A number of significant scientific events occurred in 2013, including the discovery of numerous Earthlike exoplanets, the development of viable lab-grown ears, teeth, livers and blood vessels, and the atmospheric entry of the most destructive meteor since 1908. The year also saw successful new treatments for diseases such as HIV, Usher syndrome and leukodystrophy, and a major expansion in the use and capabilities of technologies such as 3D printing and autonomous cars.
The United Nations designated 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation.
Events, discoveries and inventions January
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 the Milky Way Galaxy. 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. 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. 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. 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. American researchers state that a gene associated with active personality traits is also linked to increased longevity. 4 January Britain's first hand transplantation operation is successfully conducted. Toyota demonstrates an autonomous car capable of sensing and reacting to its surroundings, monitoring its driver and communicating with other vehicles. 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 humans with retinitis pigmentosa. 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.
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. Remarkably well-preserved zinc pills are discovered aboard a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck, giving a rare insight into Roman medicine. 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. 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. 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 away, even in adverse weather conditions. The company plans to mount the laser on a variety of vehicles for battlefield use. 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. 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". 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. The most distant known supernova is discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, at a distance of around 10 billion light-years. Medical researchers state that sickle cells can be induced to attack treatment-resistant tumours by starving them of blood. British and Canadian researchers create a tablet computer which is as thin as paper and also flexible. 10 January Half of all food is wasted worldwide, according to a new report by the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME). The English general lighthouse authority activate a new backup navigation system that allows ships to navigate even if their GPS signals fail. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. Scientists develop a Breathalyzer-like breath test that could be used to quickly and accurately diagnose lung infections. 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. Researchers in University of Montana report recreational fishing may drive evolutionary changes in largemouth bass, making them harder to catch and less attentive parents. David O. Conover notes it affects both physical traits and fish behavior over time.Fishing may exert evolutionary pressure on largemouth bass archive.org Science news : magazine of the Society for Science and the Public 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. 15 January – The first museum of 3D-printed artifacts opens in China. 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 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. 18 January – Japanese researchers create a "privacy visor" which uses near-infrared light to render its wearer unrecognizable to facial recognition software. 20 January – Scientists prove that quadruple-helix DNA is present in human cells. 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. 22 January French glaciologists release a report stating that the glaciers of the Andes are melting at an unprecedented rate. NEC and Corning Inc. develop a multi-core fiber optic cable that can transfer a record-breaking petabit of data per second. 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. 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".
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. Scientists resume controversial research into the H5N1 influenza subtype, which was previously halted due to fears of biological terrorism. A British amputee becomes the first person in the UK to receive the Michelangelo Hand, an advanced new bionic hand, which uses electrodes to precisely mimic muscle movements and which can be used even for delicate engineering tasks. 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. 24 January – Britain's Chief Medical Officer warns that antibiotic resistance could have "apocalyptic" consequences, with numerous common bacterial infections becoming increasingly resistant to treatment. 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. Scientists design an evolution-inspired organic solar cell with a novel geometric pattern that increases its energy-harvesting efficiency. New measurements performed by European scientists reveal that the radius of the proton is 4 percent smaller than previously estimated. 27 January – Asteroid 274301, a main belt asteroid, is officially renamed "Wikipedia" by the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature. 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 strokes in humans. 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. An American research team uses the world's most powerful supercomputer at the time – the IBM Sequoia – to perform a record-breaking computation, modelling an experimental jet engine on over one million processor cores. 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 human spaceflight efforts. American scientists finish drilling down to the subglacial Lake Whillans, which is buried around under the Antarctic ice.
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. 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." 30 January – South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch, using the Naro-1 rocket to place a satellite into orbit. 31 January