Here are the 10 most noteworthy scientific events of 2005 according to LiveScience magazine.
Natural Disasters
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A body floats after Hurricane Katrina passed |
– A Nightmare of Hurricanes
2005 was the year with the highest number of hurricanes in history. The National Hurricane Center of the United States could not even predict the total number of hurricanes accurately. Previously, the center had estimated that there would be 18-21 Atlantic hurricanes, but the actual number exceeded expectations, surpassing the number of letters in the Roman alphabet (which is used to name hurricanes), requiring the use of Greek letters as well. When mentioning 2005, one cannot help but remember Katrina, the biggest hurricane ever to strike the United States, causing over $125 billion in damages.
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The devastation following the earthquake |
– Earthquakes
In addition to hurricanes, earthquakes were another natural disaster that humanity faced helplessly this year. The most notable was the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the impoverished country of Pakistan, claiming more than 80,000 lives. Other smaller earthquakes also caused significant damage in countries like China and Japan.
Space
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Object 2003UB313 |
– Discovery of the “Tenth Planet” in the Solar System?
To this day, it remains uncertain whether the object designated 2003UB313 can be classified as a planet, as the criteria for planet classification are still not agreed upon by the scientific community. This object is considered the largest in the solar system since the discovery of Neptune in 1846 and is 1.5 times larger than Pluto, the ninth planet. 2003UB313 is situated 97 times farther from the Sun than Earth.
– Ice Sea on the Red Planet
The Mars Express probe orbiting Mars has sent back images of a massive ice sea lying just beneath the planet’s surface, near the equator. It is estimated that this ice sea covers an area of 800×900 km with a depth of about 45 meters. This is believed to be the result of a flood that occurred around 5 million years ago, with sediment gradually covering the ice over time. If these observations are correct, they will provide a basis for deeper research into the possibility of life on Mars.
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A black hole in the universe |
– Appearance of Black Holes
For the first time, scientists have learned of a type of black hole that creates new stars instead of sucking in anything nearby, including light. The stars surrounding this black hole were formed less than one light year away. This new star cluster has a mass 30-50 times that of the Sun and shines 100,000 times brighter than the Sun due to burning hydrogen at a much faster rate. Over the next 5 million years, 80% of this star cluster will explode and give rise to new black holes.
Archaeology
– The Oldest Remains of Modern Humans
Actually, the two skulls known as Omo I and Omo II were discovered along the Omo River in the Kibish region of Ethiopia back in 1967, but it wasn’t until 2005 that scientists reached a solid conclusion regarding their age. These skulls are approximately 200,000 years old, making them the oldest remains of modern humans discovered to date. In most previous cases, evidence of modern humans was only dated to about 50,000 years ago. This indicates that for the previous 150,000 years, Homo sapiens existed without any cultural materials, music, or tools.
Research and Experiments
– Complete Rice Genome Map
Everyone knows the importance of rice in human life. Therefore, the complete mapping of the rice genome is a significant event. Rice has a genome similar to that of corn, wheat, barley, and sugarcane, so the research on other food crops is definitely within reach. The rice genome map will help increase yield and pest resistance.
– The Role of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology, the science of ultrafine materials, is rapidly developing. A nanoparticle is smaller than 100 nanometers (1 nanometer equals one billionth of a meter). Scientists are gradually integrating nanotechnology into human life, especially in medicine. The world is awaiting experiments applying nanoparticles to cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is expected to help produce drugs that can target specific areas, along with applications in less toxic surgery and chemotherapy.
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The first cloned dog |
– Ethical Concerns in Cloning
In February 2004, Professor Hwang Woo Suk, a pioneer in the field of cloning in South Korea, announced the successful cloning of the world’s first human embryo. In 2005, he produced the first cloned dog. However, by the end of the year, a scandal involving this professor emerged in the media. Colleague Roh Sung Il accused Hwang of deception in his stem cell research and raised questions about the exchange of stem cells in his work.
Medicine
– The First Face Transplant
At the end of November, ethical issues and limits of human organ transplantation were reignited when, for the first time in the world, doctors successfully performed a full face transplant on a French woman.
The woman had sustained severe facial injuries that could not be restored using conventional surgical techniques. After the transplant, she bore the face of the organ donor.
PHUONG NGUYEN
