The year 2023 was prolific in scientific discoveries and innovations. This text describe what were the top scientific discoveries in 2023 . As a science enthusiast, here are my suggestions.
The reader can skip different sections of the text and pick according to his interest. He will certainly be able to deepen additional knowledge elsewhere, notably on specialized websites.
The text is divided into two main parts. The first is related to fundamental research. It focuses on the infinitely large and the infinitely small, the formation of life and the human genome. The second part concerns practical innovations leading to immediate or very short-term applications.
Interestingly, the analysis of all these discoveries leads to certain observations at the economic level:
- Investments in research and discoveries tend to accelerate. It is particularly true for newly industrialized countries, whose development is increasingly based on innovation (e.g. China, which is increasingly innovating in high-tech sectors);
- Investments in basic research have become extremely expensive. For example, the necessary equipment (telescopes, particle accelerators, international space station, Tokamak, etc.) can cost several tens and even hundreds of billions of US dollars;
- There seems to be a consolidation of communities of interest and international collaborations to diminish cost of research. This consolidation has given rise to a parallel economy at the international level. This consolidation is uniting the largest schools, the greatest researchers, research centers of universities across the world. However, the current geopolitical context, in particular the cooling of our relations with certain countries can jeopardize these partnerships;
- Investments in basic research seems profitable despite their exorbitant costs. Those benefits are reflected in very short-term applications, some of which are described in Part 2 of this text. In short, they are profitable for everyone.
So here are my suggestions for the top scientific discoveries of 2023 :
1-IN FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
The James Webb telescope has already accustomed us in 2023 to the most beautiful confinements in the universe. Launched in December 2021, the instrument built for $10 billion (US) reached its destination 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in July 2022, a real feat. Since then, and throughout 2023, it has sent back to Earth breathtaking images of the most beautiful galaxies of the deep sky, nebulae and planets of the solar system.
The depths of the sky
James Webb’s scientific advances are related to the feat of his deployment at the Lagrange point L2 in 2022 [1] and also for its extraordinary contribution to evolution of knowledge of astrophysics in 2023.
Among James Webb’s greatest discoveries in 2023 are the production of images of galaxies 500 to 800 million years after the Big Bang, a better understanding of the standard model of cosmology, the location of the oldest black hole in the universe. [2] Researchers now know much more about the existence of dark matter, the gravity of black holes and their gravitational waves, parallel universes, the unification of quantum theory (infinitely small) and general relativity (infinitely large), the existence of habitable planets and their chemical composition.
All of these have been a matter for intensive research in theoretical physics throughout 2023. Thanks to James Webb and other telescopes, more than 5,500 exoplanets have already been identified. [3]
It is a shame that Hubert Reeves, author of Silence in the Azure , Poussières d’étoiles and L’heure de s’enivrer, was unable to continue his work in 2023.
Research on aging
It is known since several years that telomeres, (these kinds of DNA rods located at the end of a chromosome), act as a biological clock governing the lifespan of cells. Each replication of a new cell decreases the number of telomeres. This implies a loss of genetic information necessary for cellular functioning. This is what causes aging.
For almost all time, we have been looking for the fountain of youth. Surprisingly, it seems that we could get there in the near future. ( see also my article on eternal life )
Researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany demonstrated that biological aging can be delayed by improving the process of transcription of the genetic code. This process involves making an RNA copy (the messenger molecule of DNA) from a piece of DNA. Because, it becomes less efficient with age, it would be possible to delay aging by improving its precision. According to several scientists, this is a major discovery.
Finally, Harvard Medical School has managed to rejuvenate a two-year-old mouse by injecting it with a specific molecule, nicotinamide adenine nucleotide . it is a kind of fuel produced in the mitochondria, the energy centers of cells. The muscles of the two-year-old mouse have thus been brought back to a biological age of 6 months. As if a 60-year-old person suddenly regained the vitality and musculature of their 20s! This means that the aging process could even be reversed.
CERN, the largest particle accelerator in the world, stands for European Council for Nuclear Research. It consists of a 27-kilometer ring formed of superconducting magnets and accelerating structures that increase the energy of the particles. The accelerator collide particles at a speed close to the speed of light in order to detect their composition. It is the preferred scientific instrument for studying the fundamental structure of matter, that is to say the infinitely small.
The infinitely small
Niels Bohr published in 1913 a representation of an atom with an electron orbiting a nucleus. Since then, the science of the infinitely small has made infinitely large strides. The standard model of particles shows that the nucleus of atoms is made of many particles like fermions, quarks and leptons, hadrons and mesons, pions and kaons. [4]
CERN became famous for confirming in 2012 the existence of the Higgs boson [5] . This one has been dubbed the God particle because its interaction with other particules giving them mass shortly after the creation of the universe.
In 2023, CERN conducted several experiments that led to the following discoveries, including:
- More precise measurements of the mass of the Higgs bozon and the strong force (This is what binds quarks together to form protons, neutrons and atomic nuclei; it is so intense that it is called the strong force (or the strong interaction)
- The discovery of new elements in the atomic nucleus allowing us to understand its complex structure;
- A precise measurement of the asymmetry between matter and antimatter (and yes, antimatter really exists);
- First observation of neutrinos produced in colliders
The quest for an inexhaustible source of energy
Andrei Sakharov, one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1975, was already working in 1950 on the production of the TOKAMAK. It is a sort of artificial sun that would produce an almost inexhaustible quantity of energy from nuclear fusion (see in this regard my article ARTIFICIAL SUNS THAT WILL SAVE THE PLANET .
After several decades and after investing billions of dollars, one would have succeeded in producing more energy than we inject into it, thus exceeding what is called the ignition threshold. In 2023, ignition has been reached three times. [6] This means that controlled nuclear fusion can make it possible to produce clean, inexpensive, and almost inexhaustible energy. This is a solution to the needs of the energy transition in a context of global warming. Thanks to a joint declaration at COP28 to consider nuclear energy as an alternative energy to reduce our dependence on coal, oil and gas.
2- PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
The following text presents some examples of practical applications that will have an impact in the short term. Here are the top scientific discoveries of 2023 for practical applications.
A biological jackhammer
Nothing to do with building or demolition. This jackhammer is actually a molecule called aminocyanine, a synthetic dye already used in medical imaging. This molecule is mechanically activated when infrared light is projected on it: it vibrates and breaks the external membranes of cancer cells. [7] In other words, it is a real killer when it turns all red.
The results of a study published in the journal Nature Chemetry are impressive and herald a revolution in cancer treatment. These molecular jackhammers eliminate up to 99% of cancer cells. [8] This innovative therapy offers a promising, non-invasive approach for tumors that are particularly difficult to access.
Solid batteries with fast charging, safer and with more autonomy
Now considerable progress has been made in 2023 in the field of automobile batteries. This is true in particular through the development of solid batteries. This could make carbon neutrality possible in the near future. Transport sector is responsible for 50% of GHG emissions.
New developments in solid-state batteries make it possible to reduce recharging times, extend battery life, increase battery range and safety. In fact, they will increase the interest of buyers in electric vehicles precisely because of the improved battery performance. The problem of the purchase cost of electric vehicles remains to be solved, but that is another story.
Solid-state batteries offer many advantages over liquid batteries:
a significant improvement in safety because solid electrolytes are non-flammable when heated;
higher energy density with more usable capacity for lighter batteries and better life due to reduced self-discharge;
simplified mechanics as well as better thermal management and enhanced safety.
In the summer of 2023, a young Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, NIO, became the first in history to incorporate a solid-state battery into its vehicles. [9]
Furthermore, a team from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (United States) published a text in the journal Nature Materials discussing the possibility of manufacturing a solid battery that could be recharged in just ten minutes and that could be charged around 6,000 times, and therefore have a long life. [10]
Quantum computers and artificial intelligence
Quantum computers could also revolutionize the world. We are questioning the impact of AI on our lives. Also, we haven’t met yet the impact of all the potential of these machines.
In quantum physics, a particle can be in a superposition of several states simultaneously. Rather than using bits (either 0 or 1) to perform calculations, qubits are determined from the quantum states of particles. They thus make it possible to make simultaneous representations of several values and thus exponentially increase computing power, or even to resolve in a few minutes operations that traditional computers would take days to perform.
These computers are not yet ready, but we hope to have reliable computers within 3 to 10 years. It is estimated that in 2022, $35.5 billion will have been invested worldwide in quantum technologies, including $1.1 billion in Canada.
Of course, artificial intelligence has also been the object of many innovations. The reader can consult my article dealing with the repercussions of artificial intelligence on our society ( What are the repercussions of ChatGPT? A report published by the investment bank Goldman Sachs indicates that 300 million jobs are threatened across the world and that a “significant disruption is on the horizon as artificial intelligence becomes more tangible “. The report emphasizes that “ how the world adapts to AI will remain crucial for the incomes of millions of people .
Furthermore, OpenAI estimates that four out of five workers would see at least 10% of their tasks affected by AI, and nearly one in five workers would see at least half of their work affected.
The return of commercial supersonic aircraft
The Concorde, the supersonic plane that exploded in 2000, was capable of flying at Mach 2, twice the speed of sound. this commercial flights were stopped in 2003 because high fuel consumption (11.2 tons of kerosene per hour), and also because of the noise: it was allowed to fly only over the oceans. For the past two or three years, several projects for new Concordes have been on the drawing board. Among the projects, we find the following:
- Boom’s supersonic Overture aircraft could fly from Paris to New York in 3.5 hours at 1.7 times the speed of sound. Three airlines have already placed orders for a total of 130 aircraft. Commercial service is scheduled for 2029. The aircraft will be powered by a much more environmentally friendly sustainable fuel to replace kerosene; [11] The aircraft was presented at the last Paris Air Show in 2023.
- The X-59 designed by NASA and nicknamed “the son of Concorde”, is even more advanced. It could reach a speed of Mach 1.42. It has the characteristic of being much quieter by breaking the sound barrier.
- The Swiss start-up Destinus, founded in 2021, would like to put into service around 2030 an autonomous hypersonic aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen, eight times faster than current aircraft, using in part the propulsion system of cruise missiles. The aircraft would fly at Mach 5 and would make the Paris-New York trip in one hour. [12]
Conclusion
For world peace, let us make science and not war.
Louis Bellemare
[1] Note: the Lagrange point is a point where a body has reached an orbital speed around the Sun equivalent to that of the Earth, but is further away from it. The equivalence of speeds makes it possible to maintain the Sun in eclipse constantly relative to the position of the object and to maintain a constant temperature of the object.
[2] 8 Amazing Discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope in 2023
[4] The Standard Model of Particle Physics
[5] Note: Do I need to tell you and repeat that Bozon is not the name of my dog, nor is Higg the name of my parrot?
[6] Nuclear fusion, the ignition threshold was reached three times in 2023.
[7] A molecular jackhammer, a revolution in the treatment of cancers (futura-sciences.com) .
[8] Molecular ‘jackhammers’ kill up to 99% of cancer cells (trustmyscience.com)
[9] What is a solid electrolyte battery?
[10] Sciencepost, Electric car, Harvard develops a potentially revolutionary battery
[11] Evening edition, Aviation This is what the Overture supersonic aircraft looks like, this “new Concorde” announced for 2026
[12] NéoZone, A Paris-New York in 1 hour, a hypersonic hydrogen plane, Destinus will fly at five times the speed of sound.
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