IBM) (Nat. Nanotechnol.)
  • 30 October
  • 31 October – Scientists in the Netherlands have demonstrated a form of self-healing concrete that uses limestone-producing bacteria. (BBC) (TU Delft)

November
6 November 2012: scientists report that regular leisure-time exercise can extend human life expectancy by over 4 years.
21 November 2012: in a breakthrough for quantum cryptography, scientists send encoded quantum signals using a standard commercial fiber optic, potentially allowing near-unbreakable quantum data security to be commercialised.
  • 20 November
    • NASA scientists report (via an NPR interview) that the Curiosity Mars rover, apparently based on a SAM analysis, has provided, according to John Grotzinger (MSL Principal Investigator), "data that is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good." Later, a NASA spokesperson said the discovery "won't be earthshaking, but it will be interesting." Nonetheless, the scientists are presently verifying their results and expect to make an official announcement at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union, which will take place between 3 December and 7 December in San Francisco, according to Grotzinger in an interview with Space.com. The news is later played down by NASA. (NPR) (Universe Today) (Time) (Space.com) (New York Times)
    • More than 1,000 coal-fired power plants are being planned worldwide, new research from the World Resources Institute has revealed, with the majority being constructed in China and India. (The Guardian) (WRI)
    • The level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached 390.9 parts per million in 2011, a new record high, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Between 1990 and 2011, there was a 30% increase in radiative forcing. (WMO) (Report)
    • Physicists have shown that synthetic membrane channels can be constructed through "DNA nanotechnology." (Science Daily) (Science)
    • Scientists have developed a computer chip that mimics a dog's nose. It is capable of rapidly identifying trace amounts of vapour molecules, providing continuous real-time monitoring at concentrations of just 1 part per billion (ppb). (UCSB) (Anal. Chem.)
  • 21 November
    • For the first time, encrypted quantum signals are successfully sent down a conventional broadband fiber, instead of requiring a dedicated individual cable. This development could allow quantum cryptography, which offers near-impenetrable data security, to become available to the general public. (BBC) (Phys. Rev. X)
    • The effects of climate change are already evident in Europe and the situation is set to get worse, the European Environment Agency has warned. (BBC) (EEA)
    • A United Nations report – the Emissions Gap Report 2012 – says global attempts to limit CO2 emissions are falling well short of what is needed to stem dangerous climate change. (BBC)
    • For the first time, scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have defined key events that take place early in the process of cellular aging. They have shown that the acidity of the vacuole is critical to aging and the stable functioning of mitochondria. (FHCRC) (Nature)
    • The printing of 3D tissue has taken a major step forward with the creation of a novel hybrid printer that simplifies the process of creating implantable cartilage. (IOP) (Biofabrication)
    • European Space Agency (ESA) member states agree at their ministerial council to a 10.1-billion-euro programme of activities, including a planned upgrade to the Ariane 5 rocket. (BBC) (ESA)
  • 23 November
  • 25 November
    • A Chinese Shenyang J-15 jet fighter conducts the first landing on the country's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. This milestone marks a major step forward in China's efforts to increase its naval power. (BBC)
    • Pathological changes typical of Alzheimer's disease have been significantly reduced in mice by blockade of an immune system transmitter. (Science Daily) (Nat. Med.)
26 November 2012: a liquid natural gas tanker (example pictured) becomes the first large cargo vessel to attempt a winter crossing of the Arctic. As the Arctic sea ice melts in coming years, the sea route may become increasingly viable for large ships.
29 November 2012: NASA reports the discovery of water ice on the surface of Mercury (pictured).

December
5 December 2012: scientists implant the first deep brain stimulation device (X-ray image pictured) to be used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in the United States.
24 December 2012: British medical researchers discover two genes that are thought to greatly increase the risk of bowel cancer (carcinoid pictured).

IISE Top 10 New Species

The Top 10 New Species 2013 was announced on 22 May 2013 by the International Institute for Species Exploration, commemorating unique species discovered during 2012. The ten selected new species were:[178][179][180]

Prizes

Abel Prize
Main article: Abel Prize

Fundamental Physics Prize
Main article: Fundamental Physics Prize

Kyoto Prize
Main article: Kyoto Prize

Nobel Prize
Main articles: List of Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine, List of Nobel laureates in Physics, and List of Nobel laureates in Chemistry

Deaths

Sources: The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph

10 March 2012: Frank Sherwood Rowland, a Nobel Prize-winning American chemist, dies aged 84.
23 July 2012: Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, dies aged 61.
25 August 2012: Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, dies aged 82.
17 October 2012: Stanford Ovshinsky, a prolific American inventor and physicist, dies aged 89.
9 December 2012: Sir Patrick Moore, a prominent British astronomer and science popularizer, dies aged 89.
30 December 2012: Rita Levi-Montalcini, a Nobel Prize-winning Italian neurologist, dies aged 103.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See also

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