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| Lost city found by accident and a fly's brain mapped: 2024's scientific wins | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A "chopsticks" rocket catch by Elon Musk's SpaceX was among the highlights of 2024 | A "chopsticks" rocket catch by Elon Musk's SpaceX was among the highlights of 2024 |
| A total solar eclipse seen by millions, a lost jungle city discovered by accident and hope for the almost extinct northern white rhino - science has given us a lot to get excited about this year. | A total solar eclipse seen by millions, a lost jungle city discovered by accident and hope for the almost extinct northern white rhino - science has given us a lot to get excited about this year. |
| One of the biggest news stories was about making space travel cheaper and easier, with Elon Musk's Starship making a giant step towards humanity having a reusable rocket. | One of the biggest news stories was about making space travel cheaper and easier, with Elon Musk's Starship making a giant step towards humanity having a reusable rocket. |
| Of course it's not all been positive. In bad news for the planet, for example, it is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the world's warmest year on record. | Of course it's not all been positive. In bad news for the planet, for example, it is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the world's warmest year on record. |
| But there has been a lot to celebrate. Here are seven of our favourite uplifting science stories of the year. | But there has been a lot to celebrate. Here are seven of our favourite uplifting science stories of the year. |
| That 'chopsticks' rocket catch | That 'chopsticks' rocket catch |
| Watch: Why is the latest SpaceX rocket test a big deal? | Watch: Why is the latest SpaceX rocket test a big deal? |
| In October, Elon Musk's Starship rocket completed a world first after part of it was captured on its return to the launch pad. | In October, Elon Musk's Starship rocket completed a world first after part of it was captured on its return to the launch pad. |
| The SpaceX vehicle's lower booster rocket flew back to its launch tower, instead of falling into the sea. It was caught in a giant pair of mechanical arms, or "chopsticks" as part of its fifth test flight. | The SpaceX vehicle's lower booster rocket flew back to its launch tower, instead of falling into the sea. It was caught in a giant pair of mechanical arms, or "chopsticks" as part of its fifth test flight. |
| It brought SpaceX's ambition of developing a fully reusable and rapidly deployable rocket to go to the Moon and maybe even Mars a big step closer. | It brought SpaceX's ambition of developing a fully reusable and rapidly deployable rocket to go to the Moon and maybe even Mars a big step closer. |
| "A day for the history books," engineers at SpaceX declared as the booster landed safely. | "A day for the history books," engineers at SpaceX declared as the booster landed safely. |
| You can read more about the 'chopsticks' moment here. | You can read more about the 'chopsticks' moment here. |
| Mapping the fly brain | Mapping the fly brain |
| As beautiful as it is complex, the fly's brain has more than 130,000 wires with 50 million intricate connections | As beautiful as it is complex, the fly's brain has more than 130,000 wires with 50 million intricate connections |
| They can walk, hover and the males can even sing love songs to woo mates - all this with a brain that's tinier than a pinhead. | They can walk, hover and the males can even sing love songs to woo mates - all this with a brain that's tinier than a pinhead. |
| But it wasn't until October that scientists studying the brain of a fruit fly mapped the position, shape and connections of every single one of its 130,000 cells and 50 million connections. | But it wasn't until October that scientists studying the brain of a fruit fly mapped the position, shape and connections of every single one of its 130,000 cells and 50 million connections. |
| It was the most detailed analysis of the brain of an adult animal ever produced, and one leading brain specialist described the breakthrough as a "huge leap" in our understanding of our own brains. | It was the most detailed analysis of the brain of an adult animal ever produced, and one leading brain specialist described the breakthrough as a "huge leap" in our understanding of our own brains. |
| One of the research leaders said it would shed new light into "the mechanism of thought". Read more about the story here. | One of the research leaders said it would shed new light into "the mechanism of thought". Read more about the story here. |
| Lost Mayan city found 'by accident' | Lost Mayan city found 'by accident' |
| What might the city have looked like? | What might the city have looked like? |
| Imagine you've Googled something, you get to page 16 of the results and: "Hold on, is that a lost Mayan city?" | Imagine you've Googled something, you get to page 16 of the results and: "Hold on, is that a lost Mayan city?" |
| Well that's what happened to Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane University in the US, who came across a laser survey done by a Mexican organisation for environmental monitoring. | Well that's what happened to Luke Auld-Thomas, a PhD student at Tulane University in the US, who came across a laser survey done by a Mexican organisation for environmental monitoring. |
| When he processed the data with methods used by archaeologists, he saw what others had missed - a huge ancient city which may have been home to 30-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD. | When he processed the data with methods used by archaeologists, he saw what others had missed - a huge ancient city which may have been home to 30-50,000 people at its peak from 750 to 850 AD. |
| There are no pictures of the city but it had pyramid temples similar to this one in nearby Calakmul | There are no pictures of the city but it had pyramid temples similar to this one in nearby Calakmul |
| In the city, which had disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico, archaeologists found pyramids, sports fields and amphitheatres. | In the city, which had disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico, archaeologists found pyramids, sports fields and amphitheatres. |
| The complex - which researchers named Valeriana - was revealed using Lidar, a type of laser survey that maps structures buried under vegetation. | The complex - which researchers named Valeriana - was revealed using Lidar, a type of laser survey that maps structures buried under vegetation. |
| World's first IVF rhino pregnancy | World's first IVF rhino pregnancy |
| The embryo transfer was carried out using a surrogate southern white rhino mother | The embryo transfer was carried out using a surrogate southern white rhino mother |
| There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world, but we reported on a fertility breakthrough that offered hope for saving the species. | There are only two northern white rhinos left in the world, but we reported on a fertility breakthrough that offered hope for saving the species. |
| Scientists achieved the world's first IVF rhino pregnancy, successfully transferring a lab-created rhino embryo into a surrogate mother. | Scientists achieved the world's first IVF rhino pregnancy, successfully transferring a lab-created rhino embryo into a surrogate mother. |
| The procedure was carried out with southern white rhinos, a closely related sub-species of northern whites which still number in the thousands, and took 13 attempts to accomplish. | The procedure was carried out with southern white rhinos, a closely related sub-species of northern whites which still number in the thousands, and took 13 attempts to accomplish. |
| The mother eventually died of an infection, but a post-mortem revealed that the 6.5cm male foetus was developing well and had a 95% chance of being born alive, showing that a viable pregnancy through rhino IVF is possible. | The mother eventually died of an infection, but a post-mortem revealed that the 6.5cm male foetus was developing well and had a 95% chance of being born alive, showing that a viable pregnancy through rhino IVF is possible. |
| There are 30 precious northern white rhino embryos in existence, and the next step is to try IVF using these. | There are 30 precious northern white rhino embryos in existence, and the next step is to try IVF using these. |
| Conservation slowed nature loss | Conservation slowed nature loss |
| Cuban crocodiles at a breeding sanctuary - one of a number of conservation actions studied | Cuban crocodiles at a breeding sanctuary - one of a number of conservation actions studied |
| With human activity driving what conservation charity the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) calls a "catastrophic" loss of species, it can sometimes feel like we don't hear an awful lot of good news about nature. | With human activity driving what conservation charity the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) calls a "catastrophic" loss of species, it can sometimes feel like we don't hear an awful lot of good news about nature. |
| But a ten-year study showed conservation actions are effective at reducing global biodiversity loss. | But a ten-year study showed conservation actions are effective at reducing global biodiversity loss. |
| Scientists from dozens of research institutes reviewed 665 trials of conservation measures in different countries and oceans, and found they had had a positive effect in two out of every three cases. | Scientists from dozens of research institutes reviewed 665 trials of conservation measures in different countries and oceans, and found they had had a positive effect in two out of every three cases. |
| The measures ranged from hatching Chinook salmon to the eradication of invasive algae, and the study's authors said their findings offered a "ray of light" for those working to protect threatened animals and plants. | The measures ranged from hatching Chinook salmon to the eradication of invasive algae, and the study's authors said their findings offered a "ray of light" for those working to protect threatened animals and plants. |
| Read more about the story here. | Read more about the story here. |
| The solar eclipse that stunned millions | The solar eclipse that stunned millions |
| Watch: Stunning images of the total solar eclipse crossing North America | Watch: Stunning images of the total solar eclipse crossing North America |
| Tens of millions of people across Mexico, the US and Canada had their heads turned, literally by a total solar eclipse. | Tens of millions of people across Mexico, the US and Canada had their heads turned, literally by a total solar eclipse. |
| This is where the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, extinguishing its light. | This is where the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, extinguishing its light. |
| A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months, but they are often in quite unpopulated areas, whereas this one had major cities including Dallas in its path. | A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months, but they are often in quite unpopulated areas, whereas this one had major cities including Dallas in its path. |
| The path of totality - the area where people could see the Moon totally block the Sun - was also much wider this year than it was during the spectacular total solar eclipse of 2017. | The path of totality - the area where people could see the Moon totally block the Sun - was also much wider this year than it was during the spectacular total solar eclipse of 2017. |
| For more on the story read here. | For more on the story read here. |
| New life from beloved Sycamore Gap tree | New life from beloved Sycamore Gap tree |
| Watch: seedlings from Sycamore Gap tree sprout up | Watch: seedlings from Sycamore Gap tree sprout up |
| Millions once visited Sycamore Gap, the famous sycamore tree nestled in a gap in Hadrian's Wall. | Millions once visited Sycamore Gap, the famous sycamore tree nestled in a gap in Hadrian's Wall. |
| So when it was cut down in 2023, naturally a national outpouring of shock and dismay followed. | So when it was cut down in 2023, naturally a national outpouring of shock and dismay followed. |
| But in March, new life sprung from the tree's rescued seeds and twigs, giving hope that the iconic tree has a future. | But in March, new life sprung from the tree's rescued seeds and twigs, giving hope that the iconic tree has a future. |
| BBC News saw the new shoots on a rare visit to the secret National Trust centre protecting the seedlings. | BBC News saw the new shoots on a rare visit to the secret National Trust centre protecting the seedlings. |
| Young twigs and seeds thrown to the ground when the tree toppled were salvaged by the National Trust, which cares for the site with the Northumberland National Park Authority. | Young twigs and seeds thrown to the ground when the tree toppled were salvaged by the National Trust, which cares for the site with the Northumberland National Park Authority. |
| The saplings are now being given to charities, groups and individuals as "trees of hope". | The saplings are now being given to charities, groups and individuals as "trees of hope". |