Science magazine published a list of the best scientific papers – GISMETEO.Novosti

On the eve of New Year holidays journal Science for almost 20 years, published the ten most significant scientific discoveries of the year

This year, the main scientific breakthrough was landing descent module “Fila” comet 67P / Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Landing module went imperfectly – the landing was in the shadows, leaving the battery lasted for 57 hours – but still small robot able to collect and send the “home” data. Now the comet’s orbit is working his “friend” – a spacecraft “Rosetta».

« Rosetta “and” Fila “fly over the comet. © ESA

The magazine said other opening. For example, the study of the origin of birds and their evolution with time of the dinosaurs, as well as research in the field of gerontology, in which scientists found contained in the blood of young people factor called GDF11, in theory able to rejuvenate the heart, increase muscular strength and to stimulate the formation of neurons in the brain. Experiments in the field of robotics is also not left without attention: on the pages of the magazine told about a group of robots that without human shape in letters and figures, that is, independently develop collective interaction.

Also, editors noted the developments in the field neural chips, memory manipulation and treatment of diabetes using stem cells. In addition, the media has provided the development of small satellites – kubsatov – and the discovery of the island of Sulawesi (there were discovered cave paintings dating back up to 40 000 years).

The list included and quite an interesting study in the field of genetics ( it also became a favorite of readers’ choice) – to the four letters of the genetic code ( A, C, T and G ), scientists were able to add two more – X and Y . In nature, these letters are never found, but they may be placed in DNA in vitro – possibly further opening allows to use them for encoding the artificial protein.

At the same time, the hit list is not all scientific work in 2014. As noted by the chief editor of the Science Marcia McNutt, it is likely that in the future a major breakthrough this year, called discovery, which was not mentioned in the lists of the best of the best.