Achievements that are certainly useful - victory over fever, harmless - pentaquarks have been found, interesting - psychology is still not exactly a science, and those that make you think hard
Another year is coming to an end on our journey into a future that is frightening and alluring. The main engine of this movement is science, but where exactly is it leading civilization? The answer becomes clearer if we sum up the results, highlight the most important scientific breakthroughs of the outgoing year, the prospects for their development and their authors - “progressors” in our terminology .
1. Defeated Ebola
Breakthrough: The Ebola vaccine turned out to work, and the vaccination campaign was effective.
Progressors: Public Health Agency of Canada and pharmaceutical company Merck.
Details: Where did Ebola go? Russian (and perhaps not only Russian) TV viewers began asking this question around mid-2015, when the main “horror story” of the last few months stopped appearing in news stories. Some even spoke out in the spirit of conspiracy theories: they say that they frightened us with information about the epidemic in order to distract us from something more important and terrible, and when they distracted us, they stopped frightening us. In fact, everything is simpler: it was by mid-summer that the disease outbreaks began to decline - the vaccine developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and improved by the pharmaceutical company Merck began to work.
The epidemic, which began in March 2014 in Guinea and became the largest since the discovery of the Ebola virus, spurred researchers and work that could otherwise have taken a decade was done in 10 months. The vaccine has been created. In April 2015, doctors administered the first vaccinations to people. Over the course of three months, 100 people infected with Ebola were selected for the experiment, and more than 2 thousand relatives and fellow tribesmen of the infected were vaccinated. It later turned out that of the people who received the vaccine, only 16 people got sick. Vaccination began to be carried out on a systematic basis: as soon as a person who has contracted Ebola is identified, everyone in his immediate circle is immediately sent “for an injection.”
Before the start of the vaccination campaign, doctors constantly recorded new cases of the disease. After the advent of the vaccine, the Ebola epidemic began to gradually subside.
Prospects: The World Health Organization estimates that the new vaccine will be between 75 and 100 percent effective. If the drug had been developed at least a year and a half earlier, thousands of people would have been saved: the 2014–2015 epidemic killed 11,315 people, and more than 28 thousand more were ill but were able to survive. In the first two weeks of December 2015, Ebola did not manifest itself even once. It is impossible to count how many lives the vaccine will help save in the future, but WHO representatives are already saying that for the first time in 40 years, the rules of the game are changing: now the advantage is on the side of the person, not the virus.
2. We flew to Pluto
Breakthrough: The New Horizons probe reached Pluto and collected a wealth of data about the dwarf planet and its moon Charon.
Progressors: NASA, although we owe just as much to Percival Lowell, who predicted the existence of Pluto, and Cloud Tombaugh, who discovered it.
Details: The New Horizons mission launched back in 2006, when Pluto was still considered a full-fledged planet, and no one had heard of Facebook, for example. For nine long years, the spacecraft steadily approached Pluto, mostly staying in hibernation mode and only waking up from time to time to adjust course and photograph space objects that came to hand. The objects, I must say, came across just right: the clouds of Jupiter alone are worth it. And while flying past Io, New Horizons took a series of pictures that revealed volcanic bursts on its surface, which were then even stitched together into a full-fledged video (the first video of a volcano erupting outside the Earth!). But all this was just preparation for the great success that awaited the probe in 2015. Color photographs of Pluto and its faithful companion Charon were obtained. Even people far from astronomy started talking about photographs with the “heart of Pluto” (the nitrogen sea).
Prospects: In total, the device observed Pluto for 9 days, during which it collected about 50 gigabits of information. Now he is slowly transmitting the collected data to Earth. As NASA says, the transmission will continue until the end of 2016, because its speed does not exceed 2000 bits per second. The information obtained will allow us to test some hypotheses, for example, about the presence of water under the ocean ice, or about the composition of the atmosphere of a dwarf planet. But the mission will not end there: on January 1, 2019, a flyby of asteroid 2014 MU69, a typical representative of the Kuiper belt, is planned. Perhaps it will be possible to find some other worthy targets to which the probe will be sent. But New Horizons has already achieved a lot. The last time humanity received images of an unknown planet was in 1989 - then it was Neptune. And there are no more unexplored planets left in the solar system.
3. Human genes edited
Breakthrough: The CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method was tested on human genes and improved.
Progressors : Genetic engineers from China and the USA.
Details: Last year, breakthrough experiments continued with the revolutionary and simple gene editing method CRISPR/Cas9, which gives us the ability to use special enzymes to find the desired section of DNA and change it by cutting out or adding lines of genetic program code. The most scandalous was the experiment of Chinese bioengineers who tested the method on initially non-viable human embryos. The result disappointed even the scientists themselves: out of 86 embryos, only in 28 the replacement complex managed to contact the desired section of DNA. The experiment was criticized, including by the journal Nature. In a critical article, scientists were urged not to use the method on humans due to the large number of unwanted mutations and unpredictable consequences, and drew attention to the fact that failures in experiments cast a shadow on successful attempts to treat individual organs using this system. However, very soon American scientists managed to increase the efficiency of the CRISPR/Cas9 method by an order of magnitude, reducing the number of errors to almost zero. We are very close to the technical possibility of editing the human genome.
Prospects: At a summit dedicated to editing the human genome, scientists decided that the time had not yet come to edit the genes that are inherited before the birth of a child. This temporary ban does not apply to treatment, the results of which will not be inherited. They did not completely ban “correcting” the human genome, reasoning that there will always be those who decide to break the ban. Genetic engineering will need to perfect its techniques to provide the key to editing inherited genes. At the first stage, this will make it possible to cure some diseases that are caused by changes in individual genes, and in the long term, perhaps, to the emergence of different variants of “posthumans” experimenting with their genome.
4. They dug up a “transition link”
Breakthrough: the remains of the most ancient people, called Homo naledi, were analyzed - judging by the anatomical structure, these are the earliest representatives of the human race, who lived 2-3 million years ago and claim to be a “transitional link” between australopithecine monkeys and humans.
Progressors: Lee Berger and the paleoanthropologists working with him.
Details: In 2013, two speleologists discovered a passage into a small chamber in a narrow tunnel of the Rising Star cave system, at the bottom of which rested sensational bones. Paleontologist Lee Berger organized a large-scale expedition to the cave, which is now called Dinaledi. Only the most slender researchers had a chance to see a wealth unprecedented for a paleontologist: in the cave they found one almost complete skeleton, a perfectly preserved hand and foot, and in total more than one and a half thousand fragments of skeletons of 15 people of different sexes and ages. A touch of mystery added to the sensational nature of this discovery. Only one tunnel led into the cave, long and extremely narrow, and geologists claimed that there had never been another way. Scientists have not found any traces of human activity: the transfer of water, the manufacture of tools, fire, which could allow ancient people to navigate the cave. But how and, most importantly, why did they get through the “skinner” into this cell? Did they grope their way through in search of shelter or a place to die in peace, or did their fellow tribesmen organize something like a primitive cemetery in the cave, dragging bodies there? Dating fossils could help answer this question. To do this, scientists needed to examine the sediment on the bones, the composition of flora and fauna, volcanic tuff or sand. But there was nothing of this in the closed cave, except for stone dust from the walls and ceiling, which covered the discovered bones with a layer 15 centimeters thick. And the main news was that the researchers discovered ancestors not already known to science, such as australopithecines, whose remains were often found in this area.
As a result of the research, a group of anthropologists described a new species of our ancestors - Homo naledi, or “star man” (“naledi” is translated as “star” from the South African Sesotho language). Two articles published so far describe in detail the features of the hands and feet of ancient humans. The structure of the hand indicates that Homo naledi made tools, were skilled tree climbers and, for an as yet unknown reason, had very developed thumbs. The “star man”’s legs turned out to be long, and his feet were not much different from modern ones, so he was adapted to long runs.
Prospects: The exact place on the family tree for Homo naledi has not yet been found, nor has the age of the fossils been determined. To do this, scientists will need to radiocarbon date the bones and further study the Rising Star cave system.
5. Caught a pentaquark
Breakthrough: In July, physicists announced the discovery of a new class of particles whose existence scientists predicted half a century ago but could not prove - pentaquarks.
Progressors: The article telling about the discovery of the pentaquark has about 700 authors, and in general, the honor of discoveries made at the Large Hadron Collider is shared among thousands of people who created it and are working there now.
Details: Quarks are fundamental particles from which two classes of composite particles are formed: baryons (these are the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of an atom) and mesons. Baryons consist of three quarks, and mesons consist of two: a quark and an antiquark. Typically, quarks do not form complex structures - if you put several quarks together, they do not combine, but immediately decay into mesons and baryons. Modern physics is not yet able to explain why this happens, since theoretically nothing prevents quarks from combining into groups of 4 or 5 particles: into tetra- or pentaquarks.
The possibility of such associations was substantiated in 1964, and since then physicists have conducted dozens of experiments in attempts to find particles consisting of two quarks and two antiquarks (tetraquarks) and four quarks and one antiquark (pentaquarks). By the end of the first decade of the 2000s, more than 10 teams of scientists from different countries announced positive results in the search for pentaquarks. But none of these results were confirmed in larger experiments. The search for a pentaquark began to be considered a thankless task and doomed to failure.
The discovery at the Large Hadron Collider was made almost by accident: physicists were studying the decay of a lambda baryon and unexpectedly saw a pentaquark. Considering the bad reputation of the pentaquark, physicists approached the study of the discovered particle very seriously, measuring the mass, parameters and quantum numbers for a long time, and rechecking the results. In the end, data of very high statistical significance were obtained - the existence of a new class of particles was officially proven.
Prospects: A pentaquark is not just a new particle, but a way of combining quarks into a multicomponent ordered structure, about the properties of which we still know little. The Large Hadron Collider detected two pentaquarks at once, similar in mass, and now physicists will try to explain how this is possible. It will probably be possible to discover different types of pentaquarks.
6. Most psychological research has been shown to be unreliable.
Breakthrough: It turned out that out of 100 psychological experiments, only 39 can be reproduced. The results obtained should lead to a change in the process of obtaining scientific knowledge.
Progressors: Collaboration for Open Science, led by Brian Nozek.
Details: Reproducibility of results is one of the main properties of science. What's the point of saying that you managed to carry out a controlled thermonuclear reaction in which the energy produced exceeded the energy expended if no one can then repeat your success? After all, this will actually mean that humanity has not received anything new, even if you are right. The results of psychological research often promise quite a lot and sound quite loud. Everyone wonders whether, for example, the fear reaction is different in children and adults. However, it turned out that confirming the results of such experiments is not so easy. Psychologists from the Collaboration for Open Science spent four years reproducing experiments published in leading psychology journals, and the results of the study were disappointing. According to scientists, they were able to reproduce only 39 out of 100 papers, and this despite the fact that 97% of the original publications declared the statistical significance of their result. Well... It could be worse, couldn't it?
Prospects: Of course, at first glance, this result does not at all look like a breakthrough in science. After all, it means that psychological experiments are most often carried out incorrectly, or the reliability of their results is incorrectly assessed. But it is much better if the problem is recognized and corrected than when everyone diligently pretends that it does not exist. This is where the research from the Collaboration for Open Science comes in handy. Scientists, realizing that the statistical significance of results does not always allow us to judge the importance of a discovery, will try to make the research process more transparent and the results more reliable. Perhaps we will soon experience a whole scientific revolution that will radically change the way we obtain knowledge in psychology. And at the same time, you see, they will trust psychological experiments more.
7. A new type of antibiotic was isolated
Breakthrough: In July, the journal Nature published an article about the discovery, for the first time in 30 years, of a new class of antibiotics - teixobactin.
Progressors: The antibiotic was “grown” by a team of biologists from the USA, Germany and Great Britain.
Details: Most of the antibiotics used today were created in the 60s of the 20th century, and since then many bacteria have developed resistance to them. Some dangerous diseases, such as tuberculosis, were once suppressed by ordinary penicillin. But now tuberculosis and other half-forgotten infections may once again become mass killers.
The paradox is that it is partly because of the rapidity with which any new antibiotics lose their effectiveness that pharmaceutical companies have stopped investing in modifying existing drugs and finding new forms. They gave up, one might say. The problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is called one of the main threats to humanity in the near future.
Researchers at NovoBiotics Pharmaceuticals have used a completely new method for producing antibiotics. They did not turn to known strains that can be grown in the laboratory, but decided to look for a new antibiotic in the main source of bacteria - in the soil. Scientists have developed a device that can be lowered into the ground and allow bacteria to grow in their natural environment. The substances that these bacteria released during their life processes were then tested on mice infected with dangerous diseases. One of these substances had pronounced antibiotic properties and turned out to be very effective against most gram-positive bacteria that are resistant to all other antibiotics. This is a new type of antibiotic.
Typically, antibiotics “spoil” the proteins of bacteria, and they respond by adapting to its attacks by changing the structure of the protein so that it becomes insensitive to the antibiotic. But the substance found damages such important enzymes responsible for the construction of the bacterial cell wall that any change in them is fatal to the bacterium. Provided that the new antibiotic is used with great caution - only in cases where other drugs are powerless, bacteria will be able to develop resistance to it no sooner than in 30-40 years.
Prospects: The company plans to bring the new drug to market within five years, and it will be a salvation for those who currently cannot be cured. However, this is not the main achievement of scientists: the method of searching for new antibiotics that they discovered will perhaps open a new era in the creation of antibiotics and we will have something to counter the threat of global epidemics caused by mutated bacteria.
8. Decided to cool the planet
Breakthrough: Strictly speaking, this is not a scientific achievement, but a diplomatic and public one, but on a scientific basis and very important. In December, UN countries adopted a new climate agreement - the Paris Agreement. According to him, by the end of the century the planet should not warm by more than two degrees Celsius. Countries are committed to doing everything possible to reduce this threshold to even one and a half degrees.
Progressors: Representatives of all humanity - the Paris Agreement was accepted by 195 countries of the world.
Prospects: Over the past 5,000 years, the Earth has warmed by only 4-5°C, but from 1980 to 2020, the temperature on the planet's surface has increased by 0.25°C every decade. In the UN's pessimistic scenario, the planet will warm by 2.6–4.8°C in the 21st century, affecting the lives of billions of people. Melting glaciers, which will lead to rising sea levels and flooding of islands and continental coasts, droughts and global disasters, are just some of the predicted consequences.
Industry and energy in most countries of the world depend on the combustion of fossil fuels. It is this process that is most responsible for the emissions of greenhouse gases, which, according to most scientists, provoke global warming. Giving up fossil fuels is now impossible, but as part of the agreement, UN countries agreed to work towards a gradual transition to a carbon-free economy. Energy will be spent more efficiently, countries will introduce new, environmentally friendly technologies, use renewable energy sources and diversify economies where they are too dependent on the production and consumption of hydrocarbon fuels. Each country independently determines how much it will be able to reduce emissions.
The conference participants in Paris were aware that such serious transformations could cause difficulties in the economies of many countries, both suppliers and active consumers of hydrocarbon fuels. The most vulnerable countries will receive financial support annually from other states, various international organizations and the commercial sector. States will create an emissions market, introduce a new tax and stimulate investment in new energy and industry.
Prospects: The Paris Agreement is legally binding, but has not yet been signed. For it to come into force, it must be ratified by at least 55 countries. This process will begin in April 2016 and will continue throughout the year. If the agreement is signed and countries adhere to the commitments it sets out, humanity will have a better chance of keeping the planet as it has been for the last 5,000 years.
9. Connected animal brains into a working network
Breakthrough: Neuroscientists at Duke University connected the brains of several rats into a network and forced the network to solve problems.
Progressors: Miguel Nicolesis and his laboratory staff.
Details: Scientists have approached the problem of mutual understanding radically. Neuroscientists from Duke University combined the brains of four adult rats, and the resulting “brainet” (brain network) solved quite vital tasks, such as image processing, storing and retrieving information, and even predicting the weather. In a way, a kind of organic computer was obtained, the productivity of which exceeded the productivity of a separate brain. What the test rats thought about this, unfortunately, is not reported. But it would be interesting to know what it’s like to have a common brain for four...
Prospects: Nicolesis’s research contributes to the development of brain-computer interfaces and methods of rehabilitation of people with impaired motor functions, but the main thing here is rather that a precedent has been created for the practical implementation of “Brainet”. Moreover, four unfortunate rats tied with electrodes are transferred from the category of science fiction to the category of promising technological projects “neuronet” - a future analogue of the Internet, in which the interaction of people, animals and machines is carried out using neurocommunications. It's hard to even imagine what kind of life this will bring to people. Perhaps a person connected by a nervous network with the world will not have a separate “I” at all, only “We” will remain, much like in the famous dystopia of Yevgeny Zamyatin.
10. Reversed the aging process
Breakthrough: A method has been developed that makes it possible to lengthen human telomeres, the end sections of chromosomes, by as much as a thousand nucleotides, the length of which largely determines the aging process of our body.
Progressors: A team of researchers from Stanford University led by Helen Blau.
Details: The reproduction of healthy cells in the body occurs through their division. During each division, the ends of the telomeres become smaller. In young people, telomeres are equivalent to 8-10 thousand nucleotides in length. As we grow and age, these “caps” decrease and at some point reach the point of “no return” - the cell stops dividing and finally dies. And the gradual death of cells, which carries with it the “littering” of the body, is, as many scientists believe, the main cause of aging.
The dependence of the body's aging processes on the state of telomeres was known before, as was the fact that a healthy lifestyle slows down their shortening, but Stanford researchers proposed a fundamentally different method: they proved that it is possible to use external medical intervention to directly increase the end sections of chromosomes.
The main tool of the new technology was modified RNA carrying the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene. After the introduction of such RNA, the cells begin to behave like young ones and actively divide. True, the elongated ends of telomeres begin to shorten again with each new division.
Prospects: People have always been looking for the answer to the question “How to live happily ever after.” And if happiness is not so simple, then thanks to the results of completed research, we have a good chance of significantly extending our days. Continuing research promises success in creating drugs, the regular use of which will increase the active life of the cells that make up our body, which means that we will get a few extra years to find the answer to the second part of the question - about happiness.
Fruits of progress
10 technologies that entered people's lives in 2015
1.Hoverboard instead of hoverboard
For an entire generation, 2015 was, among other things, the year Marty McFly arrived in Back to the Future. Unlike the film, in today's reality there are no hoverboards (that is, flying skateboards) yet to be seen. But hoverboards are rapidly becoming fashionable. According to the developers, the device, consisting of a horizontal platform for the feet and two wheels controlled by two electric motors, works like the human vestibular apparatus: gyroscopic sensors signal the electric motors to rotate forward or backward when the center of gravity is shifted. forward) accordingly. While hoverboards are being used more and more by celebrities and lovers of advanced gadgets, it is possible that these devices will soon supplant scooters and roller skates. The only thing left for hoverboards to do is become safer.
2.Genetically modified animals
The past year has brought several important advances in the proliferation of lab-created animals. Genetically modified mosquitoes developed by the British company Oxitec have been released in the Brazilian city of Piracicaba as a means of fighting fever. An artificial mutation in the genes of male mosquitoes transfers to females a gene that kills their offspring before puberty. This measure should sharply reduce the population of fever-carrying mosquitoes.
Another big news was the approval for the production and consumption of the first GM animal in the United States. It was AquAdvantage salmon with embedded DNA that affects the growth of the fish. Salmon was considered equally safe for both human health and the environment.
3.Small, fast, cheap courier
We're not talking about gnomes, but about drones - small remote-controlled aircraft. The number of drones used for commercial purposes grew exponentially in 2015. Already, they deliver goods to customers, monitor the situation on the roads and are used for many other purposes, the range of which will only expand: for example, drones will soon transmit an Internet signal to the most remote corners of the Earth. The largest American online store, Amazon, promises in the near future, using a new service, to deliver goods weighing up to 2.3 kg within half an hour and for only 1 dollar. And in Japan, the police are launching drones equipped with networks into the sky: there are so many drones that there is a need to catch potentially dangerous ones.
4. Personalized reality
In 2015, Facebook gave users the ability to tag posts from people they did or didn't want to see in their news feed. Until this point, the user’s news feed was filled completely automatically: the computer analyzed the history of his likes, comments and views in order to identify preferences and fill the feed with information that might be of interest to him. Now the machine also analyzes which publications you consciously prioritize or exclude from your feed, so that you have to do this as little as possible. However, the ability to independently participate in the formation of the news feed has finally changed the function of the social network. Now this is not just a site that you go to to find out what's new in the lives of your friends, and not even to find out the news. This is an information space where you will learn exactly and only what you want to know.
5.Internet for light bulbs
In the world of artificial lighting, as elsewhere in life, the digital revolution and general “internetization” are unfolding - only instead of people, lamps are connected to the network. Lighting technology is merging with information technology thanks to light emitting diodes (LED), a semiconductor device that emits light when current is passed through it. LEDs are much more economical than other light bulbs, but their most attractive feature is that their parameters can be controlled. An exemplary example for the rapidly growing smart lighting market is Philips' Hue, which can be easily controlled from a smartphone, changing color, color temperature and brightness, or setting different program modes - for example, in the early morning the program sets a cool light that encourages people to work, and in the evening - warm, pleasant and calming. And external sensors allow, for example, to automatically adjust the lighting level depending on the weather and time of day. Changes in lighting that occur thanks to LEDs are important not only in everyday life - in the past year they began to be used in agriculture, which is becoming less and less “rural” - crops are grown in rooms with artificially controlled light, where for each type of, say, lettuce , the optimal parameters of light radiation are selected.
6.Assembling robots at home
Microcomputers and ready-made kits for creating your own electronic devices experienced a boom in 2015. The community of makers was also gaining popularity - this is what they now call “homemade people” who love to make “smart” devices at home, for themselves. Anyone can now build their own robot based on a programmable mini-computer like Galileo or Edison, several sensors and connected to a global network - the range of construction kits is expanding, the cost of components is decreasing, it is becoming easier to connect and combine them, and educational materials are available on the Internet for free. In 2015, giants such as Intel, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon offered users a “cloud” infrastructure for managing home-made devices, storing and processing the data they create. By the way, processing data coming from such crafts around the world can open a new era in the “digitization of the world” and the formation of various databases.
7.Breaking language barriers
Interaction between people speaking different languages has always been a huge problem. It is difficult to even imagine the global world order and culture without language barriers, but it seems that the people of the planet will begin to understand each other without a translator very soon. In 2015, Skype launched a service for simultaneous speech translation of interlocutors speaking English, German and French (and translation of SMS messages from 50 languages of the world). This is clearly just the beginning of a revolution in the world of automated simultaneous translation - it seems the time has finally come to complete the Tower of Babel.
8.Supercomputer as a doctor
IBM, the creator of the Watson supercomputer, launched the IBM Watson Health cloud platform in the spring. Simply put, Watson AI now lives in the cloud and is used to analyze medical data. In particular, it helps doctors more accurately diagnose and select treatment. IBM has already entered into several agreements with major global brands operating in the field of healthcare services. Watson was trained to work with large amounts of medical data so that this artificial intelligence could draw on the expertise of researchers from around the world. Watson is constantly improving, receiving new data, helping to individualize recommendations for the patient and making mistakes less often than two-legged doctors.
9.Children from three parents
The UK government approved changes to the law in February to allow mitochondrial donation, making the UK the first country in which children can have genes from three parents rather than two. Mitochondria are tiny, but have their own genome “accumulators” of a living cell. Approximately 6,500 children a year worldwide are born with mitochondrial DNA defects that are fatal or lead to severe brain damage. Mitochondrial DNA in humans is transmitted only through the maternal line, and scientists have figured out how to get rid of damage by transplanting mitochondria from a healthy woman at the “in vitro conception” stage. Before the vote, there was debate in the House of Commons for more than two hours, and the position of the supporters of the amendment, led by the Minister of Health, turned out to be more convincing for the majority of parliamentarians than the position of the church and other opponents of the amendment.
10. Computers have gained vision
Capturing an image in a photograph or video is not the same as “seeing”, that is, “understanding” what exactly is depicted there. Teaching machines to see means teaching them to name objects, recognize people, understand relationships, emotions, actions and intentions. In the past year, a major step was taken in this direction - thanks to neural network methods of the so-called “deep learning”, programs began to appear that can recognize objects, sometimes even better than people, and even describe in sentences what they saw in a photograph. Of course, this is not yet a full-fledged vision - for example, a computer cannot appreciate the beauty of a painting. But gradually machines gain vision. In the very near future, there will be a mechanism for searching information using keywords in countless photographs and videos on the Internet. Step by step, and we will not notice how we will perceive the world through not only our own, but also computer eyes.
Today we live in a world where there is almost everything a person could want. But it was not always so. Humanity has long and painstakingly created such conditions. It is difficult to imagine that people used to do without the modern benefits of civilization. Russia, of course, is a locomotive of progress. Every person in our great country should know about its achievements and be proud of them. This is our dignity, heritage and history.
Light bulb and radio
Russia's scientific achievements are valued all over the world, as they have made a huge contribution to the development of the civilization of all modern humanity. Among them there are those that we know about from school, but there are those known mainly in narrow circles (and their value is no less).
Today there is an electric light bulb in every home, but the first light bulbs were lit thanks to Russian engineers P. N. Yablochkov and A. N. Lodygin (1874). Initially, their invention was not recognized in their homeland, and they were forced to develop their ideas abroad. Of course, it took scientists a lot of time and effort to create a small lighting device. The American Thomas Edison made a significant contribution to improving the lamp, but Russian scientists were the first to create it!
Radio is an achievement of Russia, thanks to the brilliant physicist and electrical engineer A.S. Popov. (1895). It is very difficult to overestimate the importance of radio in the history of mankind. The primacy of Alexander Stepanovich is often disputed abroad, but there are facts confirming this. By the way, the invention and contribution of the professor were immediately recognized in Russia, for which he was awarded.
Airplane and helicopter
The achievement of Russia and the contribution of its husbands to the development of modern aviation are breakthrough in nature. Russian military leader and inventor Mozhaisky A.F. was decades ahead of his Western like-minded people in the creation and successful use of an aeronautical vessel. In 1876, he was the first in the world to fly comfortably on a kite he created, and a little later he introduced the world's first steam-powered airplane (1882).
The greatest aircraft designer adds to the list of “Great Achievements of Russia” with his inventions. His fate was such that he was forced to immigrate to the United States, so Americans are also proud of the results of the work of this brilliant designer. Igor Ivanovich was the first in the world to create a four-engine aircraft (1913), a heavy four-engine bomber and a passenger aircraft (1914), a transatlantic seaplane and a single-rotor helicopter (1942). It is worth noting that he implemented his latest ideas in the USA, although the inventor had a very difficult time there too.
Russian scientists - engines of progress
Russia's technical achievements are inextricably linked with such inventors as I.I. Polzunov. and Kostovich O.S.
I.I. Polzunov glorified himself and his fatherland by creating a steam engine and the world's first two-cylinder steam engine (1763). There was practically no limit to the variety of uses of the steam engine; these inventions shook the world.
It is believed that the first internal combustion engine belongs to G. Daimler and V. Maybach. But this is not entirely true; a little earlier (in 1879) O.S. began developing a gasoline engine. Kostovich. The engine was part of his inventions: an airship, a submarine, etc. He was the first to construct a model of a multi-cylinder engine, a sample of which was taken as the basis for modern devices. By the way, Ogneslav Stepanovich’s homeland is Astro-Hungary, but he is considered a Russian inventor, since he lived and worked here.
Scientists' inventions go beyond the planet
Brilliant people devote their lives to science and inventions, and this is how great achievements appear. Russia, of course, should be more caring towards people whose innovative ideas, work and faith in success drive global technological progress. So, S.P. Korolev, one of the best scientists in the field of space rocketry and shipbuilding, was arrested and tortured.
Under the leadership of Sergei Pavlovich, Russia was the first in the history of mankind to launch an artificial earth satellite (1957). A little later, the Luna-2 station, for the first time in world history, took off from the Earth and stopped at another space object, marking its flight with the pennant of the Soviet Union on the Moon (1959). This space breakthrough raised the authority of the USSR throughout the world.
Scientific achievements of Russian scientists
In Russia there have always been people whose works and conclusions forced science to develop rapidly. The scientific achievements of Russia, which the world cannot do without, appeared thanks to the following scientists:
M.V. Lomonosov (1711-1740) was the first to formulate the principle of conservation of matter and motion, discovered the atmosphere on Venus and made a huge contribution to glass production. The versatility of Mikhail Vasilyevich is amazing; his discoveries still resonate in scientific circles.
Brilliant mathematician, “father” of non-Euclidean geometry.
D. I. Mendeleev. Many people associate Russian science with the creator of the periodic table of chemical elements (1869).
Russia is rich in scientists who have made a huge contribution to the development of science and various areas of human life.
Course - saving human lives
Not only Russia’s achievement, but also the colossal success of scientists around the world allowed medical communities to take a big step in providing medical care.
The Russian experimental scientist was the first in the world to perform surgery on the liver and heart (1951). Demikhov Vladimir Petrovich created the world's first model of an artificial heart. His experiments (two-headed dogs in 1956) even today do not fit into the minds of people who are far from science, but the benefits of his work continue through the years.
M.A. Novinsky is known to the medical community as the founder of experimental oncology. The veterinarian vaccinated animals against malignant tumors (1876-1877). Russian geneticist N.P. Dubinin proved the fragmentability of the gene (1930).
Russian culture
Our fatherland is famous not only for its discoveries in medicine, science and technology; Russia’s cultural achievements are also known throughout the world.
The most famous figures in different areas of culture and their achievements:
When listing the achievements in Russian culture, we must not forget about such areas as theater, cinema, architecture and sculpture. Russian masters presented a huge number of magnificent and priceless works to their people and the whole world.
Modern achievements
Russia has always been a world power. Our great country has long held, is holding, or is regaining leadership in many areas. How many breakthroughs have been made in science, technology and culture throughout the history of the country! But even today Mother Russia is not poor in talent. The inquisitive mind, imagination, craving for beauty and determination of our compatriots glorify the country with amazing and useful discoveries.
Russia's modern achievements bring not only recognition to individuals and the country, but also significant financial incentives.
List of the most significant achievements of Russia in 2014:
1. Winter Olympic Games in Sochi (holding).
2. Scientists from St. Petersburg have developed a unique plasma generator projectile, which has created a real sensation in the oil business around the world.
3. The new diesel fuel, which was developed by Russian scientists for the military, is frost-resistant (there are no analogues with such indicators in the world yet).
4. Scientists in St. Petersburg have developed a portable device to restore blood circulation in the body. The principle of operation is similar to the operation of an artificial heart. This unique device will be installed in ambulances and will save millions of lives.
This is just a short list of things that Russia is rightfully proud of. This list does not include achievements in such areas as sports, politics, education, the military sphere and much more. Many great people have not been forgotten: Gagarin Yu.A., Kalashnikov M.T., Nesterov P.N., Kruzenshtern I.F. and others. It's nice to live in a country where all the great achievements and talented people are difficult to collect in a small list.
The most important achievement of Russia
Here is presented only a small part of the successes in the scientific and cultural fields of the country, significant events that make the world respect Russia.
But what is Russia's most important achievement? Throughout history there have been so many great discoveries that have propelled the development of all mankind, but which one can be considered a priority?! The answer is obvious.
The most important achievement of Russia, its pride and strength are talented people who love their country. The fate of many geniuses is very difficult, even tragic, but they continued to create, invent and achieve the most daring goals, because they could not do otherwise. Humanity, using the ideas and results of the work of our compatriots, must say “thank you” to them. Russia has something to be proud of, every self-respecting citizen should know this.
Experts from the American Academy of Neurology have found that drinking sugary drinks and soda increases the severity of symptoms of multiple sclerosis, a common autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. This was reported in a press release on EurekAlert!. The study involved 135 people..
2019-03-10 62 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization – search engine optimization of your website to raise it to the top of search engine leaders. People most often click on the first 2-3 options. Nowadays, any self-respecting company has a website. People are ordering more and more products...
2019-03-10 48 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Specialists from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research and Rutgers University explained the dangers of using atomic weapons in the conflict between India and Pakistan. Even if only a fraction of the countries' nuclear missiles are launched, it will seriously affect the global climate...
2019-03-03 97 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Scientists at Rutgers University in the United States have found that rising ocean temperatures due to climate change are leading to a significant decline in fisheries, which is exacerbated by overfishing. This was reported in a press release on Phys.org. Researchers studied the impact of ocean warming on 235 populations..
2019-03-03 102 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Many of us who travel frequently sometimes plan our route not just to be the shortest, but also to ensure that it goes through certain airports. The reason is that at some airports there is simply nothing to do, and at some you won't even have enough time to...
2018-11-15 1036 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
From November 10 to November 16, 2004, aircraft and ships of the US Navy Nimitz carrier strike group three times attempted to pursue a maneuvering unidentified flying object (UFO) over the waters off the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico). Details of the incident are reported by The War Zone. Although information about the meeting of the US Navy with Tic Tac is for the first time..
2018-06-04 21668 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Chinese scientists plan to increase rainfall in the Tibetan Plateau to 10 billion cubic meters per year. As part of the Tianhe (Sky River) project, tens of thousands of chambers will be installed in the mountains, which will release particles of silver iodide into the atmosphere - a compound...
2018-05-02 5784 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Swiss physicists have demonstrated for the first time the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox (EPR paradox) on a quantum system consisting of 600 rubidium atoms. Scientists managed to break local realism by creating entanglement between two parts of a cloud of super-cooled gas and proving the possibility of control.
2018-05-02 5581 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Scientists at the National Center for Scientific Research in France have shown that reducing the number of calories in the daily diet prolongs life in primates. The researchers came to this conclusion based on the results of an experiment involving lemurs, according to a press release on EurekAlert!. During a long-term study..
2018-04-09 6200 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Scientists at the University of Michigan have found that in an unconscious state, the interaction between different regions in the human brain becomes more difficult, and local areas become more connected. Thus, the researchers concluded that consciousness is the result of the integration of individual parts.
2018-03-04 3619 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Scientists from Brigham Young University in the USA have established a connection between running and improved memory. A study on this topic was published in the journal Neuroscience. According to scientists, running reduces the negative impact of chronic stress on the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory. Researchers conducted an experiment...
2018-02-22 5130 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Indian scientists have found that specific proteins in mitochondria, called sirtuins (SIR), help slow aging. A preprint of the study has been published in the bioRxiv.org repository. Sirtuins are enzymes that catalyze the removal of acetylase from various proteins. The researchers discovered that a number of sirtuins contained in the nucleus...
2018-02-06 3863 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Scientists from the US Geological Survey have found that 793 million kilograms of mercury have accumulated in the permafrost of the Earth's northern hemisphere. Melting ice as a result of global warming will lead to the release of toxic metal into the environment and a global environmental disaster. The researchers' article has been published..
2018-02-06 5135 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Increased activity of telomere lengthening proteins is associated with accelerating aging, and not slowing it down, as previously thought. This conclusion was reached by a group of American scientists from the University of California at Los Angeles, Boston University, Stanford University and the Institute for Aging Research at the non-profit organization Hebrew..
2018-02-05 3165 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Evolutionary psychologist Gordon G. Gallup claims that rumors about a human-chimpanzee hybrid are true. According to him, such a hybrid was born in 1920 in Florida, USA. Science Alert reports this. According to the scientist, the chimpanzee egg was...
2018-01-31 2983 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
The hands of the symbolic Doomsday Clock, the movement of which reflects the level of danger of nuclear war and climate-related threats, were decided to be moved forward by 30 seconds after an analysis of new risks. This was reported in a press release on the Bulletin of Atomic website..
2018-01-28 2637 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
An international group of scientists from France and Canada has suggested that human consciousness is a byproduct of the growth of entropy. In mathematics, the latter is equal to the amount of information that a system can contain. In the human brain, entropy is determined by the maximum possible number of configurations...
2018-01-28 3077 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
MSU scientists studied the chemical composition of organic films remaining in the folded imprints of ancient Beltanelliformis organisms. It turned out that the mysterious creatures were colonies of bottom cyanobacteria. This was reported in a press release received by the editors of Lenta.ru. Beltanelliformis are one of the oldest forms..
2018-01-24 2434 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
Astrobiologists from the USA and Japan have admitted that viruses must exist on other planets of the solar system and exoplanets, writes Gizmodo. The researchers' article was published in the journal Astrobiology. As scientists noted, on Earth virions - viral particles consisting of nucleic acid and proteins - can easily...
2018-01-23 1845 0 Miscellaneous, interesting
According to British physicist Stephen Hawking, humanity faces death in 100 years due to the unbearable heat that will result from global warming. The scientist spoke about this in the second episode of the documentary series “Favorite Places,” CNET reports. How..
These inventions deserve not only our attention, but also success on the world stage. After all, these technologies can dramatically change our way of life. The good news is you don't have to wait years for them because they are already here and ready to use!
15. Glowing plants
For a long time, scientists have been looking for cheaper and more efficient methods of artificial lighting. Finally, they succeeded. They managed to create several types of plants that emit light in the dark. Such plants can be used in urban environments to reduce electricity costs. Not to mention that the concrete jungle could use some plants.14. Vertical farms
To ensure that humanity will always be provided with healthy and fresh food, scientists and farmers have teamed up and created an innovative method of farming. It differs from the traditional one in that the plants are grown indoors, with an emphasis on saving space. Thanks to this method, people in cities will be able to grow their own food or buy fresh food in stores at any time of the year.
13. Internet from a balloon
About four billion people in the world still do not have access to the Internet. Large Internet companies regularly come up with new ways to make the Internet accessible in all corners of the Earth. This is how the idea came up to launch balloons into the atmosphere that would “deliver” the Internet to hard-to-reach areas. Such a project will help residents of developing countries become better acquainted with the world around them and find higher-paying jobs.
12. Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a branch of science that seeks to combine technology and living organisms for useful purposes. The beneficial products range from food, including cheese, yogurt and kefir, to medicines and biological sensors. Biotechnology continues to improve and offer new solutions. Currently, the idea of crops that are drought-resistant and contain more vitamins is popular in biotechnology.
11. Virtual reality
Due to the popularity of video games, gaming companies are constantly developing more and more sophisticated ways to provide the player with an unforgettable experience. Their main goal is to make us feel like we are living in the game, and not sitting at home in front of the monitor. To achieve this effect, various companies are releasing a variety of virtual reality immersion products. One of the most interesting options is a mask, which during the game allows you to even feel the aromas of the wild area.
10. Test tube meat
Many people stop eating meat because they don't want to harm animals. To their delight, scientists have come up with a method that allows them to create meat in the laboratory. Not only does it cut down on the resources and energy it takes to raise the animal, the meat is healthier and tastes just like the real thing. Not to mention how much space will be freed up on the planet when animal farms disappear.
9. Exoskeletons
Of course, we are still a long way from the Iron Man suit, but the first steps have already been taken - exoskeletons are no longer an object of fantasy, but a real reality. They return people with spinal injuries the ability to walk and enjoy life to the fullest. Over time, these primitive exoskeletons will only get better - easier to use, more convenient and cheaper.
8. Devices controlled by the power of thought
If you constantly forget where you put your smartphone, you will like this news. Scientists have developed a method that allows you to control devices with the power of thought. This technology was first tested on people who had lost their mobility. It turned out to be so successful that already in 2004 people were playing ping pong with the power of their thoughts. This technology will definitely make our lives easier, not to mention the possibilities it opens up for video games of the future.
7. High-speed transport
The world continues to expand, and more and more often we feel the need to be in two places at the same time. Therefore, humanity is constantly looking for ways to move faster. One of the best examples of new technologies in this area is Elon Musk's hyperloop. It promises to be so fast that the six-hour journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco will be covered in thirty minutes. And this is not the only such project in development.
6. Genome change
Because more and more people are being born with genes that complicate their lives and increase their risk of mortality, geneticists have created technologies that make it possible to “cut out” harmful genes, add new ones, and “turn on and off” existing ones. And this is not just a way to make people healthy - this technology can help people who, for example, have always dreamed of being athletes, but lack the necessary genes. Of course, this procedure does not guarantee 100% results, and people will still have to work hard to master the desired skills.
5. Modern desalination
Although people have long learned to produce drinking water using desalination, the old methods are too labor-intensive and not effective enough. Humanity now has a better understanding of physics and chemistry, and scientists have created more efficient ways to desalinate water. Now this can be done not only faster and cheaper, but also with additional benefits. Among them are free minerals. Yes, the water is full of them, and desalinated water can become a cheap source of minerals needed for production. Plus, billions of tons of desalinated water can feed the entire planet.
4. Real tricorder
If you're a science fiction fan, you're probably familiar with this device from Star Trek. It was this that the characters in the series used to measure medical indicators. The real version of this device can measure blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, pulse, temperature, respiration, and also diagnose 12 diseases, including chickenpox and HIV.
3. Drones in agriculture
More and more farmers are asking for help from modern technology. Drones are one of these assistants. Although they look similar to those used in the military and film production, their functionality is very different. Their main task is to take infrared images that allow farmers to determine where seeds are germinating successfully and where problems begin. Some companies are creating agricultural drones that can destroy harmful insects, mold and other things that are unpleasant for the crop.
2. Super materials
With a deeper understanding of chemistry, we have learned to create new, exciting materials. These include graphene, a material that consists of only a single layer of carbon atoms. Thanks to this thickness, it stretches easily, has high thermal conductivity and is 200 times stronger than steel. Graphene can be used to create... anything. Graphene will make armored vehicles, clothing, computers and many other things much better and much more durable.
1. 4D printers
You've probably heard about 3D printers. But you are unlikely to know about the existence of 4D printers. Both perform the same task - printing materials or special objects - but 4D creates objects that can change under external influences. The fact is that living conditions are constantly changing, and what we needed yesterday may no longer be needed in a year. To avoid creating things that only last a short time, researchers have created printers and materials that are amazingly adaptable to all types of environmental changes, damage and other potential hazards.
Latest achievements of science and technology known and always in sight. But people tend to forget how far we have come in science and technology in a relatively short period of time.
In the 1870s there was the first house to be lit by electricity. Cars began to become affordable 100 years ago, with the first transatlantic flight in 1927. Televisions became widely available after World War II.
In other words, the progress achieved by humanity in a relatively short period of time thanks to Edison, Bell, Tesla, Einstein, Franklin, Salk, the Wright brothers and many others.
People tend to simply adapt to these incredible, significant inventions without realizing how completely our world has been changed in a short period of time.
It's worth taking a look back at some of the amazing recent advances in science and technology that people have made
Cell phones
Telephones have been around since the end of the 19th century, but began to be available in the seventies. Today, by some estimates, more than 5 billion people worldwide have mobile phones. This is considered one of the most important recent achievements of science and technology.
Artificial heart
There is nothing more interesting than life. Implanting an artificial heart in a human in 1982 was an extraordinary step toward extending human life, even if the patient initially lived only 112 days. Even just for one day, more advanced versions of artificial organs will likely allow us to live much longer, more productive lives.
Personal Computer
Today, we take for granted that we have a machine that allows us to access the Internet, process word, use a calculator, watch TV and play games.
But, the personal computer became widely available to consumers in 1974. Microsoft Windows became available in 1985, and without the prevalence of personal computers, the Internet would not have had as much influence.
Flight into space and the first communications satellite
In 1961, Gagarin's space flight ushered in a new era, and in 1962, the first satellite capable of sending and receiving data was sent into orbit. Today we use satellites for GPS, TV, radio, weather tracking, military surveillance, space and global communications among other things.
Moon landing
In 1969, a feat that was so fantastic that there are still theorists claiming it couldn't be possible. The flight to the moon opened the door to future space travel and led to a number of spin-off inventions, including fire-resistant textiles used by firefighters, invisible braces, improved satellite dishes, and better medical imaging.
Internet World Wide Web
ARPANET (the first Internet) was invented in 1969 and introduced to the public as the World Wide Web starting in 1993. Today, more than 20 years later, the web has revolutionized news distribution, created a multi-trillion dollar new economic phenomenon, and is playing a role in revolution and connectivity across much of the globe.
Microchip
The predecessor of the transistor, like the microchip, was invented back in 1959, but it really began to be used in the 1980s. Because back then, incredible advances in microchips made it possible to use them cheaply and effectively in calculators, personal computers, ID systems, ATMs, satellites, pacemakers, cell phones and microwave ovens and many, many other products. This invention of the century belongs to the category of the latest achievements of science and technology.