essay about science month 2023

Science | December 20, 2023

The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2023

From an asteroid sample that was delivered to Earth to a discovery about human migration from North America, these were the biggest moments of the year

Carlyn Kranking and Joe Spring

In 2023, a whirlwind of science headlines swept across our screens, from the find that our ancestors nearly went extinct 900,000 years ago to the discovery of a brilliant green comet in the sky. In major health news, the coronavirus public health emergency expired , and the disease took up less of our attention, though it continued to have disastrous impacts . Medical experts are anticipating updated annual vaccines will be released to continue fighting the virus as it evolves.

Also evolving rapidly this year was artificial intelligence, which found uses in everything from medicine to wildlife biology. In one innovative application, it was used to help forecast when birds took to the skies. Such an ability can help officials determine when to turn off building lights to prevent bird strikes—a conservation strategy that made national news when almost 1,000 birds died in one night after hitting a single lakeside building in Chicago.

That was a grim stat, but the year was filled with amazing news as well, including the astounding images released by the James Webb Space Telescope . In major math news, researchers found a shape with a pattern that never repeats. And in France, scientists discovered that arresting patterns left in rock are the oldest known Neanderthal cave engravings .

Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, climate change continued to generate plenty of headlines, as the year became the hottest on record . Amid intensifying natural disasters , world leaders gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28. While the proceedings closed with a landmark deal that made the first-ever global commitment to transition away from fossil fuels , several experts criticized the text for not going far enough .

While we were riveted by all of those stories and more, only some made our list of the biggest science events and discoveries this year. Plenty of amazing new findings surely await us in 2024, but before we cover them, here’s a look back at the moments that shaped 2023 as another major year in science.

Archaeologists find ancient Native Americans crossed back over to Asia

Between 20,000 and 30,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers from eastern Eurasia likely ventured over to North America across the Bering Strait. But research this year suggests they and their descendants didn’t make a one-way trip. Several times in history, ancient Native Americans made their way back across the strait to Eurasia , according to a study published in Current Biology in January. Researchers recovered ancient DNA from ten Eurasian individuals who lived 500 to 7,500 years ago. Their analysis shows that humans with Native American lineages traveled as far away as Kamchatka and central Siberia, likely returning from North America to Asia roughly 5,000 years ago.

The find was one of many interesting discoveries related to ancient migrations and the Americas this year. In July, a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B described three pendants in Brazil made from sloth bones that date to between 25,000 and 27,000 years before present. That find supports the theory that humans made it to the Americas earlier than previously thought. (For many decades, researchers thought humans traveled from Russia to Alaska roughly 15,000 years ago.) And in an October study published in Science , an analysis of evidence found near fossilized footprints in New Mexico suggests that the imprints date to 23,000 years ago, which also supports the idea of an earlier migration of humans to North America. While the timeline of migrations to the Americas—and back—continues to be debated, many sites that will offer more clues await discovery and analysis. —Joe Spring

Artificial intelligence yields scientific breakthroughs as experts call for caution

2023 was a “ breakout year ” for artificial intelligence. Following the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT at the end of 2022, machine learning has increasingly been in the public eye. A.I. made its way into courtrooms , music and art this year, raising a slew of ethical concerns . In the realm of science, the cutting-edge technology is paving the path toward new discoveries and more advanced processing of data.

Several groups of researchers experimented with having A.I. algorithms generate words , images and even music based on people’s brain scans—a technique that, down the line, could help stroke patients and paralyzed people to communicate by thinking . Machine learning has helped in conservation, such as by tracking migrating birds —the A.I.-powered tool BirdCast can alert people to an incoming wave of migrants, which may help prevent disease , inform Lights Out programs to reduce window strikes , and tip off birders about flocks in their area. Scientists are also developing A.I. tools that can identify species based only on a photograph , distinguish between similar-looking mushrooms or pinpoint a bird species from its song. And, inspired by the way ChatGPT follows patterns in language to generate words, researchers have experimented with translating whale sounds using A.I.

At the same time, experts warned this year of the need to regulate the rapidly advancing technology. Geoffrey Hinton, a machine learning pioneer widely called the “Godfather of A.I.,” quit his part-time job with Google in May so that he could speak more freely about his unease regarding A.I.’s future. Experts have raised concerns that A.I. could spread misinformation, manipulate humans and alter the job market if it isn’t controlled. But innovation continues, and it seems likely that researchers will increasingly use A.I. to attempt breakthroughs in many fields. —Carlyn Kranking

NASA retrieves asteroid bits to shine light on Earth’s origins

On September 24, 8.8 ounces of rock and dust collected from an asteroid named Bennu landed in the Utah desert . The astronomical delivery was the result of a more than seven-year NASA mission in which the agency’s OSIRIS-REx probe journeyed 1.2 billion miles to the asteroid to retrieve the sample. The 4.5-billion-year-old Bennu existed before Earth did, so it could hold clues about how our planet formed and which building blocks of life meteorites delivered here long ago.

Initial analysis revealed evidence of water and a high carbon content on Bennu. While the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is already off to visit another asteroid, researchers on Earth will study the Bennu sample for two years and set aside some of the rock for later examination. And while much of the rock will be analyzed behind closed doors, a 0.3-inch, 0.005-ounce sample is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, so you can get a glimpse of an object that is truly far-out. —J.S.

The Titan submersible imploded while searching for a shipwreck

The world watched in June after OceanGate’s Titan submersible went quiet during a dive to the Titanic . The craft and its five passengers descended toward the famous wreck on Sunday, June 18, at 8 a.m., but it lost contact with its base ship, the Polar Prince , around 10:45 a.m. At 5:40 p.m., roughly three hours after the sub was supposed to breach the surface, officials notified the Coast Guard the craft was overdue. Airplanes and a Bahamian research vessel with remote-operated robots helped scour an area twice the size of Connecticut. Numerous television stations and news outlets covered the search as fears mounted that the crew was running out of oxygen. And on Thursday morning, the Coast Guard found debris consistent with a catastrophic implosion of the submersible.

Onboard was Stockton Rush, the CEO and co-founder of OceanGate, who considered himself a maverick and breaker of rules . He had gone forward with that dive and others despite safety concerns. Two former employees had raised issues about the craft’s hull, and more than three dozen experts warned that catastrophic problems could occur due to company’s experimental approach. Though many in the public waited to hear news about the sub after it went missing, experts expected the worst . And while the actual scientific benefits of Titan ’s dive were likely minimal , the sub’s tragic end shed a light on the value of the time and effort that goes into scientific exploration of the deep sea. Scientists who dive to the ocean’s depths for serious study go down in crafts that have undergone rigorous testing. Because of that, nearly 50 years had passed since a fatal accident on such a submersible. That all changed with a company that dove despite multiple warnings. —J.S.

Wildfires burned through Canada and Hawaii

Devastating wildfires dominated the news again in 2023. Blazes set a record in Canada, scorching more than 45 million acres by October. The country’s previous annual record, standing since 1989, was less than half that, at 19 million acres burned . As climate change causes higher temperatures, Canada’s fire season has become longer by about two weeks, and larger fires have grown more common. Hundreds of such “megafires,” covering 39 square miles (10,000 hectares) or more, incinerated our northern neighbor this year. Many had massive clouds above them, like those usually seen above volcanoes , that created lightning and high winds. And Canada’s major burns affected others around the world: During June, parts of the United States’ Midwest and Northeast regions registered the globe’s worst air quality, and pollution reached as far as Spain, Britain and Norway .

Canada’s catastrophic fires weren’t alone. On August 8 , a devastating blaze swept across the Hawaiian island of Maui and engulfed the city of Lahaina , killing at least 100 people . The death toll is the highest caused by a wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century , and thousands of residents lost their homes. On the islands, some seasons are hotter and drier due to climate change, allowing wildfires to spread at increasing speeds. Climate change is altering many other such areas around the planet, threatening to make what was once considered extreme fire become more and more the norm . —J.S.

UFOs break into government discourse and spark conspiracy theories

In 2023, alien conspiracies and UFO speculation riddled social media, but at the same time, some of the stigma around researching unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP, began to break down.

For starters, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report in January that announced more than 350 sightings of UAPs had been logged by the government since March 2021. Nearly half of these were described as “balloon or balloon-like entities”—a subject that took center stage the following month, when the U.S. government shot down what was suspected to be a Chinese high-altitude spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina. The incident demonstrated how identifying UAPs has implications for national security.

Then, at a House of Representatives hearing in July, former U.S. intelligence officer David Grusch alleged in a testimony under oath that the federal government is covering up evidence of crashed vehicles and biological material believed to be of “non-human” origin. In September, alien discourse appeared in legislative chambers once more, when a self-proclaimed UFO expert unveiled what he claimed were the bodies of extraterrestrials in front of Mexico’s Congress. Scientists balked at the suggestion, pointing to several previous alien theories from the speaker that had been debunked. Ultimately, anyone looking for confirmation of aliens on Earth didn’t get it this year—after a 12-month study, NASA released a report on UFOs in September , stating its scientists found “no conclusive evidence” that the mysterious phenomena have an extraterrestrial origin. —C.K.

Orcas break rudders and sink ships in the Strait of Gibraltar

Maybe it’s a form of play. Maybe it’s a passing fad . Or maybe, as internet onlookers from around the world have facetiously suggested, it’s a full-fledged, female-led orca uprising, planned as retribution for humanity’s presence in the high seas. (Scientists aren’t on board with that last one.) Whatever the reason, orcas off the coasts of Portugal and Spain have been ramming into and breaking rudders off ships in the Strait of Gibraltar. Since 2020, more than 500 interactions with contact between orcas and boats have occurred, and four of these incidents—with two this year—resulted in a vessel sinking, most recently in November .

In May, a scientist suggested the curious behavior started after one orca had a negative experience with a boat, and that it spread as juveniles watched her break rudders. This led people to cheer for the orcas on social media. But in an open letter in August, a group of 35 scientists warned against attributing human traits to the animals . Doing so, they wrote, could lead mariners to take aggressive action against the orcas, which belong to a critically endangered population of fewer than 50 individuals . Indeed, some sailors have thrown firecrackers into the water in an attempt to keep orcas away.

Amid all the mystery around the behavior, one thing seems clear—the orcas do not appear to have malicious intentions. “Quite frankly, if they really wanted to take revenge, they would,” biopsychologist Lori Marino told ABC News in July. —C.K.

Covid-19 entered a new phase

Though, to many people, Covid-19 faded into the background this year, the disease remains a problem as the vaccine response has lagged. On May 11 , the Biden administration allowed the coronavirus public health emergency to expire, leading the virus to be treated like other respiratory ailments. (Insurance providers were no longer required to provide free Covid-19 tests, and some medicines, such as Paxlovid, were no longer guaranteed to be free.)

A new variant, XBB , became dominant in early 2023, and in September the Food and Drug Administration authorized an XBB booster , which also works for other Omicron variants. But by the end of October, the Department of Health and Human Services said only about 4.5 percent of the population had received the shots, despite the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the updated dose for everyone six months or older . The reception was lower than the previous year’s booster, which more than 23 million Americans had received after a similar timespan. The lackluster uptake continued a trend of declining response to boosters. As of December , roughly 70 percent of the population had the primary series of the vaccine, while less than 20 percent had received a bivalent booster. While the virus was not spreading at the rate of previous years, as of early December , more than 5,000 people were hospitalized on an average day and more than 1,200 deaths were occurring each week. Much of the population, including people who are over 65, pregnant or immunocompromised, are still vulnerable to the disease.

And some folks continue to deal with the aftereffects of the virus: This June, roughly 6 percent of the population was suffering from long Covid, according to the CDC . And of those, more than one in four experienced significant limitations in their ability to perform normal daily activities. As the disease continues to evolve, the Biden administration says citizens should expect to have a shot available each fall , like the schedule for flu vaccines. But whether people will actually be receptive to that shot remains to be seen, following the decline in this year’s response. —J.S.

A teenage tyrannosaur fossil preserves what young dinosaurs ate

Adult tyrannosaurs—large, bipedal carnivores of the Late Cretaceous—were fearsome predators in the prehistoric landscape. With their bone-crushing bite force, the fully grown dinosaurs could bring down massive plant-eaters . Young tyrannosaurs, on the other hand, might have had more limited pickings with their slender frames, narrow skulls and blade-like teeth . At least, that’s what paleontologists suspected. But they didn’t have proof until this year, when researchers reported a fascinating discovery: a “teenage” tyrannosaur, with its final meals preserved intact .

The astounding fossil of Gorgosaurus , uncovered in 2009 and described in Science Advances in December, provides the first direct evidence of shifts in a tyrannosaur’s diet from adolescence to adulthood. Within the carnivore’s stomach were four legs—two pairs—from small, bird-like dinosaurs called Citipes elegans . Each pair of legs shows different levels of digestion, suggesting they represent the young reptile’s last two meals, consumed hours or days apart. The juvenile tyrannosaur, which was between 5 and 7 years old, likely had to chase down these fast, turkey-sized prey. The findings suggest that young, agile Gorgosaurus survived on bits of baby dinosaurs until they grew big enough to take down titans. —C.K.

2023 becomes the hottest year on record

Worldwide, 2023 started out warm . April and May ranked among the hottest months of their kind in written history. But when summer arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, records fell left and right . Heat waves gripped regions of the United States and Southern Europe. American municipalities set more than 1,000 daily temperature records in June and July, and residents of Phoenix sweltered through an unprecedented 31-day stretch of at least 110 degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Even heat-adapted saguaro cactuses fell over and died . Oceans warmed to levels unparalleled in the nearly 45-year record , with one thermometer in the Florida Keys measuring “hot tub” heat levels at 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit in July.

The life-threatening heat was wide-reaching: On one weekend day in August, more than 111 million Americans in the South and Southwest were under heat warnings. Month after month—first June, then July, August, September, October and November—clocked in as the hottest months of their kind ever documented. With both climate change and the arrival of the heat- and moisture-bringing El Niño weather pattern, 2023 is now guaranteed to become the hottest year on record. But since, historically, El Niño’s most extreme heat arrives during its second year , some scientists warn that 2024 might be even more chart-topping. —C.K.

Caption of Top Image: Illustration by Emily Lankiewicz / Clockwise from upper left: Unsplash, Mojahid Mottakin; Nadezhda F. Stepanova; Francois Gohier / VW Pics / Universal Images Group via Getty Images; NASA Johnson Space Center; Unsplash, Jarosław Kwoczała; Unsplash, Fusion Medical Animation; Ocean Gate / Handout / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images; Unsplash, Bruce Warrington; Unsplash, Benjamin Lizardo; Julius Csotonyi © Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

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Carlyn Kranking | | READ MORE

Carlyn Kranking is the assistant web editor for science and innovation.

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Joe Spring is the associate digital science editor for Smithsonian magazine.

Tag: science month theme 2023 deped

• Department of Education

National Science Club Month theme for 2023: TIMELAPSE: Accentuating the Eras of Science Clubbing

• Mark Pere Madrona
• August 17, 2023

SciStarter Blog

Covering the people, projects and phenomena of citizen science

Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives

Citizen Science Month 2023: Preliminary Outcomes

By Caroline Nickerson, May 10, 2023

This work was supported by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services under Cooperative Agreement Number U24LM014070 with the University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System and the University of Iowa, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.

Citizen science is a global movement that involves people from all walks of life in real science that matters to them. Each April and beyond, scientists, facilitators, citizen science project leaders and many others host events and programs to invite more people to discover all the ways they can participate in citizen science.

With the help of SciStarter, Arizona State University and partners from around the world — and thanks to support from the Network of the National Library of Medicine and the All of Us Research Program — each April, Citizen Science Month engages people in research that needs their help.

Another successful Citizen Science Month is in the books, and with April over, we can begin tallying up all the contributions from citizen scientists during the month. 

By the numbers

SciStarter reached hundreds of thousands of people during April — connecting with over 250,000 people through our website and emails. And on social media alone, social media posts about Citizen Science Month were shared with over 1.1 million people .

There were 103 events  added to SciStarter, resulting in more than 300,000 data contributions SciStarter Affiliate projects!

Survey results

The preliminary results from evaluation surveys for these events (from Arizona State University’s Office of Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness) indicate that these events made an impact. 

98.1% of respondents rated the event they attended as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.”

When asked “How much did the Citizen Science Month event help you understand how participating in citizen science enhances scientific discovery ?,”  96.9% of respondents answered “Somewhat,” “Quite a bit” or “A great deal.”

When asked “Overall, how much did the Citizen Science Month event increase your motivation to participate in citizen science in the future?,”   99.0% of respondents answered “Somewhat,” “Quite a bit” or “A great deal.”

Featured projects

While it’s impossible to calculate the true value of all that work, we’d like to share some results from two projects that help demonstrate the collective impact of participants’ efforts in April. 

During the week-long Stall Catchers Citizen Science Month event , participants annotated online videos of more than 81,000 blood vessels. Those annotations show where blood flow is stalled in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, crucial information for researchers studying how the condition progresses. Citizen scientists who participated in the event did as much data analysis in one week as it would have taken professional scientists to do in two months, 20 days and 7.5 hours in the lab! 

In Notes from Nature’s WeDigBio event , online volunteers took on a very different challenge: transcribing labels from specimens in museum collections. Volunteers made 11,300 classifications of museum specimens collected all over the world. That included 4,800 beetles alone! That data will help scientists study species today, including how global changes are affecting them.

Event recordings

Couldn’t make an interesting Citizen Science Month event live? Find recordings from many of our featured events on SciStarter’s  YouTube Channel .

In April, Science Friday co-hosted a series of webinars with SciStarter for educators, libraries around the United States joined a webinar to learn about pollinator-focused citizen science for their communities, international partners in Australia and New Zealand joined to discuss their projects, the Outbreaks Near Me team shared how you can help prevent the next outbreak and so much more.

Thanks to support from the Network of the National Library of Medicine, many events featured the  All of Us Research Program, a key Citizen Science Month partner.  All of Us  is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history by filling out surveys and sharing samples. Learn more and join All of Us today.

All of Us events included  Celebrando Latines en Ciencia ,  Cross-generational Perspectives on Medical Research with All of Us California and SciStarter ,  SciStarter LIVE’s One in a Million: How to Join All of Us to Improve Health for Everyone ,  The Future of Health Research with All of Us Wisconsin and SciStarter  (which we promoted on the radio , too!),  El Día del Idioma con SciStarter, Globe Observer: CLOUDS y the All of Us Research Program , and  Celebrate National DNA Day with All of Us California and the Sacramento Public Library.

Many of these event recordings are evergreen, so we invite you to share them with your own community!

Citizen science, year-round

The fun doesn’t have to stop in April. We invite you to participate in citizen science projects and share citizen science with your communities, 365 days a year. You can start with one of our featured projects , and then explore further via our project finder . We invite you to add to and search our events database year-round, too.

And…it’s never too early to start preparing for next April . Stay in the loop with our mailing list , and if you’re with a library or community-based organization, we hope you sign up for the library network .

Thank you for turning your curiosity into impact with citizen science!

Tags: All of Us , Citizen Science Month , CitSciMonth , NNLM

About the Author

Caroline Nickerson

View posts by Caroline Nickerson

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

The 10 biggest science stories of 2023 – chosen by scientists

From insight into our human ancestry and breakthroughs on the moon to a flourishing of AI and terrifying new developments in the climate, it was a year of scientific drama

1. India’s lunar lander reaches the dark side of the moon

While western billionaires were busy sending rockets to space only for them to crash and burn, scientists in India were quietly doing something no one had accomplished before. Their Chandrayaan-3 moon lander was the first mission to reach the lunar south pole – an unexplored region where reservoirs of frozen water are believed to exist. I remember my heart soaring when images of the control room in India spread around social media, showing senior female scientists celebrating their incredible achievement.

The success of Chandrayaan-3, launched in July 2023, showed the world that not only is India a major player in space, but that a moon lander can be launched successfully for $75m (£60m). This cost is not to be sniffed at but it is much cheaper than most other countries’ budgets for a moon mission.

July 2023 was an extremely busy month for space firsts. It kicked off with the launch of the Euclid satellite, designed to explore dark matter and dark energy in unprecedented detail. Only a fortnight later, China successfully launched the world’s first methane-fuelled rocket (Zhuque-2), demonstrating a potentially greener way to do space travel, again at vastly reduced cost.

Two weeks after landing, Chandrayaan-3 was sent to sleep during the very cold lunar night-time, only to never wake up, but it had done what it had been sent to do: to detect sulphur on the surface of the moon and to show that lunar soil is a good insulator. With greater diversity, lower costs, and greener rockets, it feels like humanity could be on the brink of a new, more accessible era of space exploration . Haley Gomez

Haley Gomez is a professor of astrophysics at Cardiff University

2. AI finally starting to feel like AI

It’s often hard to spot technological watersheds until long after the fact, but 2023 is one of those rare years in which we can say with certainty that the world changed. It was the year in which artificial intelligence (AI) finally went mainstream. I’m referring, of course, to ChatGPT and its stablemates – large language models. Released late in 2022, ChatGPT went viral in 2023, dazzling users with its fluency and seemingly encyclopaedic knowledge. The tech industry – led by trillion-dollar companies – was wrong-footed by the success of a product from a company with just a few hundred employees. As I write, there is desperate jostling to take the lead in the new “generative AI” marketplace heralded by ChatGPT.

Why did ChatGPT take off so spectacularly? First, it is very accessible. Anyone with a web browser can access the most sophisticated AI on the planet. And second, it finally feels like the AI we were promised – it wouldn’t be out of place in a movie, and it’s a lot more fluent than the Star Trek computer. We’ve been using AI for a long time without realising it, but finally, we have something that looks like the real deal. This isn’t the end of the road for AI, not by a long way – but it really is the beginning of something big. Michael Wooldridge

Michael Wooldridge is a professor of computer science at Oxford University and is presenting the 2023 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures , which will be broadcast on BBC Four over the Christmas week

3. Girls doing hard maths

In March, two teenage girls from New Orleans, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, presented a new mathematical proof of the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry at a regional meeting of the American Mathematical Society.

What’s so special about this? Well, in 1940, Elisha Loomis’s classic book The Pythagorean Proposition had a section entitled “Why No Trigonometric, Analytic Geometry Nor Calculus Proof Possible”. Hence, a 2 + b 2 = c 2 can’t be proved using sin2 (θ)+ cos2 (θ)= 1 .

This is because these two equations have a circular relationship. For example: If A is true if B is true and B is true if A is true, then how do we know that A and B are actually true?

Johnson and Jackson aren’t the first to derive a trigonometry proof for Pythagoras’s theorem. However, their “waffle cone” proof using the sine rule and infinite geometric series showed great creativity and mathematical agility. There are limitations to their approach – it is not valid when ∅=π/4 (45 degrees), for example. But that is fixable.

Last year, Katharine Birbalsingh, the former social mobility adviser to the UK government, was criticised for saying girls are less likely to choose physics A-level because it involves “hard maths”. Johnson and Jackson’s achievement spoke eloquently to the contrary. Nira Chamberlain

Nira Chamberlain OBE is president of the Mathematical Association and a visiting professor at Loughborough University

4. Insights on our earlier migration out of Africa

We are an African species. That broadly means that Homo sapiens emerged on the land that is now Africa, and most of our evolution occurred there in the past half a million years. The rest of the world was peopled when a few left that pan-African cradle within the past 100,000 years. Until recently, this was largely known from the old bones of the long dead. But recovering DNA from those old bones has become fruitful. In October, a study led by Sarah Tishkoff at the University of Pennsylvania showed that the small amount of Neanderthal DNA in living Africans today had entered the Homo sapiens lineage as early as 250,000 years ago somewhere in Eurasia, meaning that we had left Africa several times, and way earlier than thought.

How were these revelations uncovered? By doing something that has been paradoxically overlooked in our studies of our African origins: actually looking at the genomes of African people.

It may seem small, and incremental, but the more we look – especially among people and areas until now vastly under-represented – the more we are going to find about our own story. Adam Rutherford

Adam Rutherford is a writer, broadcaster and lecturer in genetics at University College London . His latest book is Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics

5. The hottest year on record

As the analogy goes, a frog thrown into hot water will save itself. The slow-boiled one doesn’t notice until the temperature reaches lethal levels. 2023 will be the hottest year on record. That record was previously set seven years ago, in 2016. As King Charles said at Cop28, we are becoming immune to what the records are telling us.

The impacts of the heat are mounting. Warmer seas and a warmer atmosphere contributed to events that brought death and destruction at an alarming rate. In Libya, more than 10,000 people died when a flood swept a city into the sea . Fires burned through Greek islands and Canadian forests. Tropical Cyclone Freddy battered communities in east Africa already pummelled by poverty. Drought and heat made some regions uninhabitable.

The good news is, the answers already exist. In the past year, the UK produced more green energy than ever before. AI forecasts began doing work a million human forecasters couldn’t manage, analysing weather and climate data at an unprecedented rate. The Nasa Swot satellite started measuring where all the water is on Earth, helping to prevent future disasters.

Humans think they are smarter than frogs, but we’ll only save ourselves if we realise that we are the frogs, the source of the heat, and the experimenting psychopaths. Hannah Cloke

Hannah Cloke OBE is a professor of hydrology at the University of Reading

6. New Crispr therapy for sickle cell disease and beta thalassaemia

In recent years, racialised inequities in healthcare have been much publicised. For some, this has reduced trust in health sciences and services, including preventive measures such as vaccines. So it is cause for celebration that the UK is trailblazing a biotechnology therapy for sickle cell disease and beta thalassaemia. These debilitating and sometimes deadly diseases are respectively more likely to afflict black populations and those with roots in the southern Mediterranean, Middle East, south Asia, and Africa. In a world-first, the UK medicines regulator has approved the Crispr–Cas9 genome-editing tool called Casgevy, for the treatment of disease. The therapy has been shown to relieve debilitating episodes of pain in sickle cell disease and to remove or reduce the need for red-blood cell transfusions in thalassaemia for at least a year.

While heartening, it remains to be seen how the potential risks play out. Will the positive outcomes continue in the long term? What of the safety implications? There is, for example, the possibility that Crispr–Cas9 can sometimes make unintended genetic modifications with unknown effect. Equally, this therapy may cost as much as $2m (£1.6m) per person . In setting budgets, will these diseases continue to be a focus?

Yet the approval gives cause for cautious optimism – not least because including groups frequently overlooked could mark a small, but important, shift towards making healthcare more equitable. Ann Phoenix

Ann Phoenix is a professor of psychosocial studies at the UCL Institute of Education

7. Eating our cakes and having our Wegovy

The world has a food problem: 650 million adults are obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 kg/m 2 and consume more calories than their bodies can use. On the other hand, 735 million people worldwide are starving. However, more people die from being obese than from being undernourished. So the discovery of a group of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor stimulants is welcome. These GLP-1 drugs were originally licensed to control diabetes and they have since been licensed as weight-loss medicines. Wegovy, the poster child of these medicines, works by reducing blood glucose and by making people feel full more quickly when eating. In a two-year, 304-person clinical trial, subjects on Wegovy lost 15% of their body weight, while control subjects lost only 3%. Excitingly, this year we have also learned, from a large, three-year study involving heart disease patients, that Wegovy also reduces the risk of strokes, heart attacks and death from heart disease. It may seem as if we can now eat as much as we wish and get an injection for that, but there are side-effects to taking Wegovy, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, tiredness and a possible risk of developing some thyroid cancers. Additionally, we still need to find a way to feed the starving. Ijeoma F Uchegbu

Ijeoma F Uchegbu is a professor of pharmaceutical nanoscience at University College London

8. A superconductor claim meets resistance

For decades, scientists have been on the quest for the “holy grail” of a room-temperature superconductor. A superconductor is a material that carries electric current without resistance, but this remarkable property is only observed more than 100C below room temperature.

In July came the extraordinary claim from a South Korean team led by Sukbae Lee and Ji-Hoon Kim of the first room-temperature superconductor at normal pressure with a lead-based compound named LK-99. Such a breakthrough could enable loss-free power cables and smaller MRI scanners.

Lee, Kim and colleagues uploaded two papers to the arXiv website, where studies are sometimes posted before peer review. This led to a buzz of excitement and scepticism as labs worldwide rushed to try to replicate the findings, with LK-99 even trending on Twitter (now known as X).

By late August, leading labs had failed to replicate the results. The current consensus is that there is not enough evidence of the crucial signatures of room temperature superconductivity.

What does this story teach us? It shows that careful materials characterisation is essential before rushing to hyped conclusions, and that scientific peer review can be constructive and thrilling. Even if LK-99 isn’t the holy grail, it shouldn’t deter the search for a real room-temperature superconductor, and may open up unexpected pathways for exciting new research. Saiful Islam

Saiful Islam is a professor of materials science at Oxford University

9. Bird decline linked to herbicides and pesticides

This has been a record-breaking year – and not in a good way, when it comes to the environment. Alongside global heating, yet another environmental disaster is unfolding: the rapid loss of wildlife.

Though pressing, the biodiversity crisis receives up to eight times less coverage than the climate emergency . Consequently, even though I am usually a sucker for positive research (such as the rediscovery of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna , or exploring why primates like to spin round and round ), for my pick of the year I chose a study focusing on the decline of European birds.

Over the past four decades, the number of birds across Europe dropped by a staggering 550 million. Thus far it was believed that the main reasons were habitat loss and pollution. But a research team led by Stanislas Rigal investigated data on 170 bird species across 20,000 sites in 28 countries – including records collected by citizen scientists – and concluded that the principal bird killer is agricultural intensification. More precisely, it is an increased use of pesticides and fertilisers, which not only deprive birds of food, but also directly affect their health.

Such large-scale studies are crucial for influencing decision-making and policy priorities. Let’s hope that 2024 brings a positive change in those departments. Joanna Bagniewska

Joanna Bagniewska is a science communicator and senior lecturer in environmental sciences at Brunel University

10. Hope for stem cell-based embryo models

There was a flurry of papers and preprint articles in June describing how it was possible to begin with cultures of pluripotent stem cells and, entirely in a culture dish, end up with structures that resemble early post-implantation human embryos. These prompted considerable media coverage , including front-page stories in some newspapers. The science was certainly newsworthy – the experiments reveal a remarkable ability of the stem cells to differentiate into the relevant tissues that self-organise into the appropriate pattern. However, some rather robust competition between several of the groups involved may have also contributed to the media interest.

It is hoped that stem cell-based embryo models will provide a practical and “more ethical” alternative to working with normal embryos. Scientists may be able to learn much about how we develop and what goes wrong with congenital disease, miscarriage, and with assisted reproduction (IVF) that often fails – and perhaps to find solutions to these problems.

What is clear at the moment, however, is that even the best of the models are not equivalent to normal human embryos, and the most rigorous test – to ask if they could be implanted into a womb – is something that everyone agrees should not be attempted. At the moment the vast majority, perhaps 99%, of the aggregates that are put into culture fail to give anything that resembles a human embryo. The efficiency needs to be improved if these models are going to find a use. Robin Lovell-Badge

Robin Lovell-Badge is a senior group leader and head of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics at the Francis Crick Institute

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The science competitions your students can enter this year

By Emma Molloy

Discover STEM-themed competitions for you and your students to enter in this academic year

Source: © Shutterstock

Learn about the fantastic array of science competitions your students can enter – so you can sign up as soon as possible

There is a great range of science competitions out there that your students can enter. Competitions come in all shapes and sizes, including essay writing, photography and video competitions, and can be local or national events.

Besides the array of downloadable materials you can make use of in your lessons, as homework or part of a science club, the benefits of taking part include learning how to work in a team, grasping how lessons apply to real-world problems, and there could even be some extra cash to bag!

You can jump straight to the lists of science-writing competitions , or more arty competitions (such as photography and drawing prizes), or simply read on to discover what’s open to you and your students this academic year.

These competitions have been ordered by closing date. Listing a competition does not serve as an endorsement by the RSC.  Last updated: October 2023.

UK Chemistry Olympiad 

Age: 16–18 (recommended) Registration opens: September 2023 Closes: January 2024

Run by the RSC, the  UK Chemistry Olympiad is designed to challenge and inspire older secondary-school students, by encouraging them to push themselves, boost their critical problem-solving skills and test their knowledge in real-world situations. Explore past papers to get an idea of the types of questions involved.

There are three rounds that culminate with the prestigious International Chemistry Olympiad , which will take place this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Round 1, a written test taken in your school, is scheduled to take place on 25 January 2024. Students then receive bronze, silver or gold certificates depending on their scores. Up to 30 students will then be selected to move on to the second round – a training weekend at the University of Nottingham. Four students will then be chosen to represent the UK in the international competition from 21–30 July 2024.

To get started, register your school or college. Do this and find out more information about preparing on the Olympiad homepage .

Top of the Bench

Age: 14–16 Registration opens: soon Closes: January 2024

Top of the Bench  (TOTB) is an annual practical chemistry competition that has been running for over 20 years. It’s a long-standing favourite for students and teachers, and provides an opportunity for students to put their teamwork and practical skills to the test.

Regional heats are led by  RSC local sections  between October and January. The winning team from each heat progresses to the national final, held in the spring at a UK university (where there is also a session for teachers to explore resources and classroom ideas with one of the RSC’s education coordinators).

First prize is awarded to the best overall school performance, with five teams receiving runners up prizes. The Jacqui Clee Award is also awarded each year to the student who makes an outstanding individual contribution.

Teams must consist of four students: two from year 9/S2; one from year 10/S3; one from year 11/S4.

Find more information including past papers and how to apply on the  TOTB homepage .

Slingshot Challenge

Age: 13–18 Registration opens: now Closes: 1 February 2024

The Slingshot Challenge is run by National Geographic and is an exciting opportunity for students to get involved with the global programme. Students can enter in teams of up to six. Individual entries are welcomed although all entries are expected to involve collaboration with peers, stakeholders, and/or marginalized communities.

Students work to prepare a short, 1-minute video, from topics with an environmental focus. Training sessions for teachers and resource/tool kits are available from the website and the providers can offer feedback and technical support ahead of official submissions.

Videos are expected to put forward compelling, evidence-based information and be engaging for the audience. A small number of motivating prizes are awarded each year to the student of up to $10,000.

For full details see the Slingshot Challenge website .

Schools’ Analyst

Age: 16–17 Registration opens: soon Closes: 23 February 2024

The  Schools’ Analyst Competition  is returning to schools in 2024. Run collaboratively by the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund and the Royal Society of Chemistry, this event allows students to expand their chemistry knowledge and skills through practical analytical experiments. Students must be in Year 12 (England, Wales, NI)/S5 (Scotland)/5th Year (Ireland).

Schools and colleges register their interest to host a heat and, if randomly selected, can now enter up to 25 teams of three students to compete to be crowned the overall school winner. Each winning school team will then compete within their region to find regional winners. Regional winners receive a cash prize for themselves and their school.

Register your school  to take part by 23 February 2024. To take part, students only need access to standard school laboratory equipment and some consumables (a bursary is available for those who need it).

Equipment boxes are sent to 400 entrants, selected at random, and delivered in advance of the event. Results must be submitted by 17 May in Ireland (to ensure schools have the chance to award winners before the summer holidays) and 14 June elsewhere.

Science meets art

If you have some students who would be hooked by the artistic side of science, check out these competitions:

• RSB Photography competition (open to all ages; opens March 2024; £500 top prize for under 18s)
• RSB Nancy Rothwell Award for specimen drawing (ages 7–18; open March–July 2024; prizes include set of drawing pencils and small cash prizes for students and schools)
• Science Without Borders challenge is an artwork competition with a focus on ocean conservation. The 2024 theme is ‘hidden wonders of the deep’ (ages 11–19; closes 4 March 2024; maximum prize of $500)
• British Science Week poster competition ; this year’s theme will be ‘time’ (ages 3–14; closes March 2024)
• RPS Woman Science Photographer of the Year is open to women of all ages and backgrounds (open and under 18s; closing date TBC but expected March 2024)
• Minds Underground Competitions ; Minds Underground run a number of essay competitions each year covering a variety of STEM and other topics (all ages; closing dates vary but 2024 questions will be released January 2024, see website for full details)

MathWorks Math Modeling challenge

Age: 16–19 (England and Wales only) Registration opens:  November 2023 Closes: 24 February 2024

The  M3 Challenge  is an internet-based applied maths competition that inspires participants to pursue STEM education and careers. Working in teams of three to five students, participants have 14 consecutive hours to solve an open-ended maths-modelling problem based around a real issue during the challenge weekend, 1–4 March 2024.

The problem typically has a socially conscious theme – equity, the environment, conservation or recycling, energy use, health, and other topics that young people care about. The challenge gives students the opportunity to use maths modelling processes to represent, analyse, make predictions and otherwise provide insight into real-world phenomena. For example, 2023’s problem centred around modelling the impacts of e-bikes to better understand if they are likely to become part of a global, more sustainable energy plan.

Numerous free  resources , including modelling and coding handbooks, videos and sample problems are available to help teams prepare for the event.

The competition’s final presentation and awards ceremony event is held in New York City in late April – an all-expense paid experience for the finalist teams. These top teams will be awarded scholarships toward the pursuit of higher education, with members of the overall winning team receiving $20,000 (»£16,000).

For rules, resources and to register, visit the competition  website .

The Cambridge Upper Secondary Science Competition

Age: 16–18 Registration opens: now Closes:  30 September 2023 and 31 March 2024

The  Cambridge Upper Secondary Science Competition , run by Cambridge Assessment, is an exciting extra-curricular activity for teams of aspiring scientists who are studying with the Cambridge IGCSE or O Level science programmes.

Teams of three to six students choose a topic and work on a scientific investigation over 20–25 hours. The competition encourages investigations with some practical or community relevance and an eye on sustainability.

Projects may involve laboratory work and should include creative and collaborative working, critical thinking and reflection. Students should be given the opportunity to present their results to a wider audience, perhaps at a science fair or other school event.

Teachers provide initial project evaluations and the best are put forward for consideration by a panel of experts. The winning team receives a certificate and is featured on the competition website. The competition runs twice a year, so keep abreast of all the dates  on the website .

TeenTech Awards 

Age: 11–16 Registration opens: now Closes:  March 2024 for first-round submissions

The  TeenTech Awards  encourage students to see how they might apply science and technology to real-world problems across several different categories, from food and retail through the future of transport to wearable technology. Students identify an opportunity or a problem, suggest a solution and research the market.

Students can work in teams of up to three people and there are lots of award categories. All submitted projects receive feedback and a bronze, silver or gold award. The event is well supported with training sessions for teachers and students, so everyone knows what to expect and what the judges will be looking for!

The best projects go forward to the TeenTech Awards Final for judging and the winning school in each category will receive a cash prize. The final is expected to take place in London in June 2024.

Science writing competitions

Numerous essays competitions run each year covering all aspects and areas of STEM. Below is just a selection of some of the competitions out there. Entries into science writing competitions make great additions to UCAS applications, and they get students thinking about science, too.

• The Oxford Scientist Schools’ Science Writing Competition  (700-word magazine article; ages 15–18; deadline likely to be July 2024; prize includes £50 and being published in the magazine)
• Newnham College, Cambridge (2000-word academic essay; age 16–18 women at state school only; deadline likely to be March 2024; winners receive up to £400 to split with their school). Teachers can sign up to mailing lists now to hear more about this essay competition and other events from the college.

British Science Week poster competition

Age: 3–14 Registration opened: January 2024 Closes: March 2024

British Science Week will run from 8–17 March. Alongside numerous activities and events across the country, there will be a themed poster competition – and this year’s theme will is ‘time’.

Entrants can explore a wide range of ideas covered by the broad theme. Judges are on the look out for an innovative angle or creative interpretation of the theme; clear, accurate and informative content; and effective, engaging communication. This competition is a great way for students to practise their communication skills. There are numerous prizes up for grabs that cover all age categories.

Entrants can be teams or individuals from any organisation, although schools are limited to five entries. Find out more on the website , including activity packs and other resources to make the most of British Science Week.

Big Bang Young Scientists and Engineers Competition

Age: 11–18 Registration opens:  October 2023 Closes: 27 March 2024

The Big Bang Competition  is open to young people aged 11 to 18 in state-funded education or who are home educated or who enter as part of a community group. Private school participants can get involved as part of a collaboration with state-school peers.

Participants complete project-based work, focusing on investigation, discovery and use of scientific methods. Students choose their own STEM topic and work to submit their project as a written report or short video. The possibilities are endless!

Students can include their involvement in the competition in their extracurricular activities on UCAS forms and personal statements and have a chance of winning a range of awards and cash prizes.

Find out how to get started and get inspired with past projects on the Big Bang website .

BIEA Youth STEAM Competition

Age: 6–18 Registration opens:  October 2023 Closes: April 2024 for first-round submissions

The  BIEA Youth STEAM Competition  asks students to use their creativity to come up with ideas for a more sustainable future based on a specific theme. The theme for 2024 has yet to be announced, but the theme for 2023 was “developing solutions for sustainable cities”. Students research, design and present their solution, including a written report.

Students can enter as individuals or in teams of up to five members and schools can enter more than one team. There are lots of competition categories to cover all age groups. Submissions are expected to be accepted from January 2024 and the international final to be in July 2024. Learn more on the competition  website .

Local to Newcastle?

Newcastle Secondary School SciFair  is a university-run secondary school science fair for students from state schools across Newcastle. Sci-Fair is a whole day event that will take place during British Science Week. Students can get the opportunity to present their models, posters or PowerPoint presentations about a scientific topic of their choosing. SciFair is open to ages 11–16. There are multiple prizes to be won on the day to recognise student’s efforts. Spaces are limited capacity, so students should wait for their projects to be approved before starting work.

Unsung Heroes of Science video competition

Age: 16–18 Close s: April 2024 TBC

The International  Unsung Heroes of Science video competition   from Hertford College, University of Oxford is open to all 16–18 students. Entrants are tasked with making a two-minute video sharing the story of a scientist whose contributions were overlooked. Entries can be submitted by individuals or in teams of up to three.

The competition website also has lesson plans and links to videos of previous unsung heros, which are great resources for teachers to inspire their students.

Cambridge Chemistry Challenge

Age: 19 or younger Registration opens: now Closes:  1 June 2024

This competition — aimed at Year 12 students but available to younger students — is designed to stretch and challenge students beyond the curriculum interested in chemistry and is excellent experience for anyone considering chemistry for further study.

Students sit a 90-minute written paper under exam conditions in school, which is sent out to schools in advance. Mark schemes are available to teachers, and for schools submitting more than five scripts, these should be marked by the teacher. Scripts of students scoring over 50% are then submitted. Students who perform well receive a certificate and the best performers are invited to join a residential camp at the University of Cambridge at the end of August

The website contains lots of past papers and mark schemes, which are a valuable resource for teachers. Full details are on the  website .

IET Faraday Challenge

Age: 12–13 Registration opens: January 2024 for the 2024–2025 season Closes: July 2024

Faraday Challenges are cross-curricular STEM activity days for UK schools run by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. This annual competition draws on students’ practical science and engineering skills, asking them to work in teams to solve real-world engineering problems and think creatively. Schools can host Challenge Days and invite teams from local schools to join them or apply to join a day at another school. Planning for these events starts early, so plenty of time to get organised for the day.

Teams should be made up of six students aged 12–13 years old (England and Wales Year 8, Scotland S1/S2, Northern Ireland Year 9). Schools may host a challenge day themselves or attend one hosted at another school.

Students win prizes for themselves and a trophy for their school. There is also a national league table and the top teams from across the UK go through to the national final, with the chance to win a cash prize of up to £1000 for their school. Plus, by taking part students will also meet the criteria for achieving a CREST Discovery Award.

If you are not able to enter into the main competition, there is also the opportunity for students to take part in the Virtual Faraday Challenge open to anyone aged 7–15.

Deadlines passed:

Imperial college science & innovation competition.

Age:  4–adult Registration opens:  September  2023 Closes:  15 December 2023

The  Science & Innovation Competition , run by the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College, aims to motivate primary and secondary-aged children to engage with science, to encourage them to work as part of a team and engage in fun activities. Adults are also welcome to enter.

Teams of two to four people are asked to develop a new and innovative scientific solution to help achieve one of the  United Nation’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development . To enter, teams need to create a five-minute film that describes the science behind their idea. Finalists are invited to take part in an event during spring 2024 at Imperial College, London (date to be confirmed). Learn more on the  website .

Global essay competition: Young voices in the chemical sciences for sustainability

Age: 35 and under  Registration opens: now Closes: 31 March 2023

An  annual essay competition  on the role of the chemical sciences in sustainability, organised by the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD) in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The competition is open globally to entrants under 35 years of age. The theme for the 2023 competition is: How can the chemical sciences lead the stewardship of the Earth’s element resources?

Essays will be grouped into seven regions for shortlisting and selection of winners, based on the entrant’s country of normal residence. Each regional winner will receive a prize of US$500 and their entries will be published in  RSC Sustainability . The shortlisted essays will be collected in an annual compendium,  Young voices in the chemical sciences for sustainability , available on the IOCD’s website. Individual shortlisted entries will also be featured from time to time on IOCD’s website.

Essays will be judged on how well they highlight the importance of scientific approaches grounded in the chemical sciences for solving sustainability challenges. Entrants should take a broad, global perspective, and reflect on the intersection of science, society and policy aspects, rather than describing a particular scientific advance in great technical detail. Essays must not exceed 1500 words of body copy.

Cambridge Chemistry Race

Age: 16–18 Registration opens: Mon 5 December 2022 Closes: February 2023

In the  Cambridge Chemistry Race , teams of 3–5 students solve as many theoretical problems as they can over the course of two hours – ranging from easy riddles to tasks of A-level difficulty and complex chemical problems.

Once a team has solved a question, the examiner verifies their answer and hands them the next question. Points are awarded based on the number of successful attempts. Whoever gets the most points wins!

Students are allowed to use a calculator, books, notes, and printed literature. The challenge aims to test problem-solving skills and chemical understanding rather than knowledge. Explore past questions and solutions  here  to get an idea of what’s in store.

Schools may only enter one team each and places are first come first served.

The competition is run in collaboration with the University of Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry. This year, it is joined by the University of Oxford too, so students may compete in either city. The competition will take place on Saturday 4 February 2023. Learn more on the  competition website .

Quantum on the Clock

Age: 16–18 Closed: 8 July 2022

The Institute of Physics’ QQQ group’s  Quantum on the Clock  competition is open to all A-level or equivalent students in the UK and Ireland. Students are tasked to create a three-minute video about any aspect of quantum science or technology. Entries can be individual or in teams of up to four students.

Cash prizes are on offer for the winners and runners-up, with the judging focusing on creativity, clarity, engagement and accuracy. The ‘best individual’ and ‘best team’ winners will also receive year subscriptions to  Physics World   and an expenses-paid invitation to a prize-giving ceremony at the Photon 2022 conference dinner, which will take place from 30 August until 2 September 2022.

To find out more and apply, watch this  video  and go to the Quantum on the Clock  website .

Clean Tech Competition

Age: 15–18 Closed: 22 April 2022 (registration); 29 April 2022 (paper submission deadline)

The Clean Tech Competition research and design challenge asks students to identify a problem with our natural world and resource use that they want to change, innovate a sustainable solution and submit a research paper to the judges. This year there is no topic restriction; entries simply need to have one goal: create a sustainable solution for an environmental issue.

This is a great opportunity to refine research, analysis and literary skills.

Each team should be made up of one to three students, who must be 15–18 years old on the submission deadline, 29 April 2022. Once the papers have been submitted, the top 10 teams from the global pool will be selected to progress to the virtual global finals. They will present their research and prototypes to the judges, and will receive handsome cash prizes, with the first team also earning a continued mentorship from an expert in the field. 

Find out more and register on the  competition website.

Royal College of Science Union (RCSU) Science Challenge

Age: 14–18 Closed: 11 February 2022

Imperial College London’s RCSU Science Challenge is all about science communication – requiring students to demonstrate their skills in debate and reasoning and teach the public about science and its consequences.

Questions on a given theme are set by eminent scientists – who even read the shortlisted entries, so there’s a real chance students’ work will be seen by world-leading academics. You can find last year’s (Covid-related) questions on the  website .

There are both individual and team categories, and students can answer one of the questions in either written or video form of up to 1000 words or four minutes respectively. Winners receive cash prizes, plus there are non-cash prizes for the runners up.

Shortlisted candidates will be informed on 14 March 2022 and invited to the grand final on 21 March 2022 at the Royal Institution, where they will deliver a short presentation. Find more information about taking part on the  challenge website .

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Top scientific breakthroughs and emerging trends for 2023

CAS Science Team

January 31, 2023

*Updated in January 2024*: 

While the article below was created at the end of 2022, it still has critical insight and emerging trends for the future of scientific R&D.  For the latest trends and breakthroughs, the scientists and experts at CAS recently published a new review on the landscape of scientific trends to watch in 2024: from AI, to emerging materials, our on-going battle against the undruggable proteins, sustainability trends, and more. Additionally, CAS teamed up with experts from  Lawrence Livermore National Lab ,  Oak Ridge National Lab , and  The Ohio State University , to reveal the top trends to watch in the year ahead.  If you weren't able to join us for the webinar, see the recording here  for the expert's take on the year ahead.  

As published in 2022:

The pace of innovation never slows, and the impact of these scientific breakthroughs will redefine the way we live, work, and connect with the world around us. From space exploration at the largest scale to diagnostics at the single-cell level, these breakthroughs will inspire innovators to push the boundaries of what is possible. 

Looking to stay ahead of emerging trends?  

Subscribe  to be the first to know when new insights are published.

A new era of space exploration

Need to be reminded of how incredibly vast our universe is? The first ever photos from the James Webb Space Telescope are awe-inspiring. While this is the most technically advanced and powerful telescope ever created, the learnings about our universe will lead to future missions and exploration for generations ahead. Recently, the newest mission to the moon was launched as NASA’s Artemis Program which will pave the way for a future mission to Mars. This new era of space exploration will drive technological advancements in fields beyond astronautics and stimulate progress in real-world applications like materials, food science , agriculture, and even cosmetics.

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For decades, the scientific community has chased a greater understanding of relationships between protein functions and 3D structures. In July 2022, Deep Mind revealed that the folded 3D structure of a protein molecule can be predicted from its linear amino-acid sequence using AlphaFold2 , RoseTTAFold , and trRosettaX-Single algorithms. The algorithms’ predictions reduced the number of human proteins with unknown structural data from 4,800 to just 29. While there will always be challenges with AI, the ability to predict protein structures has implications across all life sciences. Key challenges in the future include modeling proteins with intrinsic disordered properties and those that change structures by post-translational modifications or to environmental conditions. Beyond protein modeling, AI advancements continue to reshape workflows and expand discovery capabilities across many industries and disciplines .

Developing trends in synthetic biology

Synthetic biology has the potential to redefine synthetic pathways by using engineered biological systems (i.e., microorganisms, for which a large part of the genome or the entire genome has been designed or engineered) to manufacture a range of biomolecules and materials, such as therapeutics, flavors, fabrics, food, and fuels. For example, insulin could be produced without pig pancreas, leather without cows, and spider silk without spiders. The potential in life sciences alone is unbelievable, but when applied to manufacturing industries, synthetic biology could minimize future supply chain challenges, increase efficiency, and create new opportunities for biopolymers or alternative materials with more sustainable approaches. Today, teams use AI-based metabolic modeling, CRISPR tools, and synthetic genetic circuits to control metabolism, manipulate gene expression, and build pathways for bioproduction. As this discipline begins to cross over into multiple industries, the latest developments and emerging trends for metabolic control and engineering challenges are showcased in a 2022 Journal of Biotechnology article .

Single-cell metabolomics set to soar

While much progress has been made in genetic sequencing and mapping, genomics only tells us what a cell is capable of. To have a better understanding of cellular functions, proteomic and metabolomic approaches offer different angles for revealing molecular profiles and cellular pathways. Single-cell metabolomics gives a snapshot of the cellular metabolism within a biological system. The challenge is that metabolomes change rapidly, and sample preparation is critical to understand cell function. Collectively, a series of recent advancements in single-cell metabolomics (from open-sourced techniques, advanced AI algorithms, sample preparations, and new forms of mass spectrometry) demonstrates the ability to run detailed mass spectral analyses. This allows researchers to determine the metabolite population on a cell-by-cell basis, which would unlock enormous potential for diagnostics. In the future, this could lead to the ability to detect even a single cancerous cell in an organism. Combined with new biomarker detection methods , wearable medical devices and AI- assisted data analysis, this array of technologies will improve diagnosis and lives.

New catalysts enable greener fertilizer production

Every year, billions of people depend on fertilizers for the ongoing production of food, and reducing the carbon footprint and expenses in fertilizer production would reshape the impact agriculture has on emissions. The Haber-Bosch process for fertilizer production converts nitrogen and hydrogen to ammonia. To reduce energy requirements, researchers from Tokyo Tech have developed a noble-metal-free nitride catalyst containing a catalytically active transition metal (Ni) on a lanthanum nitride support that is stable in the presence of moisture. Since the catalyst doesn't contain ruthenium, it presents an inexpensive option for reducing the carbon footprint of ammonia production. The La-Al-N support, along with the active metals, such as nickel and cobalt (Ni, Co), produced NH3 at rates similar to conventional metal nitride catalysts. Learn more about sustainable fertilizer production in our latest article .

Advancements in RNA medicine

While the application of mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines garnered lots of attention, the real revolution of RNA technology is just beginning. Recently, a new multivalent nucleoside-modified mRNA flu vaccine was developed. This vaccine has the potential to build immune protection against any of the 20 known subtypes of influenza virus and protect against future outbreaks. Many rare genetic diseases are the next target for mRNA therapies, as they are often missing a vital protein and could be cured by replacing a healthy protein through mRNA therapy. In addition to mRNA therapies, the clinical pipeline has many RNA therapeutic candidates for multiple forms of cancers, and blood and lung diseases. RNA is highly targeted, versatile, and easily customized, which makes it applicable to a wide range of diseases. Learn more about the crowded clinical pipeline and the emerging trends in RNA technologies in our latest CAS Insight Report.

Rapid skeletal transformation

Within synthetic chemistry, the challenge of safely exchanging a single atom in a molecular framework or inserting and deleting single atoms from a molecular skeleton has been formidable. While many methods have been developed to functionalize molecules with peripheral substituents (such as C-H activation), one of the first methods to perform single-atom modifications on the skeletons of organic compounds was developed by Mark Levin’s group at the University of Chicago . This enables selective cleaving of the N–N bond of pyrazole and indazole cores to afford pyrimidines and quinazolines. Further development of skeletal editing methods would enable rapid diversification of commercially available molecules, which could lead to much faster discoveries of functional molecules and ideal drug candidates.

Advancing limb regeneration

Limb loss is projected to affect over 3.6 million individuals per year by 2050. For the longest time, scientists believed the single biggest key to limb regeneration is the presence of nerves. However, work done by Dr. Muneoka and his team demonstrated the importance of mechanical load to digit regeneration in mammals and that the absence of a nerve does not inhibit regeneration. The advancement of limb regeneration was also achieved by researchers at Tufts University who have used acute multidrug delivery , via a wearable bioreactor, to successfully enable long-term limb regeneration in frogs. This early success could potentially lead to larger, more complex tissue re-engineering advances for humans, eventually benefiting military veterans, diabetics, and others impacted by amputation and trauma.

Nuclear fusion generates more net energy with ignition

Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars. For decades, the idea of replicating nuclear fusion on earth as a source of energy, in theory, could fulfill all the planet's future energy needs. The goal is to force light atoms to collide so forcefully that they fuse and release more energy than consumed. However, overcoming the electrical repulsion between the positive nuclei requires high temperatures and pressures. Once overcome, fusion releases large amounts of energy, which should also drive the fusion of nearby nuclei. Previous attempts to initiate fusion used strong magnetic fields and powerful lasers but had been unable to generate more energy than they consumed.

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s ignition facility reported that the team was able to initiate nuclear fusion, which created 3.15 megajoules of energy from the 2.05 megajoule laser used. While this is a monumental breakthrough, the reality of a functioning nuclear fusion plant powering our grid may still be decades in the making. There are significant implementation hurdles (scalability, plant safety, energy required to generate the laser, wasted by-products, etc.) that must be addressed before this comes to fruition. However, the breakthrough of igniting nuclear fusion is a major milestone that will pave the way for future progress to be built upon this achievement.

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Best Science Writing Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 15 contests that match your search.

The Book of the Year Awards

The Independent Author Network

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, and Short Story

The Independent Author Network presents the 10th Annual IAN Book of the Year Awards, an international contest open to all authors with 55 fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners are eligible to receive a share of cash prizes of $6,000 USD. Open to all English language print and eBooks available for sale, including small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors.

Additional prizes:

$6,000.00 USD in total cash prizes

💰 Entry fee: $49

📅 Deadline: August 16, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction) is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Three Winners are awarded, and 20 entries are Shortlisted.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition

Chicken House Books

Genres: Fiction, Novel, Novella, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We're looking for original ideas, a fresh voice, a diverse range of entries and stories that children will love! To enter, you must have written a full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged between 7 and 18 years. We suggest a minimum of 30,000 words and ask that manuscripts do not exceed 80,000 words. The IET 150 Award will be awarded to a manuscript that celebrates Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

An offer of representation from a top literary agent

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: June 01, 2024

Craft your masterpiece in Reedsy Studio

Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Elegant Literature's Monthly Award For New Writers

Elegant Literature

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, Young Adult, Flash Fiction, and Science Writing

One of the largest awards open to unpublished writers and closed to professionals. We are the first magazine to pay pro rates and only accept submissions from new writers, putting over $100k into the hands of emerging talent around the globe so far. One new writer receives the grand prize. We also choose the best stories, pay the authors professional rates, and publish them in our magazine. March guest judge is Somto Ihezue.

10x Paid publication, 25 x $20 USD | Free entry to Novelist Accelerator

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024

Summer Nanofiction Battle

Writing Battle

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Two days to write a 250 word short story. The peer-powered quarterly writing contest where every story receives oodles of feedback. Write one. Read ten. Win thousands.

Genre Runner-up (x4): $375 | Feedback by industry professionals

📅 Deadline: August 02, 2024

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

The Letter Review Prize for Books

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2023 (Expired)

Reader Views Literary Awards

Reader Views

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Reader Views Literary Awards program helps level the playing field for self-published authors, recognizing the most creative and exciting new books in the industry. Our awards program is recognized industry-wide as one of the top literary awards programs for independent authors.

Several marketing prizes (e.g. book review)

💰 Entry fee: $89

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2024

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024

Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Science Writing, and Short Story

The Brink Literary Journal Award for Hybrid Writing will be administered to the winner of a literary contest designed to champion innovative hybrid and cross-genre work.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $22

📅 Deadline: February 16, 2024 (Expired)

Science Fiction Writing Contest

FanStory.com Inc

Genres: Fiction, Science Writing, and Science Fiction

Share a Science Fiction themed story to enter this writing contest with a cash prizes. Let your imagination fly and enjoy sharing your writing.

Winning entries will be features on the FanStory.com welcome page.

💰 Entry fee: $9

📅 Deadline: April 12, 2023 (Expired)

Storytrade Book Awards

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Script Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Storytrade Book Awards recognizes excellence in small and independent publishing. Open to all indie authors and publishers including self-published authors, university presses, and small or independent presses, our annual awards program spotlights outstanding books in a number of fiction and nonfiction categories.

Medal, Book Stickers, Digital Seal

💰 Entry fee: $75

📅 Deadline: June 30, 2024

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

Universe of Threats Natural Disaster Writing Contest

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

CAPTRS is building a catalog of threats, called the “Universe of Threats,” which will be used to prepare decision makers for future threats. We invite you to submit a 2,500 word or less story describing a threat scenario related to natural disasters, including floods, wildfires, hurricanes or another natural disaster of your choosing.

2nd: $2,500 | 3rd: $1,000 | Publication on CAPTRS website

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Not Quite Write

Genres: Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction challenges writers to create an original piece of flash fiction based on two typical writing prompts plus one ""anti-prompt"". An anti-prompt is a challenge to break a specific “rule” of writing while telling a great story. Participants compete for AU$2,000 in cash prizes, including AU$1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and two bonus ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice. The Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction is hosted in Australia and open to all writers of any age and level of ability around the world.

Publication on the Not Quite Write website and podcast

💰 Entry fee: $16

📅 Deadline: April 21, 2024

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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How to see the penumbral lunar eclipse, March's full moon

Astronomy fans can check out a unique Worm Moon this month as March's full moon rises during a penumbral lunar eclipse.

March's full moon will reach peak illumination at 1 a.m. ET on Monday, but it will appear full through Tuesday morning, according to NASA . The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific moonrise times for different ZIP codes across the United States. 

As the full moon rises during the late evening of March 24 into the early morning hours of March 25, it will travel through the Earth's penumbra — the faint outer part of its shadow — creating a penumbral eclipse. 

What is a penumbral eclipse and where will it be visible?

The  penumbral eclipse is one of three different types of lunar eclipses. There's also the total lunar eclipse and the partial lunar eclipse.

The penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible to all of North and South America, according to NASA. It's easy to miss if you don't know it's happening.

During the eclipse, the moon will dim very slightly for a few nighttime hours. The moon will start entering the Earth's shadow at 12:53 a.m. ET. It will reach the point of greatest eclipse at 3:13 a.m, with 96% of the moon in partial shadow. The moon will exit the shadow at 5:32 a.m.

The next lunar eclipse, a partial eclipse, will take place on Sept. 18. It will be visible in parts of the Americas, Europe and Africa. Astronomy fans won't see a total lunar eclipse until March of next year. 

Why is March's full moon known as a Worm Moon?

Full moon names often come from seasons, historical crops and the behavior of certain animals. The " Worm Moon " moniker may have come from the earthworms typically found as spring nears, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The name may also refer to worms, or beetle larvae, coming out from bark as trees thaw from the winter.

March's full moon also goes by several other names referring to animals, including the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon and the Crow Comes Back Moon. It's also known as the Sugar Moon, the Wind Strong Moon and the Sore Eyes Moon.

This year, March's full moon is also known as the Paschal Full Moon because it will be the first full moon of spring.

Look up — what else can you see in the sky this spring?

April will feature one of the most hotly anticipated events of the year — April 8's total solar eclipse . The month also includes the Lyrid meteor shower, which will peak between April 21 and 22. Right after that, April's full moon, known as the Pink Moon, will reach peak illumination on April 23.

May's full moon, the Flower Moon, reaches peak illumination on May 23. 

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Title: skeleton-of-thought: prompting llms for efficient parallel generation.

Abstract: This work aims at decreasing the end-to-end generation latency of large language models (LLMs). One of the major causes of the high generation latency is the sequential decoding approach adopted by almost all state-of-the-art LLMs. In this work, motivated by the thinking and writing process of humans, we propose Skeleton-of-Thought (SoT), which first guides LLMs to generate the skeleton of the answer, and then conducts parallel API calls or batched decoding to complete the contents of each skeleton point in parallel. Not only does SoT provide considerable speed-ups across 12 LLMs, but it can also potentially improve the answer quality on several question categories. SoT is an initial attempt at data-centric optimization for inference efficiency, and showcases the potential of eliciting high-quality answers by explicitly planning the answer structure in language.

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Quantifying the smoke-related public health trade-offs of forest management

Prescribed burning is a common tool to mitigate the risk of dangerous wildfires. However, careful consideration of the public health impacts should be incorporated into forest management plans.

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Electrochemical ammonia recovery and co-production of chemicals from manure wastewater

Ammonia recovery from manure wastewater not only protects the aquatic ecosystem but also contributes to a sustainable nutrient cycle. Here the authors develop an electrochemical process enabling efficient ammonia recovery, with decentralized fertilizer and chemical production, from ammonia-rich manure wastewater.

Diminishing returns on labour in the global marine food system

This study examines productivity and workforce dynamics in the world’s fisheries over six decades, finding that the natural limits of fish stocks combined with technological advances have led to diminishing returns per fisher.

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Biodiversity conservation threatened by global mining wastes

Facilities that store the waste and tailings of mining operations pose a salient threat to biodiversity. Despite international consensus to mitigate mining impacts on local ecosystems, globally, nearly 10% of facilities are located within protected areas and another 20% can be found within 5 km of their boundaries.

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From capacity building to capacity sharing

In the context of climate change, the discourse of capacity building may reproduce colonial power dynamics by framing adaptation failures as the responsibility of marginalized communities. “Capacity sharing” offers an alternative paradigm for a more environmentally just and decolonial approach to managing local climate risks.

• Stephen Lezak

Living within the safe and just Earth system boundaries for blue water

Water consumption in line with natural water supply ensures sustainable and equitable access to freshwater resources worldwide. This study assesses whether renewable surface water is enough to meet people’s basic needs and, where it is not, estimates how much groundwater would be required.

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Perceptions of degrowth in the European Parliament

As political institutions debate environmental policies, this paper reveals how some members of the European Parliament think about underlying principles of degrowth versus more traditional ‘green’ and economic growth platforms.

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A meta-model of socio-hydrological phenomena for sustainable water management

Adopting technological solutions for water management without considering the complexity underlying human–water interactions can result in unintended consequences. Now a systems meta-model offers a tool to reveal critical human–water links and guide coordinated solutions for sustainable water management.

A community space for all

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Plastics are ubiquitous, but problematic from a whole life cycle perspective. Nature Sustainability asked four experts to present their views about the ongoing plastics crisis.

Cross-scale plastic policy ambition

Policy making is entering a phase of more transformative strategies targeting the full life cycle of plastics, argues Patrick Schröder.

• Patrick Schröder

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A 'devil comet' is set to swing by the sun and could be visible during the eclipse

A “ devil comet ” known for its occasional outbursts is currently visible in the night sky, and lucky stargazers may even be able to spot the celestial object during next month’s much-anticipated solar eclipse.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was nicknamed the "devil comet" because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns.

At the moment, the comet is visible from the Northern Hemisphere with binoculars and telescopes. But by the end of the month, the comet may be visible to the naked eye as it swings through the inner solar system and reaches its closest point to the sun in mid-April.

A comet typically has a core of dust , gas and ice surrounded by bright clouds of gas known as the coma. These celestial objects are “frozen leftovers from the formation of the solar system” and some of the largest can measure tens of miles wide, according to NASA .

Sunlight and solar radiation can heat a comet’s core, sometimes causing violent outbursts, as has happened several times with Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks.

The comet can be seen in the early evenings from the Northern Hemisphere by gazing toward the west-northwest horizon. It is expected to brighten through the end of the month and will be visible, if local conditions are clear and dark, until early May.

If the comet flares significantly in the coming weeks, it’s possible that the “devil comet” will be visible during the upcoming total solar eclipse April 8. Only those in the path of totality — a band that cuts across the country from Texas northeast to Maine where the moon will fully block the sun’s light — would be treated to the double sky show, and the forecast for such a rare, synchronized event remains uncertain.

Even still, there should be ample opportunities to spot the comet on its own in the evening sky.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was discovered in 1812 by a French astronomer, Jean-Louis Pons. It was observed again in 1883 by British-American astronomer William Brooks. Sightings of the comet are rare because it takes 71 years to orbit around the sun.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

NeurIPS 2024, the Thirty-eighth Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, will be held at the Vancouver Convention Center

Monday Dec 9 through Sunday Dec 15. Monday is an industry expo.

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Our Hotel Reservation page is currently under construction and will be released shortly. NeurIPS has contracted Hotel guest rooms for the Conference at group pricing, requiring reservations only through this page. Please do not make room reservations through any other channel, as it only impedes us from putting on the best Conference for you. We thank you for your assistance in helping us protect the NeurIPS conference.

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The Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to foster the exchange of research advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, principally by hosting an annual interdisciplinary academic conference with the highest ethical standards for a diverse and inclusive community.

About the Conference

The conference was founded in 1987 and is now a multi-track interdisciplinary annual meeting that includes invited talks, demonstrations, symposia, and oral and poster presentations of refereed papers. Along with the conference is a professional exposition focusing on machine learning in practice, a series of tutorials, and topical workshops that provide a less formal setting for the exchange of ideas.

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Video: July 2023 Record High Global Temperatures

August 23, 2023

According to scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, July 2023 was hotter than any other month in the global temperature record.

Overall, July 2023 was 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (0.24 degrees Celsius (C)) warmer than any other July in NASA’s record, and it was 2.1 F (1.18 C) warmer than the average July between 1951 and 1980.

“NASA data confirms what billions around the world literally felt: temperatures in July 2023 made it the hottest month on record. In every corner of the country, Americans are right now experiencing firsthand the effects of the climate crisis, underscoring the urgency of President Biden’s historic climate agenda,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The science is clear. We must act now to protect our communities and planet; it’s the only one we have.”

Full story: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3279/nasa-clocks-july-2023-as-hottest-month-on-record-ever-since-1880/

1920×1080

Nov 30, 2023

mp4 (38.81 MB)

• Israel-Hamas War

The Science Is Clear. Over 30,000 People Have Died in Gaza

T he first shock was the number of people killed in Israel—1,200 in a day, Oct. 7. But in the months since, the world has been taken aback by the number of deaths reported out of Gaza: 30,000 through the end of February. Because the death count is compiled by the local Ministry of Health (MOH), an agency controlled by Hamas, which governs Gaza, the tally has been subject to skepticism. Israel’s U.N. ambassador and online pundits have purported that the numbers are exaggerated or, as a recent article in Tablet alleged , simply faked.

Actually, the numbers are likely conservative. The science is extremely clear.

In December, the medical journal The Lancet, published two critiques of the death surveillance process done by extremely experienced scholars at Johns Hopkins and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine . Both concluded that the Gazan numbers were plausible and credible, albeit by somewhat different techniques and logic.

The Hopkins’ analysis looked at internal aspects of the data like comparing hospital trend reports to the overall numbers, but also compared the death rates among U.N. employees with the overall MOH reports in terms of trends and mechanisms of death. There are a huge number of U.N. employees in Gaza, and very close correlations between the rates of death of U.N. employees and the overall population, and regarding the fraction dying under bombs in their homes.

The London School’s analysis looked at some of the same issues, found near perfect correlation between Government bombing reports and satellite imagery, but focused on 7,000 deaths reported through health facilities and morgues during last October. In Gaza, there is a resident ID system which involves a number assigned to young children, and the assigned numbers have risen sequentially over more than half a century with a couple of exceptions. At two different times 20 years apart, there have been “catch-up” campaigns where people of any age who had been missed or had migrated to Gaza could get an ID number. The data analyzed by the London group came directly from many health facilities and morgues, and constituted most of the summary numbers later released by the MOH. In the data, when people’s ID numbers were plotted against the decedent’s age, there were two broad bands of age associated exactly with the ID numbers that had been given out in those catch-up campaigns. Given that this data was flowing from many different medical and morgue facilities, the authors concluded that it is very unlikely that there could be meaningful data fabrication.

Read More: What U.S. Doctors Saw in Gaza

But, the evidence supporting the Gaza MOH mortality number credibility goes beyond these two assessments.

In 2021, an assessment of the MOH mortality surveillance system found that the system under-reported by 13%. In past crises, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and UN reports have aligned closely with those of the MOH in spite of Israeli d ismissals . Most countries in the world record far fewer than 87% of their deaths, but Gaza has many characteristics that make surveillance work well. In spite of relatively high rates of poverty, this is a highly educated population that is engaged with the health system. For example, a USAID funded assessment found in 2014 that 99% of births were attended by a trained health professional compared to about 80% globally. Gaza is geographically small and people have a relatively short distance to reach health facilities. Thus, nothing about Gaza’s MOH high level of function should be triggering this skepticism.

Do the Gaza MOH numbers combine combatants and civilians? Yes, but this does not imply manipulation. Making the distinction is sometimes not called for and is functionally hard for the health system to do. There is something imperfect in every government measure, but that does not mean they should be ignored.

I speak from experience. In 1992, by a fellowship lottery process and a lot of luck, I ended up working in the Refugee Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. The CDC was an amazing place, with so many inspiring people, and an ever-present sense of community and its history. In my four years at CDC, many times I heard about how CDC was the first institution to epidemiologically measure the death toll in real time during a war. Right at the close of the Biafra War in 1970, a young epidemiologist borrowed a technique from wildlife biology called capture-recapture, and estimated that half of the population within the enclave of Biafra had died. What I only recently discovered, is that this death toll was never reported in a public venue. It seems that Richard Nixon ran for office aggressively criticizing President Johnson for allowing the Biafran Famine to occur. Two years into his own Presidency, a revelation that probably between one and two million people had died, mostly on Nixon’s watch, would have been politically embarrassing.

It seems death tolls in wars have always been political. Be it the sinking of the Maine and the death of over 200 sailors in 1898, likely from a non-intentional fire, being used as an excuse to start the Spanish-American war, or General Wesley Clark in 1999 citing exaggerated numbers of dead in mass graves in Kosovo to justify that war. What is comforting, is that usually over time, reality and science have a way of gaining acceptance, sometimes even while the conflict is underway, such as Syria .

In fact, there may have never been a major conflict where real-time surveillance data about deaths was more complete than is unfolding in Gaza today.

There are certain building blocks of society that require agreement for us to work well collectively. Society is weaker and discourse less productive if we cannot agree on at least a few basic things. In the case of Gaza, acknowledging that there was an appalling and extremely deadly attack on October 7 th , and that over 30,000 Gazans have died since, mostly women and children, seems like the most basic of cornerstones of reality on which to move toward constructive discussion and eventual resolution.

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