The most relevant science in 2022

A proposal for a new science and technology law in the country has fueled the discussion; changes in the way public research institutions are run; never-before-seen images of space; a historic step in the generation of energy by nuclear fusion and significant climate agreements, are some of the events that marked the year. We present the highlights:

January

CIDE community resists and protests

The community of the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) began the protest after the modification to the statutes was approved. Researchers and students from various institutions, under the motto #YoDefiendoAlCIDE, demonstrated before the Legislature. This would be the preamble to a series of events that would lead to the total transformation of this and all Conacyt public centers.

Announce new rules for applying for Conacyt scholarships

By direct assignment and at the request of the students, explained the Conacyt director, María Elena Álvarez Buylla, assured that the previous model fertilized “the ground for exclusion”.

ENAH students and workers ask for more budget

The mobilization arose in response to the complaint made by the director of the institution, Hilario Topete Lara, when he made public that the school would have to suspend around 60 academic activities.

February

Colmena will put Mexico on the Moon

Your goal is to place five robots on the lunar surface. The UNAM-led project will participate in the Artemisa agreements, signed with NASA under the leadership of the Mexican Foreign Ministry.

Extinction of IMTA, scientific arm of Semarnat

The Mexican Institute of Water Technology, the technological arm of Conagua, had as a priority work in rural communities in tasks such as technology transfer and environmental protection. Its extinction means the loss of knowledge of the water sector built in 35 years.

Mexican scientist pleads guilty to espionage in the United States

Investigator Héctor Alejandro Cabrera Fuentes, accused of collaborating with the Russian Intelligence Service, reached an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office to avoid a trial and aspire to a reduced sentence.

March

Legislators promise to draw up the Science and Technology Law

After 15 months of delay, the Science and Technology commissions of the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies presented their work plan; They assured that they would come together to approve a new law on the matter in 2022, which did not happen.

Accusations against plagiarism of prosecutor Gertz Manero are dismissed

The National System of Investigators (SNI), through its authorities, issued a resolution that dismissed the accusations filed against Dr. Alejandro Gertz Manero for plagiarism, arguing that none of the complainants was the author of the plagiarized works.

Judge orders definitive suspension in favor of SNI researchers

Federal judge Celina Angélica Quintero Rico, granted in record time the definitive suspension to scientists from the National System of Researchers who took refuge in the retroactive application of the regulation that at the time left them out of said regime. “Not respecting the sentence of a federal judge is a crime, so the Conacyt will have to grant all their rights to these researchers.”

April

Laboratories in honor of Dr. Rafael Navarro González inaugurated

The study of Mars and other planets, as well as the origin of life, could not be understood without the work that Dr. Navarro González carried out from his laboratory at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). .

The Autonomous University of Nayarit has its first rector

For the first time in its history, the Autonomous University of Nayarit will have a rector directing the institution for the period 2022-2028: Dr. Norma Liliana Galván Meza.

Mayo

The first image of Sagittarius A*

An international team of astronomers has revealed the first image of the supermassive black hole located at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The result provides clues about how these giants work.

Armando Contreras appointed as director of the Institute of Ecology

The announcement was made by the general director of Conacyt, this would be the last link to consolidate a line of directors to end the current government.

June

Conacyt announces new guidelines to award postgraduate scholarships

The National Postgraduate System (SNP) replaces the National Quality Postgraduate Program (PNPC). The recognition and validity of the postgraduate scholarships will be in the hands of the SEP, and the Conacyt will make a new categorization and assignment.

Mexico announces first National Laboratory of Vaccinology and Tropical Viruses

The laboratory is of high biological containment (Biosafety 3), with facilities designed to carry out frontier research with highly pathogenic viruses. It will carry out epidemiological studies to be better prepared for a health emergency.

Julio

Monkeypox is a public health emergency

The WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak grew with more than 16,000 reported cases from 75 countries and territories, and five deaths, detailed Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

First photos of James Webb, a new page for the study of the universe

“The images captured by the space telescope are a milestone in the history of humanity. We are looking at one of the first galaxies to form in the universe. We are before a marvelous door for discoveries and it is only the tip of the iceberg”, agreed Mexican astronomers.

Monarch butterfly added to endangered species list

The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature includes 147,517 species, of which 41,459 are threatened with extinction. The Red List update highlights the fragility of nature’s wonders.

SEP confirms Ramón Jiménez López as the new director of the Tecnológico Nacional

The appointment of Ramón Jiménez López was announced, who was questioned for being a promoter and representative in Mexico of Kimilsunismo, the totalitarian ideology imposed in North Korea. These institutions serve a school population of more than 600,000 students throughout the national territory.

August

José Sarukhán announces his departure from Conabio

Dr. José Sarukhán Kermez announced his departure through a letter entitled “Closing of the cycle”. For her part, the head of Semarnat, María Luisa Albores, appointed Daniel Quezada Daniel as executive secretary of the institution, without previous experience in the matter.

Álvarez Buylla stays in Conacyt

“We need it where it is, it is not over yet,” said President López Obrador, denying that he would be the replacement in the SEP; on the contrary, the official made a summary of what she considered the achievements of the first three and a half years of management.

Monaleesa Study Increases 5.5-Year Survival for Cancer Patients

A statistically and clinically significant overall survival (OS) benefit of greater than 5 years (63.9 months) was found in patients treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor plus endocrine therapy.

Conacyt Director meets for the first time with the Legislative Branch

After ten months of delays and various cancellations, María Elena Álvarez-Buylla attended a working meeting requested by the Science and Technology commissions of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies; She defended the cancellation of trusts, and supported the initiative for the new law on the matter promoted by her agency.

September

Conacyt suffers cut in the PEF 2023

According to the 2023 Federation Expenditure Budget, the science, technology and innovation (CTI) sector in Mexico will receive an amount of 128,746 million 300,018 pesos, against 113,277 million 421,634 pesos in 2022. Branch 38 would have in the PEF 2023 a decrease of 2,217 million 390 thousand 833 pesos for its substantial operations and that of the research centers; more than 75% of the expense will be for operation.

October

Nobel Prizes in scientific disciplines

October is the month that allows us to learn about some of the scientific advances that have marked our present or that will do so in the near future. The Nobel prizes this year: Medicine, for Svante Pääbo, for his findings on human evolution; Physics, for Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger, for their experiments with entangled photons; and Chemistry, to Karl Barry Sharpless, Carolyn Bertozzi and Morten Meldal, for laying the foundations and using so-called ‘click chemistry’.

November

The Earth reaches 8,000 million inhabitants

Projections indicate that the world population will continue to grow to reach 10.4 billion in the 2080s, showing that the overall rate of growth is slowing.

COP27 reaches decisive agreement on a new financing fund

The United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP27, closed with a decisive agreement to provide financing for “loss and damage” to vulnerable countries hard hit by climate disasters.

December

The President sends an initiative for a Law on Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovation

The federal Executive sent the initiative to the Chamber of Deputies to replace the current order by the General Law on Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovation and transform the current Conacyt into the National Council of Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovation.

Alberto Sánchez is appointed director of Cinvestav

Cinvestav is listed in Mexico as the first research institution, in Latin America it is positioned among the top three or four places and in the world at number 100 approximately.

The world agrees to a new agreement for biodiversity

The Kunming-Montreal agreement at COP 15 is the culmination of four years of work to create a pact to guide global conservation efforts through 2030.

US makes historic breakthrough toward nuclear fusion power

Experts from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California achieved for the first time a nuclear fusion reaction with a net energy gain, that is, they produced more energy than the one used in the process, which makes possible a less expensive and environmentally clean production. .