2023 Biggest Breakthroughs in Science - Tier List

In 2023, significant scientific breakthroughs occurred, ranging from treating previously incurable diseases to exploring distant planets. These breakthroughs are ranked based on innovation and originality, incremental or monumental impact, and their influence on society.

The search for room temperature superconductivity has been a long-standing goal, but it is often associated with fraud or non-functionality. A research team claimed to have discovered a room temperature superconductor, sparking excitement on the internet. However, the claim was based on a pre-print publication and not peer-reviewed, leading to skepticism within the scientific community. Another similar claim by Rangad of Rochester University turned out to be fabricated results. The lk99 case was not fraudulent but rather confusing data released in haste without proper verification.

The National Ignition Facility in the USA achieved ignition in their Fusion system for the second time ever, producing an estimated 3.15 Meg of output with a small fuel cell blasted by 2 megga of laser energy. However, this measure doesn't reflect engineering gain and is more about scientific understanding rather than practical fusion power production.

NASA has conducted commissioning tests on the most powerful ion thruster for the upcoming Luna Gateway space station. These ion thrusters use argon to provide thrust and can last for decades without refueling, making them ideal for orbital control around the Moon and deep space exploration missions. While not suitable for launch from Earth's atmosphere, they are crucial for long-term propulsion in galactic exploration.

In September, Toyota announced a breakthrough in the development of solid state batteries with higher energy densities and faster charging times. This technology could potentially rival internal combustion engines if successful. However, skepticism exists about whether Toyota is trying to slow down uptake of current generation electric vehicles.

Antimatter is a firm fan favorite in science fiction due to its difficulty of production, storage, and use. The recent trapping and dropping of 100 atoms of antimatter at CERN confirmed the expected behavior but raised questions about the universe's matter-antimatter balance.

The development of semaglutide as a diabetic therapy led to weight loss effects on patients, allowing them to reduce their weight by about 15%. This garnered significant interest and was repackaged as Wegovy for weight control. However, the high demand for Wegovy caused shortages of the original medication, impacting diabetic patients. While it shows promise in addressing obesity, it is expensive, limited in supply, and users regain most of the lost weight when they stop using it.

Researchers simulated the behavior of a wormhole on Google's Sycamore quantum computer by entangling particles in a way that aligns with holography, suggesting that any three-dimensional space can be described mathematically by data on its two-dimensional boundary. This raised excitement but was not an actual wormhole; rather, it prompted new ways to rethink quantum computers and wormholes.

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In 2021, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for gravitational waves (NANOGrav) made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting evidence of background gravitational waves rippling across the universe. This project involved tracking low-frequency gravitational waves using a network of precisely timed pulsars spread out across the universe. The detection provides compelling evidence that we are observing low-frequency gravitational waves, different from those detected in 2015 by LIGO.

A team at Imperial College London achieved a significant breakthrough in physics by demonstrating Young's double slit interference experiment in time. They used double slits in time, turning a material from transparent to mirror-like at incredibly high speeds. This discovery opens up possibilities for applications such as optical switches for signal processing and communication or optical computing.

NASA demonstrated the ability to produce oxygen from CO2 on Mars using the perseverance Rover and an onboard experiment platform called Moxy. This breakthrough reduces the need to transport large amounts of oxygen from Earth for life support and Rocket Fuel, paving the way for sustainable human presence on Mars.

The James Webb Space Telescope made astonishing discoveries, including confirming the discovery of its first exoplanet and finding carbon-bearing molecules in its atmosphere. It also found water in a planet-forming disk and discovered a black hole with an unusually large mass.

A new drug by Ellie Lily has shown promise in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's disease, offering hope for the limited treatment options available. The drug could potentially treat or slow down the disease's development by around a third, especially when administered early on.

The first CRISPR-based therapy was approved for sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder affecting hemoglobin. This marks a crucial step towards more targeted and effective treatments, especially for rare diseases with limited treatment options.

ChatGPT and A.I. Science have rapidly evolved from interesting science to practical applications, impacting various fields such as education, language learning, code development, and more. Large language models like ChatGPT are expected to heavily influence our lives in areas ranging from weather forecasting to medical diagnosis.