Engineering, Science & Technology, Climate Change A glance at 2023

In contrast to Western billionaires’ space endeavors ending in failure, India achieved an unprecedented feat. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, costing a mere $75 million, became the world’s first to reach the unexplored lunar south pole.
Although the spacecraft went dormant after two weeks of the landing, it did what it was supposed to do — successfully detected lunar surface sulfur and demonstrated the moon’s soil as an effective insulator. This accomplishment, marked by diversity, cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendly technology, hints at a transformative era in space exploration on the horizon.
Artificial Intelligence Goes Mainstream
The year 2023 emerged as the “breakout year” for artificial intelligence, with ChatGPT leading the charge. This large language model, released by OpenAI in 2022, went viral in 2023, captivating users with its fluency and encyclopedic knowledge.
AI became mainstream, with industry leaders like OpenAI and Google competing to advance generative AI.
Researchers explored AI generating content from brain scans, offering potential communication solutions for stroke and paralysis patients.
AI’s role extended to conservation, aiding in tracking migrating birds through tools like BirdCast.
AI applications have the potential to not only prevent diseases and window strikes but also identify species from photographs, distinguish mushrooms, and translate whale sounds.
However ethical concerns about misinformation and bias were also raised and such concerns will likely pick up pace in the new year.
Insights into Human Migration out of Africa
A paradigm shift in understanding our origins occurred in 2023. As Homo sapiens, our roots lie in Africa, where our species emerged over half a million years ago.
Recent DNA analysis, led by Sarah Tishkoff at the University of Pennsylvania, revealed Neanderthal DNA in living Africans, indicating early migrations from Africa to Eurasia around 250,000 years ago.
This challenges previous notions, showcasing a more complex evolutionary history.
Additionally, research in 2023 discovered that ancient Native Americans, after venturing to North America 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, made return journeys to Eurasia.
Analysis of ten Eurasian individuals’ ancient DNA revealed migrations as far as Kamchatka and central Siberia, suggesting a more intricate narrative of human movement across continents than previously understood.
These findings show the importance of exploring diverse genomic data to unravel the complexities of human history.
NASA Retrieves Asteroid Bits For Clues to Earths Origin
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx probe completed a seven-year mission, delivering 8.8 ounces of rock and dust from the asteroid Bennu in the Utah desert on September 24.Top of Form Bennu, older than Earth, may hold clues about our planet’s formation and life’s building blocks. Initial analysis unveiled evidence of water and high carbon content.
While OSIRIS-REx embarks on another asteroid visit, scientists on Earth are studying the Bennu sample, anticipating revelations about Earth’s distant past.
The Hottest Year on Record
The year 2023 gripped the world with alarming heat records, solidifying its status as the hottest year on record. The Therapyperiod from April to November saw successive months of extreme heat globally. Climbing temperatures fuelled devastating natural disasters, from floods in Libya to wildfires in Canada and the United States.
Despite alarming events, positive strides include increased green energy production and advanced AI forecasting.
The COP28 climate summit witnessed global leaders making a landmark commitment to “transition away” from fossil fuels. Yet, questions lingered about the practical implications of this pledge.
The urgent call is clear: acknowledging our role in climate change and implementing solutions is crucial for survival.
CRISPR Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease and Beta Thalassaemia
In a groundbreaking development, the UK approved the Crispr–Cas9 genome-editing tool, Casgevy, for treating sickle cell disease and beta thalassaemia.
The therapy showed promise of relieving pain and reducing the need for red-blood cell transfusions.
However, long-term effectiveness, safety issues, and the high $2m per person cost raised concerns. Budget considerations questioned the ongoing focus on these diseases.
Despite uncertainties, the approval signifies a potential move towards healthcare equity by including overlooked groups, offering a glimmer of hope.
Weight Loss Drug Wegovy Revolutionize Health
Wegovy, initially prescribed for diabetes, emerged as a revolutionary weight-loss drug, garnering unprecedented demand.
Besides its remarkable weight-loss efficacy, early trials hinted at potential benefits like reducing heart attack and stroke risks and aiding addiction treatment. Despite criticisms of a “quick fix,” and challenges in access and shortages, Wegovy marked a pivotal shift in healthcare.
Global obesity affects 650 million adults, surpassing undernourished populations at 735 million. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor stimulants, initially for diabetes, now combat obesity.
In a two-year trial, Wegovy participants shed 15% body weight, dwarfing the control group’s 3%.
However, Wegovy’s side effects, like nausea and a potential risk of thyroid cancers, caution against unbridled optimism. Addressing starvation remains an unresolved challenge.
Bird Decline Linked to Herbicides and Pesticides
This year marks a record-breaking environmental crisis, notably the alarming decline in global wildlife alongside the pervasive issue of global heating. Unfortunately, the biodiversity crisis receives significantly less attention than the climate emergency, despite its severity.
A study revealed a shocking decline of 550 million birds across Europe over four decades.
Previously attributed to habitat loss and pollution, a comprehensive study by Stanislas Rigal’s team identifies agricultural intensification, driven by increased pesticide and fertilizer use, as the primary culprit.
The findings emphasized the urgent need for policy changes to mitigate biodiversity loss.
Hope for Stem Cell-ased Embryo Models
June witnessed a surge in scientific interest as researchers demonstrated the ability to cultivate structures resembling early post-implantation human embryos entirely within a culture dish, using pluripotent stem cells.
The experiments garnered significant media attention, emphasising the remarkable ability of stem cells to self-organise into relevant tissues.
While hailed for potential breakthroughs in understanding human development and addressing reproductive challenges, there’s a consensus that these stem cell-based embryo models, while promising, aren’t equivalent to natural embryos.
A critical test, implantation into a womb, remains uncharted territory, with 99% of cultured aggregates failing to resemble a human embryo.
Ethical considerations and the need for improved efficiency highlighted the journey toward using these models.
Wildfires Burn Through Canada and Hawaii
Devastating wildfires set records in 2023, particularly in Canada, where over 45 million acres succumbed to flames by October—more than double the previous record set in 1989.
These infernos, covering vast areas, unleashed massive clouds, akin to those over volcanoes, causing lightning and high winds. The repercussions extended globally, with June witnessing the worst air quality in parts of the US, affecting Spain, Britain, and Norway.
Additionally, a catastrophic blaze on Hawaii’s Maui Island claimed at least 100 lives, marking the highest US wildfire death toll in a century.
This alarming trend, fuelled by climate change, transforms once-extreme fires into a disturbing norm across the planet.