2012 in science

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25 May 2012: SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft (pictured) becomes the first commercial spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station.

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]

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[edit]

January[edit]

Main article: January–March 2012 in science § January

February[edit]

Main article: January–March 2012 in science § February

March[edit]

Main article: January–March 2012 in science § March

April[edit]

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.[4]
  • 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.[5][6]
    • 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.[7][8]
    • 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.[9]
  • 5 April
    • Dutch and American researchers report that they have created a working quantum computer out of diamond, using the diamond's natural impurities as superimposed qubits to perform calculations.[10][11]
    • Google unveils Project Glass, which aims to develop augmented reality glasses capable of layering information such as email, real-time traffic updates and video calls over a user's field of vision.[12]
    • The Large Hadron Collider re-enters operation after an energy upgrade. It now has a total collision energy of 8 trillion electronvolts, a major increase over its pre-upgrade energy of 7 TeV.[13]
  • 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.[14][15]
  • 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.[16][17]
  • 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.[18]
  • 12 April
    • A team of researchers from France's Laboratoire Univers et Théorie releases the first ever computer model simulation of the structure of the entire observable universe, from the Big Bang to the present day. The simulation has made it possible to follow the evolution of 550 billion individual particles.[19]
    • A report reveals that the United States invested more in renewable energy technology in 2011 than any other nation, totalling US$48 billion. China was the second-largest investor, spending US$45.5 billion on renewables. Worldwide, the combined investment in renewables reached an all-time high, at US$236 billion. A later report published by the United Nations amends these figures, stating that China invested $52 billion in renewable energy in 2011, while the US spent $51 billion.[20][21][22]
    • German physicists develop the world's first universal quantum computing network, linking two laboratories using entangled rubidium atoms as network nodes.[23][24]
    • An international team of researchers has used new, massively parallel DNA sequencing technology to fast-track the discovery of a breast cancer risk gene, XRCC2.[25][26]
    • DARPA, the US military's advanced research agency, offers a US$2 million prize to any team who can independently develop a rescue robot capable of multiple tasks, including climbing ladders, clearing obstacles, using power tools and driving cars.[27]
    • After studying 40 years of medical records, Swedish scientists state that those with Huntington's disease are around 50% less likely to develop cancer than those without the disease. Further study may reveal the genetic mechanism behind this resistance, allowing new cancer treatments to be developed.[28][29]
    • The United Kingdom reports that it is considering the installation of undersea power cables to allow its National Grid to draw clean energy from Iceland's volcanoes.[30]
    • Scientists report that complexity analysis studies of the Labeled Release experiments of the 1976 Viking mission to Mars may suggest the detection of "extant microbial life on Mars."[31][32]
12 April 2012: German scientists create the world's first quantum computing network using entangled rubidium atoms (rubidium sample shown).
  • 13 April
    • North Korea's Unha-3 orbital rocket disintegrates in mid-flight over the Yellow Sea, destroying its payload, the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 satellite. Analysts fear that the failed launch may raise the likelihood of North Korea conducting another nuclear weapons test.[33]
    • German scientists develop a fiber-based "earthquake-proof" wallpaper capable of reinforcing masonry and delaying building collapses during violent quakes. The invention could save lives by giving people more time to flee from collapsing buildings.[34][35]
    • The Pentagon places an order for advanced dual-focus contact lenses, designed to give soldiers greater visual awareness, in tandem with a new HUD system. The technology may enter the civilian market by 2014.[36]
    • Dutch scientists report that they have found evidence of the existence of the Majorana fermion, a particle that is its own antiparticle. The existence of the Majorana was first theorized by the Italian scientist Ettore Majorana in the 1930s.[37][38]
    • Researchers at UCLA announce that they have genetically engineered stem cells to seek out and kill HIV in mice.[39][40][41]
  • 15 April – Researchers claim that new satellite imagery shows an increase in the mass of some glaciers in Asia's Karakoram mountain range. This data contrasts with the wider global trend of glacial melting.[42][43]
  • 16 April – A new treatment for prostate cancer can rid the disease from nine in ten men without debilitating side effects, a study has found.[44][45]
  • 17 April – It is revealed that the Chinese and American militaries have been conducting informal war games together to help prevent military escalation in the event of a future cyber war.[46]
  • 18 April – Researchers at the American National Institutes of Health demonstrate a nanotechnology-based drug treatment which can successfully alleviate some symptoms of cerebral palsy (CP). The drug, which was tested in rabbits, caused a dramatic improvement of the movement disorders and brain inflammation that are characteristic of many cases of CP.[47][48]
19 April 2012: international researchers develop synthetic DNA compounds.
  • 19 April
    • A landmark study by British and Canadian scientists reveals that breast cancer can be subdivided into ten distinct types, with its aggressiveness determined by certain genes. The new data may make breast cancer diagnoses much more precise, and allow cancer treatments to be more effectively tailored to each patient.[49][50]
    • Led by British scientists, a consortium including American, Belgian and Danish scientists successfully develop synthetic DNA compounds, dubbed "XNA", which demonstrate evolution when faced with selective pressure.[51][52]
    • British researchers identify key genes that "switch off" as the human body ages. These genes may be targeted by future anti-aging therapies.[53][54]
  • 20 April
    • Scientists say the notoriously dry continent of Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater.[55][56]
    • A NASA-backed group of universities begins testing a GPS-derived earthquake warning system. The system, which uses satellite data to track seismic activity in real-time, may allow accurate earthquake and tsunami warnings to be issued up to ten times faster than is currently possible.[57]
    • After three years of development, IBM reveals a new, ultra-lightweight lithium-air battery, offering greater energy density than any current lithium-ion battery. The new battery may permit the production of electric vehicles with far greater range and battery life than current models.[58]
  • 21 April – Scientists at Chicago's Northwestern University successfully trial a brain-computer interface capable of restoring naturalistic muscle movements in paralyzed rhesus monkeys. It is hoped the invention will eventually be approved to treat paralytic or brain-damaged humans.[59][60]
  • 22 April – Intel Corporation releases its new Ivy Bridge microprocessors – the world's first commercial 22 nanometer microchips, featuring increased processing power and energy efficiency.[61]
  • 24 April – Planetary Resources, a startup company backed by Google billionaires Larry Page and Eric Schmidt and film director James Cameron, announces plans to develop technology to survey and mine asteroids for minerals by 2020. The company plans to launch the first element of its project, a network of orbital surveying telescopes, by 2014.[62]
  • 26 April
  • 27 April
    • Researchers identify 53 key neurons in the brains of homing pigeons which may explain how the birds navigate using Earth's geomagnetic field.[69][70]
    • The British company Reaction Engines begins testing the advanced engine precooler system intended for its reusable Skylon spaceplane. If the tests are successful, the hybrid-rocket Skylon – designed to vastly reduce the cost of orbital spaceflight – may begin flying cargo to Earth's orbit by 2020.[71]

May[edit]

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[edit]

  • 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.[131]
    • 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.[132][133][134]
    • 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 have spinal cord damage. It is hoped that this protein may be exploited for the treatment of paralysed humans.[135][136]
  • 4 June – A partial lunar eclipse takes place.[137]
  • 5 June
5–6 June 2012: a transit of Venus, the last such event until 2117, occurs (transit image from Minneapolis shown).
  • 5–6 June – A transit of Venus, one of the rarest predictable astronomical phenomena, occurs. Another such transit will not occur until the year 2117.[140][141]
  • 6 June
  • 7 June
    • According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous United States during May 2012 was 64.3 °F (17.9 °C), 3.3 °F above the long-term average, making it the second-warmest May on record. The month's high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the United States has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895.[152][153]
    • Scientists at the University of Washington successfully sequence the genome of an 18-week-old human fetus in the womb by taking blood samples from the mother. In future, millions of children could be safely screened for genetic disorders in this way.[154][155]
    • The US Naval Research Laboratory has developed a form of underwater solar energy.[156]
    • A team of New Zealand scientists report that measuring the ratio of hydrogen and methane levels on the planet Mars may help determine the likelihood of life on Mars. According to the scientists, "...low H2/CH4 ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active."[157][158]
    • In a separate study, a team of Netherland scientists associated with MIT reported methods of detecting hydrogen and methane in extraterrestrial atmospheres.[159][160]
  • 8 June
    • American researchers report that they have successfully developed a key insulation technology required for the ITER nuclear fusion demonstration reactor.[161]
    • American scientists build a tabletop-sized X-ray laser, vastly smaller and cheaper than most such devices. The invention could permit ultra-high-resolution imaging of microscopic structures such as living cells.[162][163]
    • British researchers begin trialling "smart" hand pumps equipped with transmitters that can immediately detect and report mechanical breakdowns. This will allow vital water pumps to be fixed much more quickly in rural Africa.[164][165]
    • Japanese researchers grow a tiny, functioning human liver from stem cells.[166]
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).
  • 29 June
    • American researchers demonstrate "paint-on" batteries, composed of active layers just 0.5 mm thick, capable of being spray-painted onto almost any surface. The technology could allow for the creation of lighter, more flexible electronic devices with a wide range of form factors.[228][229]
    • Dutch and German scientists unveil a new brain-scanning functional magnetic resonance imaging device that allows paralyzed people to type out words using only their thoughts.[230][231][232]
    • Scientists discover the remains of an enormous, 3-billion-year-old impact near the Maniitsoq region of West Greenland, a billion years older than any other known collision on Earth.[233][234]

July[edit]

  • 1 July – The London Symphony Orchestra performs a musical composition created without human input by the Iamus computer.[235][236]
  • 2 July
    • American researchers use a 3D printer to build a sugar framework for growing an artificial liver. The sugar structure simulates a human vascular system, allowing artificial blood vessels to be grown to support the liver.[237][238][239]
    • Scientists use ultrasound to display 3D video on a modified liquid soap membrane, creating the world's thinnest transparent video display.[240]
    • Graphene sheets with precisely controlled pores can purify water more efficiently than existing methods, according to scientists at MIT.[241][242]
    • Scientists report that indirect evidence supporting the existence of the Higgs boson has been found.[243][244]
  • 3 July
  • 4 July
    • CERN physicists announce the discovery of a particle consistent with the standard model's Higgs boson at a "5 sigma" level of significance, indicating that there is only one chance in 3.5 million to get such a result by chance without a particle.[249][250][251]
    • American scientists develop an electrically conductive gel that can easily be printed onto surfaces with a standard inkjet printer, allowing the rapid and simple production of a wide range of electronics.[252][253]
    • Researchers have identified seven genetic markers linked with a woman's breast size, according to a new study.[254][255]
4 July 2012: CERN scientists report the discovery of a particle with significant similarities to the Higgs boson (Higgs collision signature shown).
  • 5 July – Scientists have produced the most detailed footage of a single neuron ever seen. In the timelapse video, individual proteins are shown moving through different pathways within the cell.[256][257]
  • 6 July
    • UCLA engineers develop an ultra-high-speed optical microscope capable of quickly and reliably identifying cancer cells in human blood, paving the way for faster, cheaper and more reliable cancer diagnoses.[258][259]
    • Scientists construct the most biologically accurate robotic legs yet built, closely mimicking the motion of human leg muscles.[260][261]
  • 7 July – Non-human animals including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures including octopuses possess consciousness, according to the new Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness.[262]
  • 9 July
    • Scientists discover a new molecule that could potentially make teeth cavity-proof.[263]
    • Scientists have, for the first time, directly detected part of the invisible dark matter "scaffolding" of the universe, where more than half of all matter is believed to reside.[264][265]
  • 10 July
    • A new biofuel production process created by Michigan State University researchers produces energy more than 20 times higher than existing methods.[266][267]
    • In two new scientific articles, researchers refute NASA's claims that bacteria can successfully incorporate arsenic into their DNA.[268][269][270]
    • American scientists develop an electrode-based T-shirt capable of charging cellphones on the move.[271][272]
    • It is reported that staying seated for long periods of time can reduce the human lifespan, unless mitigated by regular strenuous exercise.[273][274]
  • 11 July
  • 13 July – A new survey shows that lemurs are far more threatened by extinction than previously thought.[281]
  • 15 July – It is reported that Dracunculiasis, also called guinea worm disease (GWD), is on the verge of being wiped out – becoming only the second human disease after smallpox to be eradicated.[282]
  • 16 July – A major milestone in HIV prevention is reached, as the FDA approves an existing drug, Truvada, for uninfected adults at high risk of acquiring the disease.[283][284]
  • 19 July
  • 20 July
15 July 2012: the parasitic disease Dracunculiasis (extraction of a causative guinea worm pictured) is reportedly close to being eradicated.
  • 23 July
    • American scientists create an artificial jellyfish out of silicone and lab-grown heart cells. The construct is capable of swimming in a similar manner to real jellyfish when stimulated with an electric current.[294][295]
    • Researchers report that 14% of British stomach cancer cases could be prevented by reducing public salt intakes.[296]
    • Researchers create the first complete computer model of a living organism, fully simulating a bacterium.[297][298]
  • 25 July
  • 26 July
    • The rapid decline in Arctic sea ice is at least 70% due to man-made global warming, according to a new study, and may even be up to 95% caused by humans – a far higher proportion than scientists had previously thought.[304][305]
    • Using complex algorithms, researchers have found that pop songs over the last 50 years have become increasingly louder and more bland in terms of the chords, melodies and types of sound used.[306][307]
    • Using a bone marrow transplant, two men have been "cured" of HIV infection.[308][309]
    • Ageing termite workers are discovered to use a toxic crystalline structure to "self-destruct", spraying enemy insects with toxins in defence of their termite mounds.[310][311]
    • An American gunsmith produces the world's first functional 3D-printed plastic firearm.[312]
  • 27 July
    • In preparation for the beginning of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, British telecom companies create a hugely expanded network infrastructure in the city, including over 1,000 new Wi-Fi hotspots and thirty additional mobile phone masts.[313]
    • Swiss scientists claim that Earth's Moon may have been formed in a glancing "hit and run" collision with a large, fast-moving protoplanet.[314][315]
    • Japanese women have fallen behind Hong Kong citizens in life expectancy for the first time in 25 years, dropping from 86.3 years in 2010 to 85.9 years in 2011. This was partly due to the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011, according to a report by Japan's health ministry.[316][317]
    • American scientists use microbes to cleanly convert electricity into methane gas, potentially offering a new form of renewable energy.[318]
  • 29 July – Major technology companies predict that as many as 50 billion electronic devices may be wirelessly connected worldwide by 2020, as automated machine-to-machine communication sees increasing use in retail and manufacturing.[319]
  • 31 July – People with even minor symptoms of mental illness have a lower life expectancy, according to a large-scale population-based study published in the British Medical Journal.[320][321]

August[edit]

  • 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.[322]
6 August 2012: NASA's Curiosity rover, the largest such spacecraft yet launched, successfully lands on Mars (artist's impression pictured).
  • 2 August
  • 3 August
    • Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has fallen again in the past 12 months, according to preliminary data published by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research.[328]
    • American and Canadian researchers develop a medical spray which uses human skin cells and coagulant proteins to speed up the healing of open wounds such as leg ulcers. In medical trials, the "skin spray" proved over 20% more effective than other ulcer treatments.[329][330]
  • 6 August
  • 7 August – New brain research refutes the results of earlier studies that cast doubts on free will.[334][335]
  • 8 August
  • 9 August – American and South Korean engineers build a flexible, worm-like robot that moves by mimicking the contraction of an earthworm. The robot's artificial muscle is based on a nickel–titanium wire that expands and contracts in response to electric currents. It can squeeze through tight spaces and absorb heavy impacts, and could be used in future for covert reconnaissance missions.[340][341]
  • 10 August – Engineers successfully test a new algorithm that allows autonomous UAVs to fly through complex structures without requiring GPS navigation.[342]
  • 11 August
    • The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak for 2012, becoming widely visible in the Northern Hemisphere.[343]
    • Experts declare the 2012 London Olympics to be the "greenest Olympics ever", praising its use of recycled materials and temporary venues, and noting the improvements made to London's transport infrastructure.[344]
    • Sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing at a far greater rate than previously expected, according to data from the first purpose-built satellite launched to study the thickness of the Earth's polar caps.[345]
  • 12 August – Scientists discover a single genetic switch that triggers the loss of brain connections in humans, and also causes depression in animal models. The findings could lead to more effective antidepressant therapies.[346][347]
14 August 2012: Boeing's X-51 hypersonic scramjet prototype (pictured in launch configuration) is destroyed following a test flight malfunction.
  • 13 August
    • South Korean researchers develop a cheap electronic ink based on tiny rectennas, capable of transmitting data over short distances. The printable invention could potentially revolutionise the field of augmented reality.[348][349]
    • A new class of polymers has been discovered that are resistant to bacterial attachment. These new materials could lead to a significant reduction in hospital infections and medical device failures.[350][351]
    • US wind energy reaches 50 gigawatts of capacity.[352]
  • 14 August
  • 15 August – In a major breakthrough, an international team of scientists has proven that addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, while at the same time increasing pain relief.[356][357][358]
  • 16 August
    • Researchers have finally found a compound that may offer the first effective and hormone-free birth control pill for men.[359][360]
    • British scientists develop the world's first room-temperature maser, using a crystal of p-Terphenyl to modify a commercial medical laser to produce coherent microwave emissions without the need for expensive magnets and coolant. The maser could be used to develop more sensitive medical scanners and radio telescopes.[361][362]
    • Harvard University scientists develop a flexible, octopus-inspired robot capable of rapidly camouflaging or advertising itself by pumping liquid dyes into channels on its surface. The relatively inexpensive robots could be used in a variety of fields, from surgery to search-and-rescue to covert operations.[363][364]
  • 17 August
  • 18 August – Scientists in the United States report that they have found a new family of spiders in the caves of California and Oregon. It is the first such discovery in North America for more than 140 years.[371][372]
  • 19 August – Scientists are reportedly close to developing a baldness cure.[373]
  • 20 August – The first evidence of a planet's destruction by its aging star has been discovered by an international team of astronomers.[374][375]
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.
  • 21 August
    • MIT researchers report that a genetically modified organism could turn carbon dioxide or waste products into a gasoline-compatible transportation fuel.[376][377]
    • A new study of nine coastal cities around the world suggests that Shanghai is most vulnerable to serious flooding later this century.[378][379]
    • Life in the world's oceans is facing a potential mass extinction, largely due to human activity, say researchers.[380][381]
    • Researchers have developed an "electronic nose" prototype that can detect small quantities of harmful airborne substances.[382]
    • Scientists have identified the crucial role of a protein called Mof in the epigenetics of stem cells. The protein helps prime stem cells to become specialized cells in mice.[383][384]
    • Analysts report that robotic technology is seeing increased use in the global mining industry, as mining and drilling companies seek to reduce personnel costs by installing autonomous trains, trucks, drills and underwater vehicles.[385]
  • 22 August
    • LG Electronics unveils the world's largest commercial ultra-definition TV, boasting four times the resolution of 1080p high-definition screens.[386]
    • NASA names the Curiosity rover's Martian landing site "Bradbury Landing", in honour of the American science fiction author Ray Bradbury, who died in June 2012 aged 91. Meanwhile, Curiosity conducts a successful short-range test drive, proving that its mobility system is in nominal condition.[387][388]
    • A large-scale test of smart vehicle data sharing begins in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over the course of the year-long trial, around 2,800 vehicles will be fitted with vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communications, allowing them to share data about their movements and alert their drivers if they are at risk of collision. Such technology could be used in future to drastically reduce traffic accidents.[389]
  • 23 August – New research links the origins of Indo-European languages with the spread of farming from Anatolia approximately 8,000-9,500 years ago.[390][391]
  • 25 August
  • 26 August
  • 27 August – Young people who smoke cannabis run the risk of a significant and irreversible reduction in their IQ, according to one of the largest cannabis studies ever carried out.[404][405]
  • 28 August – Three decades after its last sighting, the Japanese river otter is declared extinct.[406]
  • 29 August
    29 August 2012: scientists claim that large volumes of methane could be trapped beneath the Antarctic ice.
    • Scientists report the discovery of two new exoplanets orbiting a binary star – the first such planetary system yet discovered.[407][408]
    • Caloric restriction fails to extend primate lifespan, according to the results of a long-term study.[409][410]
    • Large volumes of methane – a potent greenhouse gas – could be locked beneath the Antarctic ice, according to a new study.[411][412][413]
    • Better management of agricultural systems could provide enough food for the expected global population of 9 billion by 2050, according to a new study. However, the study ignores factors such as climate change and geopolitics.[414][415]
    • A cost analysis of the technologies needed to transport materials into the stratosphere to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth and therefore reduce the effects of global climate change shows that they are both feasible and affordable.[416][417]
    • In a world first, astronomers at Copenhagen University report the detection of a specific sugar molecule, glycolaldehyde, in a distant star system. The molecule was found around the protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422, which is located 400 light years from Earth. Glycolaldehyde is needed to form ribonucleic acid, or RNA, which is similar in function to DNA. This finding suggests that complex organic molecules may form in stellar systems prior to the formation of planets, eventually arriving on young planets early in their formation.[418][419]
    • Scientists at the University of Liverpool are leading a £1.65 million project to produce and test the first nanomedicines for treating HIV/AIDS.[420]
  • 30 August – South African scientists claim that a breakthrough drug cures all strains of malaria. Clinical trials on humans are set to start in 2013.[421]
  • 31 August
    • Researchers successfully perform the first implantation of an early prototype bionic eye with 24 electrodes.[422]
    • Swedish roboticists begin a crowdsourcing project to collect thousands of 3D Kinect images of household objects which can be used to improve the navigation capabilities of domestic robots.[423]
    • A gaze-tracking smart television that can be controlled by the eye movements of users is unveiled at a Berlin trade show.[424]

September[edit]

5 September 2012: the most detailed analysis of the human genome yet produced is published.
  • 4 September
    • The UK Office for National Statistics estimates that almost all British children born in 2012 could live to the age of 100, assuming recent improvements in healthcare and living standards continue.[433]
    • A formal study finds little evidence of health benefits from organic foods.[434][435]
    • British scientists develop a smart, pressure-mapping carpet with an optical layer that can raise the alarm if it detects sudden falls. The carpet can also map and record walking patterns over time, allowing doctors to track movement problems in elderly patients.[436]
    • A physically active lifestyle can lower the risk of breast cancer by up to 13%, according to the largest-ever study of its kind.[437]
    • Coastal erosion due to rising sea levels may have been "dramatically underestimated", according to a new scientific model.[438][439]
  • 5 September
    • An international research team achieves quantum teleportation over a record-breaking distance of 143 kilometres (89 mi) through free space.[440]
    • Scientists publish (in Science, Nature and elsewhere) the most detailed analysis to date of the human genome, revealing that much more of our genetic code is biologically active than previously thought, and largely disproving the notion of junk DNA.[441][442]
    • Increased precipitation and river discharge in the Arctic has the potential to speed climate change, according to the results of a new study.[443][444]
    • A new report by Oxfam suggests that the full impact of climate change on future food prices is being greatly underestimated.[445]
    • NASA's Dawn spacecraft departs the asteroid 4 Vesta for the dwarf planet Ceres, which it is expected to reach in 2015.[446][447][448]
  • 6 September
    • Japan sets a new world record for ocean drilling depth, reaching 2,111 metres (6,926 ft) below the seafloor off Shimokita Peninsula.[449]
    • A regular intake of fish oils, together with moderate exercise, significantly helps to slow aging decline, according to a recent trial.[450][451]
    • Researchers in the US produce the shortest-ever laser pulses, with a duration of 67 attoseconds. Such "attosecond science" will make it possible to observe some of the briefest microscopic events in the universe, such as electrons moving in their orbitals, in real time.[452][453]
    • DARPA's cheetah legged robot prototype is recorded running faster than Usain Bolt, the world's fastest sprinter, in a treadmill test.[454]
  • 7 September
    • Harvest Automation begins deliveries of its HV-100 agricultural robot, a commercial automaton capable of navigating around obstacles and working in teams to perform horticultural tasks such as pruning and spraying crops.[455]
    • Flooded mines could supply 40% of Glasgow's heating, say geologists.[456][457]
  • 9 September – If it is fully harnessed, wind energy could easily meet all of the world's long-term electricity demand, according to a new study.[458][459]
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.[460]
    • Caribbean coral reefs are on the verge of collapse, with less than 10% of the reef area showing live coral cover.[461][462]
  • 12 September
  • 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.[469][470]
    • 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.[471]
    • An IBM team in Zürich has published single-molecule images so detailed that the type of atomic bonds between their atoms can be discerned.[472][473]
    • 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.[474][475]
  • 14 September
    • Scientists demonstrated that a brain implant can improve cognitive function in primates for the first time ever. IOP[476][477]
    • UK weather forecasters can predict extreme winter weather in future seasons with more confidence, due to a new analytical computer model.[478][479]
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.[480]
    • 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.[481][482]
    • NASA's twin GRAIL gravitational research satellites reveal that the Moon has a much thinner crust than previously assumed.[483]
  • 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.[488][489]
    • 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.[490][491]
    • 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.[492][493]
    • 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.[494][495]
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.[499]
  • 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.[500][501]
    • 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.[502]
    • The first continent-wide estimate of African great ape distribution and its changes over time has revealed a dramatic decline in ape habitats.[503][504]
  • 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.[505]
    • 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.[506]
    • 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.[507]
  • 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.[510][511]
  • 27 September
    • Researchers have shown for the first time the trapping action of the pimpernel sundew, Drosera glanduligera, a carnivorous plant.[512][513]
    • NASA scientists announce the Curiosity rover's discovery of evidence of ancient flowing liquid water on Mars.[514][515]
    • Researchers demonstrate a new type of biodegradable electronics technology with wide applications in medical implants, environmental monitors and consumer devices.[516][517]
    • Toyota begins development of the Human Support Robot, a voice-controlled domestic robot designed to help elderly and disabled people by moving objects, reaching high shelves and opening doors and curtains.[518]
  • 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.[519]

October[edit]

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.
  • 9 October
    • Microsoft tests a sensor bracelet that can quickly recognise a wide variety of human hand gestures. The invention could be used as a general-purpose remote control for electronics, allowing devices to be activated and controlled with simple hand movements.[546]
    • The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded jointly to Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland "for ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems". Their work may eventually help make quantum computing possible.[547][548]
  • 10 October
  • 11 October
    • In the largest-ever genetic study of cholesterol and other blood lipids, an international consortium has identified 21 new gene variants associated with risks of heart disease and metabolic disorders. The findings expand the list of potential targets for drugs and other treatments for lipid-related cardiovascular disease, a leading global cause of death and disability.[553][554]
    • New research led by Yale University scientists suggests that a rocky planet twice Earth's size orbiting a nearby star is composed largely of diamond.[555][556]
  • 12 October – Europe launches the third and fourth of its Galileo navigation satellites, making it possible for the Galileo system to be fully tested prior to the start of operations in 2015. The system is planned to become fully operational, with 27 active satellites, by 2020.[557]
  • 14 October
17 October 2012: scientists discover a new exoplanet (artist's impression pictured) orbiting Earth's nearest alien star, Alpha Centauri.
  • 15 October
  • 17 October
  • 18 October
    • A kidney-like organ grown from scratch in a laboratory has been shown to work in animals – an achievement that could lead to the production of spare kidneys for patients from their own stem cells.[576][577]
    • Extinctions during the early Triassic period left Earth a virtual wasteland due to extreme heat, a new study suggests.[578][579]
    • Using a new imaging technique, based on the detection of calcium ions in neurons, neuroscientists have developed a way to monitor how brain cells coordinate with each other to control specific behaviors.[580][581]
    • For the first time, an assembly of nanomachines has been synthesised that is capable of producing a coordinated contraction, similar to the movements of biological muscle fibres.[582][583]
  • 19 October – The European Space Agency announces that it will launch a new satellite in 2017 to study super-Earths and other large exoplanets orbiting nearby stars. The CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite (CHEOPS) will orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 500 miles (800 km).[584]
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.[587][588]
    • 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.[589][590]
    • 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.[591][592]
    • 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.[593]
  • 25 October – Microsoft launches Windows 8, the most fundamental update to its Windows operating system in 17 years.[594]
  • 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.[595]
    • Scientists have recovered the sounds of music and laughter from the oldest playable American recording, dating back to 1878.[596]
  • 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.[597]
  • 28 October
    • The uncrewed 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.[598]
    • 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.[599][600]
    • IBM researchers demonstrate the initial steps toward commercial fabrication of carbon nanotubes as a successor to silicon-based electronics.[601][602]
  • 30 October
    • Britain's first 4G mobile network is launched, offering high-speed mobile data services in 11 major cities.[603]
    • NASA scientists report that the Curiosity Mars rover has performed the first X-ray diffraction analysis of Martian soil at the "Rocknest" site. The results from the rover's CheMin analyzer revealed the presence of several minerals, including feldspar, pyroxenes and olivine, and suggested that the Martian soil in the sample was similar to the "weathered basaltic soils" of Hawaiian volcanoes.[604]
    • IBM's Watson supercomputer is to help train doctors at a medical school in Cleveland, Ohio.[601][605]
    • Amonix, a leading designer and manufacturer of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power, has achieved a milestone in the industry by successfully converting more than a third of sunlight into electricity. Its figure of 33.5% efficiency broke the previous record of 30.3%.[606]
    • Pollen counts in the US will be more than double today's level by 2040, according to a new study.[607]
  • 31 October – Scientists in the Netherlands have demonstrated a form of self-healing concrete that uses limestone-producing bacteria.[608][609]

November[edit]

6 November 2012: scientists report that regular leisure-time exercise can extend human life expectancy by over 4 years.
  • 1 November
  • 2 November – Glybera becomes the first gene therapy approved by regulatory authorities in the Western world. Commercial roll-out is expected in late 2013.[617][618]
  • 5 November
    • New research suggests that just one or two individual herpes virus particles attack a skin cell in the first stage of an outbreak, resulting in a bottleneck in which the infection may be vulnerable to medical treatment.[619][620]
    • A 15-year research project has succeeded in curbing the growth of polycystic kidney disease, one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases, which affects 12.5 million people worldwide. Previously, only the symptoms of the disease could be treated.[621][622]
    • A report in the November 6 issue of Current Biology offers the first complete description of the spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii), a species previously known only from a few bones. The description is based on two individuals – an adult female and her male calf – who became stranded and died on a New Zealand beach in 2010.[623][624]
  • 6 November
    • University of Bonn scientists develop a soccer-playing robot called NimbRo-OP, intended to develop new capabilities for humanoid bipedal robots, such as using tools, climbing stairs, and using human facial expressions, gestures and body language for communication.[625][626]
    • Targeting a single chemical inside cancerous cells could one day lead to a single test for a broad range of cancers, researchers say. The same system could then be used to deliver precision radiotherapy treatments.[627][628]
    • In the largest ever study of its kind, an international team of astronomers establishes that the rate of star formation in the universe is now only 1/30th of its peak, and that this decline is set to continue.[629][630]
    • Leisure-time physical activity extends life expectancy by as much as 4.5 years, according to a study by the National Cancer Institute. Even half of the recommended weekly exercise can add 1.8 years.[631][632]
  • 7 November
    • Canadian researchers working to develop the world's first HIV vaccine have cleared a major hurdle. Initial results from a Phase I trial have shown no adverse effects, while significantly boosting immunity. The vaccine could be commercially available in five years.[633]
    • Human diseases could soon be modeled in an electronic "organ-on-a-chip", with a new generation of research to replace animal testing.[634][635]
    • Astronomers report that HD 40307 g, a super-Earth exoplanet 42 light-years away from Earth, is within the habitable zone of its host star HD 40307 and may be "just right to support life".[636][637]
    • Rising temperatures due to climate change could mean wild arabica coffee becomes extinct within 70 years, posing a risk to the genetic sustainability of one of the world's basic commodities, according to new research.[638][639]
  • 8 November
    • Due to insufficient rates of decarbonisation, the world is on track for 6 °C (43 °F) of climatic warming by the year 2100, according to a new report.[640][641][642]
    • Scientists debate the scientific basis and claims to novelty of a proposal to use the orbital angular momentum of light and radio waves to massively boost wireless data transfer.[643][644][645]
    • MIT engineers develop a hearing aid battery which uses ions within the human inner ear to provide a steady electric current.[646][647]
    • Nao robots are used to teach autistic primary school children in a groundbreaking trial in the UK.[648]
    • University of Washington scientists have succeeded in removing the extra copy of chromosome 21 in cell cultures derived from a person with Down syndrome, a condition in which the body's cells contain three copies of chromosome 21 rather than the usual pair.[649][650]
    • American climatologists report that the record-breaking 2012 North American drought continues to worsen, with over 19% of the contiguous United States suffering from extreme drought, and groundwater levels declining nationwide.[651][652]
  • 9 November
  • 11 November – Scientists develop a highly efficient metamaterial cloaking device capable of rendering objects invisible to microwaves.[655][656]
  • 12 November
  • 13 November
  • 14 November
    • An international team of researchers discovers a gene that helps explain how humans evolved from chimpanzees. Scientists say the gene – called miR-941 – appears to have played a crucial role in human brain development, and may shed light on how humans learned to use tools and language.[664][665]
    • Even moderate drinking in pregnancy can affect a child's IQ, according to a new study using data from over 4,000 mothers and their children.[666][667]
    • A gene that nearly triples the risk of Alzheimer's disease has been discovered by an international team including researchers from Mayo Clinic. It is the most potent genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's identified in the past 20 years.[668][669]
    • Scientists sequence the genome of the domestic pig. The similarities between the pig and human genomes mean that the new data may have wide applications in the study and treatment of human genetic diseases.[670][671][672]
    • Astronomers discover a wandering, starless rogue planet drifting through space around 100 light-years from Earth.[673][674]
    • Researchers at the American National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) prove that single-wall carbon nanotubes may help protect DNA molecules from damage by oxidation.[675][676]
  • 15 November
    • Scientists warn that the lethal ebola virus can spread between species as an aerosol. However, they emphasize that these aerosol particles can only travel short distances.[677][678]
    • An efficient, high-volume technique for testing potential drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease has uncovered an organic compound that restored motor function and longevity to fruit flies with the disease.[679][680]
    • New artificial muscles made from nanotech yarns and infused with paraffin wax can lift more than 100,000 times their own weight, and generate 85 times more mechanical power than the natural muscle of the same dimensions, according to scientists.[681][682]
    • If global temperatures were to rise just 1 degree Celsius, the Bhutanese glaciers would shrink by 25 percent and produce 65 percent less annual melt water, according to research published in Geophysical Research Letters.[683][684]
    • The United States Navy announces plans to replace its trained minesweeping dolphins with robotic submarines such as the Knifefish by 2017.[685]
  • 16 November
    • Rat heart cells are used by University of Illinois scientists to power tiny, crawling "bio-robots".[686][687]
    • New research has identified a common gene variant which influences when a person wakes up each day, as well as the time of day they are most likely to die.[688][689]
  • 18 November – A biodegradable nanoparticle has been developed which can stealthily deliver an antigen, tricking the immune system into stopping its attack on myelin and preventing multiple sclerosis in mice.[690][691]
  • 19 November
    • Scientists report a huge decline in UK birdlife – from 210 million nesting birds in 1966, down to 166 million in 2012.[692][693][694]
    • Cambridge University scientists heal paralyzed dogs by injecting them with cells grown from their nasal linings. Many of the 23 injured dogs treated with the experimental therapy regained some use of their legs even 12 months after their injury, and scientists believe that human patients could be treated in a similar fashion.[695][696]
    • A new tumor-tracking technique may improve outcomes for lung cancer patients.[697][698]
    • IBM researchers have simulated 530 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses on a supercomputer.[699][700][701]
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.[702][703][704][705][706]
    • 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.[707][708]
    • 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.[709][710]
    • Physicists have shown that synthetic membrane channels can be constructed through "DNA nanotechnology."[711][712]
    • 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).[713][714]
  • 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.[715][716]
    • The effects of climate change are already evident in Europe and the situation is set to get worse, the European Environment Agency has warned.[717][718]
    • A United Nations report – the Emissions Gap Report 2012[719] – says global attempts to limit CO2 emissions are falling well short of what is needed to stem dangerous climate change.[720]
    • 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.[721][722]
    • 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.[723][724]
    • 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.[725][726]
  • 23 November
    • Footprints believed to have been made by the giant flightless bird Diatryma indicate that it was a "gentle herbivore" and not a fierce carnivore, scientists say.[727][728]
    • Having a job with poor working conditions can be just as bad for a person's mental health as being unemployed, according to new research published in Psychological Medicine.[729][730]
  • 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.[731]
    • Pathological changes typical of Alzheimer's disease have been significantly reduced in mice by blockade of an immune system transmitter.[732][733]
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.
  • 26 November
    • A Norwegian liquid natural gas tanker becomes the first ship of its size to attempt a winter crossing of the Arctic. As Arctic ice cover reduces due to climate change, the Arctic sea route may become increasingly viable for large ships.[734]
    • Researchers, including NASA scientists and engineers from Los Alamos National Laboratory, have demonstrated a new concept for a reliable nuclear reactor that could be used on space flights. The Demonstration Using Flattop Fissions (DUFF) experiment produced 24 watts of electricity.[735]
  • 27 November
    • Permafrost covering almost a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere contains 1.7 trillion tonnes of carbon, twice that currently in the atmosphere, and could significantly amplify global warming should thawing accelerate as expected, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).[736]
    • A review reveals that grapefruit drug interactions affects even more than previously though, with the list of drugs with potentially serious interactions more than doubling since 2012. Users of heart medication are particularly vulnerable.[737][738]
  • 28 November
    • The Reaction Engines Skylon spaceplane project achieves a key engine design milestone.[739]
    • Astronomers observe a penumbral lunar eclipse.[740]
    • Previous estimates of sea level rise have been underestimated, while estimates of global temperature rises appear to be accurate, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.[741][742]
    • A completely new method of manufacturing the smallest structures in electronics could make their manufacture thousands of times quicker, allowing for cheaper semiconductors. The findings have been published in the latest issue of Nature.[743][744]
    • Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in deciphering bread wheat's genetic code. This could lead to new varieties that are more productive and better able to cope with disease, drought and other stresses that cause crop losses.[745][746]
    • American engineers build a 3D printer capable of manufacturing tools from lunar regolith, potentially allowing future astronauts to manufacture equipment on-site using lunar or Martian rock.[747][748]
    • Vanderbilt University engineers develop a lightweight powered exoskeleton, which technology company Parker Hannifin plans to release commercially for those with paraplegia in 2014.[749]
29 November 2012: NASA reports the discovery of water ice on the surface of Mercury (pictured).
  • 29 November
  • 30 November
    • British scientists develop a method of safely cultivating medicinal stem cells from the blood of adult patients, potentially allowing each patient to have a personalised source of stem cells.[762][763]
    • Italian scientists publish the first direct images of DNA, which were produced using a scanning electron microscope. The images provide photographic proof of DNA's double-helix structure, and could further scientific understanding of the compound's function.[764]
    • At the Euromold trade show in Germany, manufacturers display numerous advances in commercial 3D printing technology, including a device that can rapidly print an entire bicycle.[765]
    • MIT researchers develop a protein-inspired modular robot capable of magnetically folding itself into a wide variety of shapes, potentially heralding future devices that can reconfigure themselves for nearly any purpose.[766][767]

December[edit]

  • 1 December – The United States government announces the first major offering of Atlantic coastal sites for offshore wind farm developments. Around 432 square miles (1,120 km2) will be sold off in 2013.[768]
  • 2 December
    • Researchers state that they have identified the point of origin of the genes that later enabled human thought and reasoning. This development, 500 million years ago, later granted humans the ability to learn complex skills, analyse situations and think flexibly.[769][770]
    • Global carbon dioxide emissions are projected to have risen further in 2012, reaching a new record high of 35.6 billion tonnes, according to figures from the Global Carbon Project.[771][772][773][774]
  • 3 December – NASA reports that its Curiosity Mars rover has performed its first extensive soil analysis, revealing the presence of water molecules, sulfur and chlorine in the Martian soil.[775][776][777]
  • 4 December
    • A British energy firm announces plans to construct Africa's largest solar energy plant in Ghana.[778]
    • NASA announces that it plans to launch another robotic Mars rover in 2020, following the success of its Curiosity rover.[779][780][781]
    • Using a simple "drag-and-drop" computer interface and DNA self-assembly techniques, researchers have developed a new approach for drug development that could drastically reduce the time required to create and test medications.[782]
    • Besse Cooper, the world's oldest living human and the last surviving person born in 1896, dies aged 116.[783][784]
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.
  • 5 December
    • Paleontologists announce the discovery of what is likely to be the oldest known dinosaur. Nyasasaurus parringtoni is believed to have lived 10-15 million years before the previous earliest known dinosaur specimens.[785][786]
    • Liquid Robotics' autonomous Wave Glider nautical robot completes a record-breaking voyage from San Francisco to Australia. The data-gathering robot, powered by solar panels and wave energy, survived storms and shark attacks during its year-long journey.[787]
    • In the first such operation in the United States, medical researchers implant a pacemaker-like device into the brain of an Alzheimer's disease patient in the early stages of the disease. The device, which provides deep brain stimulation and has already been used by those with Parkinson's disease, could boost memory and reverse cognitive decline.[788]
    • A Belgian team develops a curved LCD contact lens display. Researchers say the prototype could be used in medicine, or lead to adaptable "in-eye" sunglasses.[789]
  • 6 December
    • The Golden Spike Company announces plans for commercial lunar expeditions by 2020, with flights to the Moon starting at around $750 million per person.[790]
    • Scientists identify the mechanism that allows Toxoplasma gondii – a single-celled parasite – to pass from the human gut to the brain, where it may cause suicidal thoughts and risk-taking.[791][792]
  • 7 December
    • An interactive map showing the location of every German bomb dropped on London during World War II is created.[793]
    • A young British girl successfully receives a pioneering bone replacement treatment to restore her damaged spine. The operation, the first of its kind ever attempted in Europe, used bone taken from the child's legs to replace her lower vertebrae, which were missing due to a rare and potentially lethal genetic condition.[794]
    • NASA's Opportunity Mars rover discovers clay-bearing deposits on the surface of Mars, indicating the past presence of liquid water.[795]
    • A new study shows that with "near perfect sensitivity", anatomical brain images alone can accurately diagnose chronic ADHD, schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, bipolar disorder, or familial risks for major depression.[796]
  • 8 December – The 1997 Kyoto Protocol on the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions is extended until 2020, having previously been set to expire by the end of 2012.[797]
  • 9 December – French Polynesia establishes the world's largest shark sanctuary, protecting all shark species from fishing in an area of 4.7 million square kilometres.[798]
  • 10 December
    • The first close-up footage of the Sunda clouded leopard, one of the rarest cat species on Earth, is released.[799]
    • Scientists succeed in making the skin cells of older people act like younger cells again, simply by adding more filler to the fiber-filled area around the cells.[800][801]
    • Researchers create a shape-shifting metamaterial that could revolutionise the treatment of wounds. The liquid material could be infused with drugs, then shaped to fit perfectly inside a wound.[802][803]
  • 11 December
  • 12 December
    • North Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch, placing the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 satellite into low Earth orbit.[806]
    • Astronomers report that the most distant known galaxy, UDFj-39546284, is now estimated to be even further away than previously believed. The galaxy, which is estimated to have formed around "380 million years" after the Big Bang (about 13.75 billion years ago), is approximately 13.37 billion light years from Earth.[807][808][809]
    • DARPA announces funding for a medical foam technology that can rapidly staunch severe internal bleeding on the battlefield.[810]
  • 13 December
  • 14 December – British researchers partially sequence the genome of a fast-spreading fungus that is killing off ash trees across Europe.[816]
  • 16 December – American scientists use a genetically modified virus to partially convert the heart muscle of guinea pigs into cells which govern the heart's rhythm, effectively creating a biological pacemaker. If this development can be applied to humans, heart conditions could be treated without the need for expensive medical implants and their attendant maintenance surgeries.[817][818]
  • 17 December
    • Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh develop a robotic arm that can be precisely controlled by paralyzed patients using a set of motor cortex implants.[819][820]
    • NASA's twin GRAIL lunar satellites deorbit and are intentionally crashed into the surface of the Moon, marking the end of their year-long gravity research mission.[821]
    • The Terrafugia Transition flying car begins flight certification tests, in preparation for its planned commercial release in 2013.[822]
  • 19 December
  • 20 December – NASA scientists release the latest WMAP results and an image of the very early universe. The nine-year WMAP data shows "13.772+/-0.059"-billion-year-old temperature fluctuations and a temperature range of ± 200 microKelvin. In addition, the study finds that 95 percent of the early universe is composed of dark matter and energy, the curvature of space is less than 0.4 percent of "flat", and the universe emerged from the cosmic Dark Ages "about 400 million years" after the Big Bang.[829][830]
  • 21 December
24 December 2012: British medical researchers discover two genes that are thought to greatly increase the risk of bowel cancer (carcinoid pictured).
  • 24 December
    • Scientists analyse the genomes of individuals with a high familial risk of bowel cancer, and discover two flawed genes that may contribute to the disease.[835][836]
    • American researchers report that their experiments with liquid crystals may yield future materials that can be directly controlled and re-shaped in real time.[837]
  • 26 December
  • 28 December – Stanford University engineers publish a design for a future mission to the Martian moon Phobos, incorporating both an orbiting satellite and spherical surface rovers.[840]
  • 31 December – A NASA-supported study suggests that crewed spaceflight may harm the brains of astronauts and accelerate the onset of Alzheimer's disease.[841][842][843]

IISE Top 10 New Species[edit]

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:[844][845][846]

Prizes[edit]

Abel Prize[edit]

Main article: Abel Prize

Fundamental Physics Prize[edit]

Main article: Fundamental Physics Prize

Kyoto Prize[edit]

Main article: Kyoto Prize

Nobel Prize[edit]

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

Deaths[edit]

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[edit]

February[edit]

March[edit]

April[edit]

May[edit]

June[edit]

July[edit]

August[edit]

September[edit]

October[edit]

November[edit]

December[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "U.S. Patent Statistics Chart Calendar Years 1963 – 2012". USPTO. 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  2. ^ "Sustainable Energy for All – About". United Nations. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  3. ^ "2012: THE ALAN TURING YEAR". Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
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