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Wwhen you think of Albert Einsteinthe first thing that probably comes to mind is the theory of relativity, which he played a key role in developing. So it may come as a surprise to learn that this is not the reason he won the Nobel Prize. That honor went to his discovery of the photoelectric effect. You may not have heard of it, but you see its impact every day: it underlies technology ranging from solar panels to medical imaging and digital cameras.
Many of the technologies we rely on today stem from smaller breakthroughs in science and engineering that preceded them by years or decades. Scientists and engineers all over the world are constantly pushing their boundaries and making new discoveries that could one day determine the future. Here are five such innovations in 2024 that will be part of it.
One step closer to DNA computers
Since the 1990s, researchers have been exploring the possibility of using DNA for computing, which would theoretically provide advantages in power requirements, parallel processing, and data storage. (For example, one gram of DNA could contain about 10 million hours of video, something that currently requires an entire server rack.) A practical DNA computer is still a long way off, but there have been some interesting developments this year that could lead to a few steps closer.
In August, a research team from Johns Hopkins University and North Carolina State University discovered published a paper it essentially demonstrates a unique DNA computer capable of not only calculating data, but also accessing, adding to, and modifying data. The researchers were able to use their prototype to solve simple problems in games such as chess and Sudoku.
Another interesting development in the field of DNA calculation also took place this year. In October, researchers at Peking University discovered published a paper demonstrate how DNA is used to store information in binary code, making it more compatible with conventional programming languages. An even more practical application of this technique? It does not require the trained laboratory researchers and specialized equipment typically required for this type of computing, making DNA an easier storage medium to work with.
Scientists have created a lifelike version of Spider-Man’s web fluid
The web fluid developed by Tufts researchers saw a cup hanging in the air here.
Marco Lo Presti/Tufts
In the comics, Spider-Man’s web fluid is an incredibly versatile substance, capable of being stored as a liquid, sticking to objects, and supporting heavy weights. In October, researchers at Tufts University discovered developed a real-life version of the fabric by extracting fibers from the cocoons of the silk moth and adding chemical additives to create liquid that begins to solidify when squeezed from a needle and exposed to air. The adhesive can stick to objects and support more than 80 times its own weight.
The next step for the researchers is to improve the strength of the material (real spider silk, for example, is about 1,000 times stronger). But it could potentially be used for a variety of different applications as its properties are refined, just as silk is used for many industrial and commercial products today.
Producing medicines in space and bringing them back to Earth
Varda’s automated laboratory after landing on Earth.
John Kraus/Varda
In March this year, California-based startup Varda launched Space Industries published a paper showing that it had successfully manufactured the HIV drug ritonavir in a small, automated laboratory in space. The company also successfully returned the drugs, a milestone in demonstrating that drugs made in microgravity are still stable when returned to Earth.
Manufacturing drugs in orbit allows finer control over a crystallization process common in the making of many drugs. That level of control can make the difference between turning a drug into a pill or having to administer it through an IV. That’s why pharmaceutical giants have conducted a variety of similar experiments aboard the International Space Station.
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Varda’s spacecraft offer an advantage over the ISS because they are automated and do not require astronauts on board. That means they are not tied to NASA’s crewed flight schedule, which significantly reduces costs, company President Delian Asparouhov said. Forbes earlier this year. In April, the company raised a $90 million Series B round to accelerate production of its spacecraft.
Mapping this cellular process could lead to new disease treatments
It took ten years, but in October scientists from the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona arrived published a map of the human ‘spliceosome’. This is the part of the cell that reads and processes your DNA to make different proteins. More than 90% of your genes are edited through this mechanism, which has proven to be significantly more complicated than previously thought.
These blueprints for one of the cell’s most vital processes are a monumental step toward new medicines. Errors in the spliceosome are linked to a wide variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, genetic disorders and most types of cancer. Now that scientists have access to an accurate map of how each part of it works, it may be possible to find new targets for drug development.
Your EV’s next battery could be partly made of coal
Coal particles are superheated as part of the graphite production process.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
One of the most crucial components of lithium-ion batteries is graphite, a material expected to face shortages in the 2030s due to demand from electric vehicles. Currently, the world is dependent on China, which produces almost 80% of the material. The country has both mines and production facilities that can produce graphite artificially, which is currently an expensive process.
In December, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory may have found a solution to prevent these potential shortages: they have two new processes that can turn coal into graphite. One process takes solid forms of coal and uses an electrochemical reaction to transform them. The other filters a liquid form of coal, called a slurry, and then treats it electrochemically to create graphite. In both cases, the process uses less energy than conventional methods, making them a potentially cheaper alternative.
Project leader Edgar Lara-Curzio explained Forbes that this innovation highlights the possibilities that coal, which remains plentiful around the world, could still offer in the 21st century. “You could make things like carbon fibers and electrodes for energy storage devices and building materials,” he said. The breakthrough heralds a promising future for places where coal still dominates the economy as the world transitions to sustainable forms of energy.
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