Science Rewind 2022: 12 Most Talked About Scientific Discoveries and Inventions You Should Know

Science Rewind 2022

 

Science Rewind 2022:

The planet keeps rotating every day, following the laws of physics, revolving around our parent star and slowly revolving about the galactic centre. It wasn't always common knowledge about these laws. In the grand scheme of human endeavour, they are essentially breaking news. This is the benefit of science - its incredible capacity to enlighten and change the world.

Science continues to strive to learn new things, make new discoveries, and advance knowledge while the majority of us go about our daily lives. We enter this planet with a knowledge gap that is being chipped away at daily by scientists and researchers working in labs and on the field all around the world.

When science is acknowledged or at the very least understood, it is most successful. In order to achieve this, we created the Science Rewind - 2022. Listed below are twelve of the year's most exciting scientific discoveries.

 

Table of Content:

  1. First Successful Xenogeneic Heart Transplant
  2. CINDELA (Cancer-specific INDEL Attacker)
  3. The Surface of Mercury is Covered with Diamond Dust
  4. Medical Slime Robot
  5. The First Synthesis of Graphyne Has Been Reported
  6. Worms that Smell out Cancer
  7. The Reason for T. rex's Stubby Arms
  8. Cooling Nerves is the Future of Pain Relief
  9. DART Crashes into Dimorphos
  10. Moon Likely Formed Within a Matter of Hours
  11. Alzheimer's-Slowing Drug
  12. James Webb Space Telescope Reported Viewing Clouds, Moving Across Saturn's Moon Titan

 

 

1. First Successful Xenogeneic Heart Transplant:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the first scientific discovery is the First Successful Xenogeneic Heat Transplant. Living cells, tissues, or organs are transplanted from one species to another via xenotransplantation, also known as a heterologous transplant. Xenografts and xenotransplants are terms used to describe such cells, tissues, or organs. End-stage organ failure, a serious health issue in some parts of the industrialized world, may be treated by human xenotransplantation. The innovative medical, legal and ethical challenges it brings are likewise numerous. Many animals, including pigs, live shorter lives than humans, which causes their tissues to deteriorate more quickly. This is a persistent worry.

David Bennett Sr., a terminally ill patient who was ineligible for a standard human heart transplant, received a heart transplant from a genetically modified pig in January 2022, thanks to the work of medical professionals led by cardiothoracic surgeons Bartley P. Griffith and Muhammad M. Mohiuddin at the University of Maryland Medical Centre and University of Maryland School of Medicine. The pig had specialized gene editing done to remove the enzymes that produce the sugar antigens that cause hyperacute organ rejection in humans. A special dispensation was granted by the US medical regulatory body to perform the surgery in accordance with compassionate usage standards. Two months following the transplant, the patient passed away.

 

2. CINDELA (Cancer-specific INDEL Attacker):

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the second scientific discovery is the CINDELA. The ideal strategy for targeted cancer therapy is to eliminate cancer cells without harming nearby normal cells. Due of the similarity in qualities between healthy cells and malignant cells, it cannot be done easily. CINDELA (Cancer-specific INDEL Attacker), a novel strategy created by IBS researchers, targets cancer-specific mutations and generates many DNA double-strand breaks to precisely induce cancer cell death. In the majority of tumours, it is envisaged that CINDELA will develop into a potential strategy for customised cancer therapy.

A novel approach to cancer treatment was put out by South Korean experts working at the Institute for Basic Science's Center for Genomic Integrity (CGI). They suggested a potential of inducing cell death in cancer cells without harming normal cells by employing CRISPR-Cas9 to induce DNA double-strand breaks at cancer-specific mutations that only present in cancer cells. Together, three CGI research groups from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) under the direction of MYUNG Kyungjae, KWON Taejon, and CHO Seung Woo demonstrated that it is certainly feasible.

3. The Surface of Mercury is Covered with Diamond Dust:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the third discovery is The Surface of Mercury is Covered with Diamond Dust. Mercury is unquestionably one of the most fascinating planets in the solar system because it is the closest to the Sun. Not much is known about this hostile planet in comparison to what we know about the Moon and Mars.

Graphite, a pure form of carbon that can transform into diamonds when impacted by asteroids, makes up the majority of Mercury's crust. As a result of meteorites and comets striking the planet over time, it is covered in craters. The surface of Mercury is apparently the subject of fresh assertions today, though. There may be 16 quadrillion tonnes of diamonds in Mercury's crust, according to new study that was first presented in March at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

The pressure wave from asteroids or comets striking the surface at tens of kilometres per second might turn that graphite into diamonds, according to Kevin Cannon, a geologist at the Colorado School of Mines who presented his most recent findings at the conference. Diamonds may be present in great quantities close to the surface.

4. Medical Slime Robot:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the fourth discovery is The Medical Slime Robot. Small endoscopic cameras that aid surgeons in navigating with precise instruments or robotic arms that may be controlled remotely may come to mind when you think of robotic surgery.

Probably not something that comes to mind when you imagine a magnetically operated slime robot snaking through your digestive tract and gulping down items. The Reconfigurable Magnetic Slime Robot, a stretchy, sluglike robot that can fit through narrow areas, wrap around things, and even "self-heal" after being cut in two, is designed with precisely that in mind.

The Reconfigurable Magnetic Slime Robot, according to researcher Li Zhang, is soft and elastic enough to enter the human body and ingest foreign items. The Slime Robot, developed by a group of scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is a non-Newtonian fluid that exhibits both solid and liquid behaviour. While the PVA and borax used to create this slime may also be used to create non-Newtonian fluid at home using corn-starch and water.

One of the project's leaders and professor from CUHK's Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Li Zhang, claims that non-Newtonian fluids behave like solids when touched quickly, but behave like liquids when touched slowly and softly. This characteristic enables the robot to be sturdy enough to wrap around objects like cables or ball bearings while still being flexible enough to move about.

5. The First Synthesis of Graphyne Has Been Reported:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the fifth discovery is The Graphyne is Reported to be Synthesised for the First Time. Baughman et al1987. Theoretical formulation of graphyne was the first. Alkyne metathesis was utilised in 2022 to synthesis graphyne while managing thermodynamics and kinetics. Alkyne chemical bonds are changed through the organic reaction known as metathesis.

By polymerizing 1,3,5-tribromo-2,4,6-triethynylbenzene under sonogashira coupling conditions in 2022, the first scalable synthesis of multi-layered graphyne was accomplished. The material's bandgap was found to be 0.48 0.05 eV by cyclic voltammetry and near-infrared spectroscopy, which is consistent with the bandgap of graphyne-based materials as predicted by theory.

For particular purposes, it has been proposed that the direction-dependent Dirac cones make it superior to graphene. Electrical grating on the nanoscale might be possible due to 6,6,12-graphyne's directional dependence. Faster transistors and tiny electronic gadgets might be created as a result.

6. Worms that Smell out Cancer:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the sixth discovery is The Worms that Smell out Cancer. Treatment of cancer requires an early diagnosis. Nobody would have imagined that the answer may be squirming under our feet. Science experiments have been conducted on C. elegans before. It was the first organism whose entire genome had been sequenced and whose brain network had been diagrammed. They were utilized to show how dopamine signaling influences our longevity and to link high-sugar diets with hastened aging. But C. elegans made a brand-new discovery this year. They have a cancerous odour.

With tiny wells on either side and a channel connecting them, scientists created silicon chips. C. elegans is positioned directly in the middle, with lung cancer cells on one end and healthy lung cells on the other. 70% of the time, the worms snaked in the direction of the cancer cells. According to research, C. elegans is attracted to the peculiar smell of lung cancer cells. They have no way of distinguishing between healthy and malignant cells when their odour receptor gene was turned off.

7. The Reason for T. rex's Stubby Arms:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Seventh discovery is The Reason for T. rex's Stubby Arms. For many years, palaeontologists have pondered the question of why evolution gave the T-Rex such short arms. A theory as bizarre as the T-tiny Rex's arms claims that the arms evolved in this way to prevent inadvertent amputation while a group of these deadly animals was sharing a similar meal.

What if a group of mature tyrannosaurs approached a carcass? Right next to you, there are several enormous skulls that are ripping and biting at the flesh and bone with their mighty jaws and teeth. What if your friend believes you are approaching them a little too closely? According to a news statement from the study's lead author and emeritus professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, Kevin Padian, "They might warn you away by chopping your arm."

Although Kevin published a thought-provoking and original explanation for why the T-arms Rex's are so short, he insists that he is under no illusion that his argument will be the last word. "Considering how science tells stories and what makes an explanation, I think this examination of what the arms accomplished to be intriguing. As a result of the intrigue around the issue, we frequently tell tales about the potential uses of T-Rex. However, are we actually addressing the issue straight away? stated Kevin.

8. Cooling Nerves is the Future of Pain Relief:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Eighth discovery is The Cooling Nerves is the Future of Pain Relief. Whether it was minor scrapes and bruises or more severe surgical recuperation, we have all felt physical agony. Despite the fact that there are many pharmaceutical methods for treating pain, the current opioid crisis emphasises the need and demand for alternate methods. Reeder et al. present a soft cooling cuff that interacts with the nerve and suppresses pain signals in their most recent paper. In addition to its potential for pain treatment, this innovative technology also offers a wide range of other possible uses.

This innovation is exciting for the neuroscience community as a whole as well as those looking for alternatives to opiate painkillers. This device's dimensions, adaptability, and general design lay the groundwork for future advancements in implantable technology. Direct nerve therapies and treatments are now possible because to these gadgets. At North-western University in Evanston, Illinois, Jonathan T. Reeder conducted this study as part of his Post-Doctoral work.

9. DART Crashes into Dimorphos:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Ninth discovery is The DART Crashes into Dimorphos. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which took place on September 26, 2022, involved a successful spacecraft crash into the asteroid Dimorphos. Using the "kinetic impactor" technology, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Assess (DART) mission was created to test the effectiveness of this form of asteroid deflection for planetary defence.

NASA claims that DART hit the tiny asteroid Dimorphos in an effort to slightly alter the orbital speed of the moonlet (opens in new tab). Dimorphos does not represent a threat to Earth, but the ambitious mission simulates the actions NASA scientists would take in the event that an asteroid was heading in our direction.

The mission exemplifies the great degree of worldwide cooperation required for such a challenging task. Scientists and engineers from all around the world have collaborated on the DART project, even though it is run by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL).

10. Moon Likely Formed Within a Matter of Hours:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Tenth discovery is The Moon likely formed within a matter of hours. An object called Theia, which was about the size of Mars when it collided with a version of our Earth that was significantly different from the one, we live on today billions of years ago, caused the Moon to be created. A scientific conundrum that has been investigated for decades without a clear solution is how precisely that formation took place.

According to the majority of ideas, over the course of months or years, the Moon was created from the collision's debris. The Moon might have formed quickly, in a matter of hours, according to a new simulation, when material from the Earth and Theia was sent straight into orbit following the impact.

The lead author of the paper describing these findings that was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Jacob Kegerreis, a postdoctoral researcher at NASA's Ames Research Centre in California's Silicon Valley, said that this "opens up a whole new range of possible starting places for the Moon's evolution." "We didn't know exactly what the results of these high-resolution simulations would be when we started this effort. It was thus extra intriguing that the new discoveries could contain a tantalisingly Moon-like satellite in orbit, on top of the enormous eye-opener that normal resolutions can give you deceptive responses.

11. Alzheimer's-Slowing Drug:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Eleventh discovery is The Alzheimer's-Slowing Drug. A study that could result in novel therapies for the neurodegenerative illness discovered that the new medicine Lecanemab slows down cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer's patients. The findings of the study were presented on November 29 at the 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) Conference in San Francisco, US. The New England Journal of Medicine has also published the study.

Lecanemab's apparent efficacy was reported earlier this fall by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and its American collaborator Biogen, providing a much-needed consolation following numerous setbacks in the search for improved Alzheimer's medicines.

The study had around 1,800 individuals who were in the early stages of the mind-robbing illness, and the firms are now disclosing the entire results. The information was presented at a San Francisco Alzheimer's conference and released in The New England Journal of Medicine. The medicine might be approved by American officials as early as January.

12. James Webb Space Telescope Reported Viewing Clouds, Moving Across Saturn's Moon Titan:

In the list of Scientific Discovery Rewind 2022 the Twelfth discovery is The James Webb Space Telescope Reported Viewing Clouds, Moving Across Saturn's Moon Titan. One of the most intriguing moons in the solar system has clouds, according to the James Webb Space Telescope. The largest moon of Saturn, Titan, caught the attention of the space observatory's infrared camera in November. It is the only moon in our solar system with a dense atmosphere that is four times denser than Earth's.

Nitrogen and methane make up Titan's atmosphere, giving it a fuzzy, orange appearance. It is challenging to distinguish details because this dense cloud prevents visible light from reflecting off the moon's surface. On November 5, the Webb telescope, which uses infrared light to study the universe and which the human eye cannot see, noticed a bright cloud in Titan's northern hemisphere. Shortly after, it discovered a second cloud in Titan's atmosphere.

The larger cloud was situated close to Kraken Mare, the moon's biggest known liquid sea of methane, in the northern polar area of Titan. Titan's surface is covered in liquid bodies that resemble those found on Earth, but its rivers, lakes, and seas are formed of the same liquid ethane and methane that forms clouds and rains from the sky. A liquid ocean inside Titan, according to researchers, is also a possibility.


Science Rewind 2022   Scientific Discoveries and Inventions You Should Know   Xenogeneic Heart Transplant   CINDELA   Surface of Mercury is Covered with Diamond Dust   Medical Slime Robot   Synthesis of Graphyne   Worms that Smell out Cancer   T. Rexs Stubby Arms   DART Crashes into Dimorphos   Moon Likely Formed Within Hours   Alzheimers Slowing Drug   James Webb Space Telescope  


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