Facts and characters in science and the environment, according to Nature

In the contemporary world, the environmental crisis expressed in complex problems such as global warming, the degradation of ecosystems, the disappearance of species or pollution is becoming increasingly relevant. Science and technology have been blamed for causing a part of the problems that currently afflict the planet, but ironically, they are also given the responsibility of creating solutions to these problems.

2022 undoubtedly brought moments from science that will define the future of the environment and our surroundings as human beings, which is why Nature magazine undertook the task of recounting these key facts, but also characters that from science They have made great contributions to this and other issues addressed from science in general.

Monkeypox spreads

The rapid spread of monkeypox caught many scientists off guard. Previously, the virus had been limited to West and Central Africa, but from May this year infections began to appear in Europe, the United States, Canada and many other countries, mainly in young to middle-aged men. The virus is related to smallpox, and the strain rarely causes serious illness or death. But its rapid spread led the WHO to declare the global outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

This war affected climate and space science research, disrupted field work, and played a major role in the global energy crisis. Russian forces attacked Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia, in March, raising fears of a nuclear accident. Research organizations moved quickly to cut ties with Russia, stopping funding and collaborations, journals also came under pressure.

Future feats of the James Webb telescope

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the most complex ever built, reached its destination in January after decades of planning. In July, astronomers were stunned by the telescope’s first image of thousands of distant galaxies in the constellation Volans. Since then, the observatory has captured a constant stream of spectacular images. The insights include detailed observations of an exoplanet and the top contenders for distant galaxies.

artificial intelligence and proteins

Researchers announced in July that they had used the revolutionary AlphaFold artificial intelligence (AI) network to predict the structures of more than 200 million proteins from approximately one million species, covering nearly all known proteins from all organisms whose genomes are found in the wild. databases. The development of AlphaFold brought its creators one of the US$3 million Breakthrough Prizes.

The Moon as the focus of attention

This year the Moon became a popular destination for space missions. In August, it was South Korea’s Danuri probe, which is expected to reach its destination in January and orbit the satellite for a year with a large number of experiments. NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts to the Moon in the next few years, finally began with the launch of the Orion capsule.

Financing for climate change

An agreement on a new ‘loss and damage’ fund was the turning point during COP27 in Egypt. The fund will help low- and middle-income countries cover the cost of climate change impacts, but calls to phase out fossil fuels have been blocked by oil-producing states.

Omicron dominated the pandemic this year

Omicron and his descendants dominated all other coronavirus variants this year. It became clear that Omicron was able to evade the immune system’s defenses more successfully than previous variants, which has meant that the vaccines are less effective. A diverse group of outbreaks that evade the immune system have emerged throughout the year.

Pig transplants to people

American David Bennett became the first person to receive a transplanted heart from a genetically modified pig, a crucial first step in determining whether animals can provide a source of organs for people who need them. Bennett survived another eight weeks after the transplant.

elections and science

For many the political environment improved. The swap of Jair Bolsonaro for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil, President Emmanuel Macron’s victory over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, and Anthony Albanese’s election as prime minister in Australia are all seen as good for science.

The commitment of an environmental impulse

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (COP15) was the setting for a new treaty on biodiversity, cataloged as a historic event, the new Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biological Diversity was signed, which commits the world to stop and reverse the loss of biodiversity in 2030. Within the goals, it seeks to conserve at least 30% of the Earth, fresh water and oceans of the world.

Relevant personalities in science 2022

The advancement of science cannot take place on its own, researchers and their teams are the cornerstone for the world to benefit from diverse findings and for the understanding of the world to continue. For this reason, as every year, Nature also presented the list of the most relevant people in various scientific fields 2022.

Jane Rigby She is an astronomer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. She has played a pivotal role in putting the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit and operating it.

Yunlong Cao The Peking University genomics researcher has helped track the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and predicted some of the mutations that are fueling the emergence of new variants.

Saleemul Huq This researcher at the International Center for Climate Change and Development in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has managed to force rich countries to pay for the losses and damages of climate change. He was key during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

Svitlana Krakovska She is the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has vigorously represented her country on the international stage and linked the current Russian invasion to humanity’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Dimie Ogoina This doctor specializing in infectious diseases from the University of the Niger Delta in Amassoma (Nigeria), provided key information to combat the outbreak of monkeypox, or monkeypox.

Lisa McCorkell This American researcher, who suffers from long-term covid, has contributed to raising awareness and funding for research on this disease as a founding member of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative.

Diana Greene Foster The University of California, San Francisco demographer has provided crucial data on the impact of the US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the country’s legal ruling on abortion access, she vowed to ensure that scientific evidence was part of the of the debate.

Antonio Guterres The United Nations secretary-general has acted as “the conscience of the world,” advocating for nations to deal with crises like the invasion of Ukraine and climate change.

Muhammad Mohiuddin The surgeon at the University of Maryland (Baltimore) School of Medicine has made history by co-leading the team that has transplanted the first genetically modified pig heart into a human.

lark nelson The sociologist took over as acting director of the US Office of Science and Technology Policy in February and has helped the Joe Biden administration develop things like new guidelines on open science, promote racial and social equity, improve transparency and protect privacy in AI technologies.

nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx