A number of significant scientific events have occurred in 2013. The United Nations has designated 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation.^[1]

Events, discoveries and inventions[link]

2 January 2013: astronomers publish a study stating that the Milky Way Galaxy may contain as many as 400 billion exoplanets, with almost every star hosting at least one planet.

January[link]

• 2 January
  • A study by Caltech astronomers reports that the Milky Way Galaxy contains at least one planet per star, resulting in approximately 100–400 billion exoplanets. The study, based on planets orbiting the star Kepler-32, suggests that planetary systems may be the norm around stars in our galaxy.^[2]
  • Astronomers report the discovery of giant "geysers" of charged particles emanating from the core of the Milky Way Galaxy. These outflows, which extend as far as 50,000 light-years from the galactic plane, are thought to be fuelled by intense star formation. (Science Daily) (Nature)
  • LG Electronics releases the first commercial OLED television. OLED screens are thinner, more efficient and capable of displaying images with greater definition than conventional LCD and plasma screens. (BBC)
• 3 January
  • Physicists create a potassium-based quantum gas which can be manipulated by lasers and magnetic fields to reach negative temperatures. At such temperatures, matter begins to exhibit previously unknown qualities. (Wired) (Nature)
  • Scientists analyse a meteorite, NWA 7034, that was found in the Sahara Desert and purchased in Morocco in 2011, and report that it is a new type of Mars rock with an unusually high water content. (NASA) (BBC) (Science)
  • American researchers state that a gene associated with active personality traits is also linked to increased longevity. (Science Daily) (J. Neurosci.)
• 4 January
  • Britain's first hand transplantation operation is successfully conducted. (The Guardian)
  • Toyota demonstrates an autonomous car capable of sensing and reacting to its surroundings, monitoring its driver and communicating with other vehicles. (BBC)
• 6 January
  • British researchers successfully cure blindness in mice using an injection of photosensitive cells. Following additional testing, the treatment could be used to heal human sufferers of retinitis pigmentosa. (BBC) (PNAS)
  • China is reported to be experiencing a rapid growth in the use of industrial robots, with robot installations increasing at over 10 percent a year.^[3]
• 7 January
  • Australia experiences its hottest day on record, with nationwide average temperatures exceeding 40°C amid one of the most intense bushfire seasons in the country's history. (Courier Mail) (The Guardian)
  • Remarkably well-preserved zinc pills are discovered aboard a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck, giving a rare insight into Roman medicine. (New Scientist) (PNAS)
  • Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) report that "at least 17 billion" Earth-sized exoplanets are estimated to reside in the Milky Way Galaxy. (Times of India) (Space.com)

9 January 2013: scientists test a new cancer treatment that uses sickle cells (pictured) to kill off tumours by starving them of their blood supply.

• 8 January
  • The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show opens in Las Vegas, Nevada. Among the new technologies showcased are flexible tablet computers, autonomous cars, medical telepresence robots, ultra-definition TVs and high-efficiency microchips. (PC Pro) (The Guardian) (Daily Telegraph)
  • The German defence company Rheinmetall successfully demonstrates a high-powered military laser that can destroy drones in mid-flight and cut through steel from over 1 mile (1.6 km) away, even in adverse weather conditions. The company plans to mount the laser on a variety of vehicles for battlefield use. (BBC) (UPI)
  • American astronomers announce the discovery of seven new exocomets – more than double the previously known number of such objects. The exocomets were discovered using the McDonald Observatory in Texas, which imaged the chemical signatures of the comets' tails. (New Scientist)
  • Astronomers affiliated with the Kepler space observatory announce the discovery of KOI-172.02, an Earth-like exoplanet candidate which orbits a star similar to the Sun in the habitable zone, and is possibly a "prime candidate to host alien life". (Space.com)
• 9 January
  • A gamma secretase inhibitor previously experimented for treating Alzheimer's disease is found to have regenerative effects on inner ear hair cells, potentially allowing for the effective treatment of deafness. (Scientific American) (Neuron)
  • The most distant known supernova is discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, at a distance of around 10 billion light-years. (e! Science News) (ArXiv) (Astrophys. J.)
  • Medical researchers state that sickle cells can be induced to attack treatment-resistant tumours by starving them of blood. (Science Codex) (PLoS ONE)
• 10 January
  • Half of all food is wasted worldwide, according to a new report by the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME). (Huffington Post) (IME)
  • The British General Lighthouse Authority activates a new backup navigation system that allows ships to navigate even if their GPS signals fail. (BBC)
  • The first vessel of a new class of nuclear submarine goes into service with the Russian Navy, featuring a built-in escape pod to allow crew members to survive a critical hull breach. (BBC)
  • An American company unveils a smart hunting rifle which uses a computerised scope, onboard aiming software and laser rangefinders to ensure great accuracy even in the hands of novice shooters. The rifle is also Wi-Fi-enabled, and its software can record its aiming and firing history, potentially allowing law enforcement agencies to track its use. (NBC) (Ars Technica)
• 11 January
  • Manchester University chemists develop a functional molecular machine, only a few nanometers in size, that can assemble complex molecular structures in a fashion similar to DNA ribosomes. The invention could be used to precisely fashion new medicines or polymers. (BBC) (Science)
  • Astronomers discover a distant cluster of supermassive quasars that is both the largest and brightest structure in the known universe, spanning approximately four billion light-years. (Popular Science)
  • New high-precision observations of the asteroid 99942 Apophis reveal that it is almost certain that the asteroid will not strike the Earth in 2036, despite earlier scientific concern over its trajectory. (Science Daily) (NASA)
  • Scientists develop a Breathalyzer-like breath test that could be used to quickly and accurately diagnose lung infections. (Scientific American blog) (J. Breath Res.)

20 January 2013: it is proven that quadruple-helix DNA (pictured) is present in humans.

• 12 January – Official sources state that Beijing's air is now hazardous to human health, after years of mounting air pollution. The city's air contains as much as 20 times the World Health Organization's recommended amount of toxic particles. (BBC)
• 13 January – Massachusetts doctors invent a pill-sized medical scanner that can be safely swallowed by patients, allowing the esophagus to be more easily scanned for diseases. (BBC)
• 17 January – NASA announces that the Kepler space observatory has developed a reaction wheel issue and will discontinue operation for 10 days in the interest of solving the problem. Three functional reaction wheels are needed to accurately aim the telescope; one of Kepler's original four reaction wheels failed in July 2012. If this second wheel issue is not resolved, NASA may be forced to end the long-running Kepler mission altogether.^[4][5]
• 18 January – Japanese researchers create a "privacy visor" which uses near-infrared light to render its wearer unrecognizable to facial recognition software.^[6]
• 20 January – Scientists prove that quadruple-helix DNA is present in human cells.^[7]
• 21 January – Architects begin preparations for constructing the world's first 3D-printed building. The building will be constructed of a high-strength artificial marble laid down by an industrial-scale 3D printer, and is planned for completion in 2014.^[8]
• 22 January
  • French glaciologists release a report stating that the glaciers of the Andes are melting at an unprecedented rate.^[9]
  • The private spaceflight venture Deep Space Industries announces plans to begin scanning and mining asteroids for precious metals. The company intends to launch its first prospecting spacecraft in 2015.^[10]
  • A resolution is introduced to the United States Congress to designate 12 February 2013 (Charles Darwin's 204th birthday) as "Darwin Day" in order to recognize "the importance of sciences in the betterment of humanity".^[11]
• 23 January
  • Scientists encode large amounts of digital information, including the complete sonnets of William Shakespeare, on a single strand of synthetic DNA. DNA has immense potential as a storage medium, and may become commercially available for this purpose in the near future.^[12]
  • Scientists resume controversial research into the H5N1 influenza subtype, which was previously halted due to fears of biological terrorism.^[13]
  • A British amputee becomes the first person in the UK to receive an advanced new bionic hand, which uses electrodes to precisely mimic muscle movements and which can be used even for delicate engineering tasks.^[14]
  • Kenya begins the construction of the Konza Technology City, a planned city that is hoped to become a hub of African science and technology upon its completion in 2030.^[15]
• 25 January
  • An international team of scientists develops a functional light-based "tractor beam", which allows individual cells to be selected and moved at will. The invention could have broad applications in medicine and microbiology.^[16]
  • Scientists design an evolution-inspired organic solar cell with a novel geometric pattern that increases its energy-harvesting efficiency.^[17]

30 January 2013: South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch with its indigenous Naro-1 rocket (replica pictured).

• 28 January
  • Bolivian scientists restore brain function to stroke-affected rats by injecting them with stem cells. This breakthrough may lead to more effective treatments for human stroke sufferers.^[18]
  • American medical researchers develop a painless polymer skin patch that can be used to inject DNA vaccines without a conventional needle, and also increases the initial effectiveness of the vaccine delivered.^[19]
  • An American research team uses the world's most powerful supercomputer – the IBM Sequoia – to perform a record-breaking computation, modelling an experimental jet engine on over one million processor cores.^[20]
  • Iran successfully launches a live rhesus monkey into space and recovers the animal safely, in what is claimed to be a prelude to the country's future manned spaceflight efforts.^[21]
  • American scientists finish drilling down to the subglacial Lake Whillans, which is buried around 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) under the Antarctic ice.^[22]
• 29 January
  • NASA reports that the Kepler space observatory has successfully returned to "science data collection" mode, after suffering a reaction wheel malfunction earlier in the month.^[23]
  • ESA scientists report that the ionosphere of the planet Venus streams outwards in a manner similar to "the ion tail seen streaming from a comet under similar conditions."^[24][25]
• 30 January – South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch, using the Naro-1 rocket to place a satellite into orbit.^[26]
• 31 January
  • British scientists achieve a breakthrough in synthetic biology, developing microscopic biological "factories" that can be assembled in hours and which could be used to deliver medicines, produce biofuels and mine underground minerals.^[27]
  • Scientists sequence the genome of the domestic pigeon, discovering that all modern pigeon breeds are descended from the wild rock dove.^[28]
  • The ESA, in collaboration with a group of architectural firms, designs and tests a 3D-printed structure that can be built out of lunar regolith to serve as a Moon base.^[29]

February[link]

• 1 February
  • Stanford University physicists discover that atom-thin sheets of graphene are 100 times more chemically reactive than thicker sheets. This reactivity may be crucial to developing new practical applications for graphene, which is already widely known for its immense strength and conductivity.^[30]
  • Medical researchers develop a new method of efficiently detecting cancer using bioelectric signals. In addition, they were able to manipulate cellular electric charge levels to prevent certain cells from developing cancer.^[31]
• 2 February
  • Iran unveils its first stealth fighter, the Qaher-313.^[32]
  • Californian researchers use genetic modification to rejuvenate ageing blood cells, strengthening the immune systems of elderly mice. If human trials prove successful, this treatment could allow older people to more effectively resist disease.^[33]
• 3 February
  • The Scottish Government announces plans for a national physics prize named in honour of Peter Higgs, who first theorized the Higgs boson in 1964.^[34]
  • The British Army begins using a miniature drone helicopter in Afghanistan. The aerial surveillance robot weighs just 16 grams, and can be remotely piloted into difficult terrain to detect hidden enemy positions.^[35]

4 February 2013: British scientists use DNA testing to confirm that a newly-unearthed skeleton is that of the medieval king Richard III (pictured).

• 4 February
  • American researchers develop a new molecular therapy which can cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver medicines to the brain, potentially helping to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease.^[36]
  • A much-vaunted experimental vaccine for tuberculosis proves to be largely ineffective against the disease in human trials.^[37]
  • After DNA testing, scientists confirm that a medieval skeleton unearthed in Leicester is that of the defeated Plantagenet king Richard III, who was killed in battle in 1485.^[38]

Predicted and scheduled events[link]

April[link]

• 25 April – A partial lunar eclipse will occur.

May[link]

• 10 May – An annular solar eclipse will occur.

June[link]

• China will launch its Shenzhou 10 manned spacecraft to rendezvous with the Tiangong-1 orbital module.^[39]

September[link]

• 29 September – The European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope will be launched.^[40]

October[link]

• 18 October – A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur.

November[link]

• 3 November – A total solar eclipse will occur.
• India will launch its first Mars probe, Mangalyaan.^[41]
• The comet C/2012 S1 will become visible to the naked eye in late October or early November 2013.^[42]

Date unknown[link]

• China will attempt its first unmanned Moon landing, with the Chang'e 3 lunar rover mission.^[43]
• The MAVEN spacecraft, part of NASA's Mars Scout Program, is set to launch in 2013.^[44]
• China's Tiangong-2 space station module is set to be launched in 2013.^[45]
• The first commercially licensed, grid-connected wave-energy device in the US, designed by Ocean Power Technologies, will be launched in Reedsport, Oregon.^[46][47]
• The United States government will sell off the first large coastal sites for the development of offshore wind farms.^[48]
• A British energy firm plans to begin constructing Africa's largest Photovoltaic power plant, a 155-megawatt installation, in Ghana.^[49]
• The first Maersk Triple E-class container ships, the largest and most efficient cargo vessels yet constructed, will be delivered.^[50]
• Major carmakers, including Toyota and Chrysler, will launch cars featuring built-in wireless charging for mobile devices.^[51]

Deaths[link]

January[link]

• 8 January – Percy White, British chemist and nuclear scientist, contributor to Britain's first nuclear bomb (b. 1916).^[52]
• 9 January – Brigitte Askonas, British immunologist (b. 1923).^[53]
• 14 January – Andreas Raab, German computer scientist (b. 1968).^[54]
• 18 January – Jim Horning, American computer scientist (b. 1942).^[55]
• 19 January – Basil Hirschowitz, South African-American gastroenterologist (b. 1925).^[56]
• 21 January
  • Donald Hornig, American Manhattan Project chemist and explosives expert (b. 1920).^[57]
  • Ahmet Mete Işıkara, Turkish geophysicist (b. 1941).^[58]
• 28 January – Xu Liangying, Chinese physicist (b. 1920).^[59]

February[link]

See also[link]

• 2013 in spaceflight
• List of emerging technologies
• List of years in science

References[link]

External links[link]

• "A science news preview of 2013". BBC. 30 December 2012.
• Science obituaries in The Guardian
• Science obituaries in The Daily Telegraph

es:Ciencias en 2013

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