The Top Science News Stories of 2023
This year, Science News had more than 21 million visitors on our site. Let's recap the most read and most viewed contents of 2023.
A review of Medicare documentation from the years 2007 to 2016 shows that the fungi Histoplasma, Coccidioides, and Blastomyces, known to cause severe lung diseases, are now more prevalent in the U.S. Contrary to prior beliefs, these fungi aren’t restricted anymore to specific parts of the country (SN: 1/14/23, p. 32).
New genetic investigations propose that Neolithic farmers could be the ancestors of Ötzi the Iceman. Past research made inferences that ancestors of this approximately 5,300-year-old frozen mummy hailed from the Pontic-Caspian steppe. It was also found that Ötzi had male-pattern baldness and a darker skin tone than formerly assumed (SN: 9/23/23, p. 5).
A newly discovered 13-sided figure, coined the hat, is the first true “einstein”, a tile that can form a pattern covering an infinite plane without repetition (SN 4/22/23, p. 7). Mathematicians have been on the quest for an einstein for the past 50 years.
In 2009, the inner core of the Earth may have briefly stopped its rotation relative to the mantle and crust (SN: 2/25/23, p. 7). Presently, it may be reversing its rotational direction in a cycle that occurs every few decades.
Shock waves undulate along the magnetic fields scattered throughout the cosmic web, an intricate mix of galaxies, gas, and dark matter that populates the universe (SN: 3/25/23, p. 14). Examination of these shock waves, exposed by a multitude of radio satellite images, might aid astronomers in comprehending these enigmatic magnetic fields better.
Our most-watched TikTok of the year is a video about Beethoven’s hair. In it, civic science fellow Martina Efeyini discusses what the DNA obtained from the composer’s hair tells us about his potential cause of death.
#DNA from Beethoven’s hair could reveal his cause of death. #DNA #history #beethoven #sciencetok #genetics
A massive, water-filled “cathedral”, situated approximately 500 meters under the Kamb Ice Stream, a glacier in West Antarctica, is home to a plethora of marine creatures. This cave offers a glimpse into the continent’s warmer ancient climate (SN: 4/22/23, p. 18).
Social scientists are beginning to understand that feelings of loneliness stem not merely from lack of human contact, but also from lack of interaction with animals, locations, routines, rituals and more. This viewpoint could lead to new methods to deal with loneliness, a rising public health issue in the U.S (SN: 11/4/23, p. 24).
Deep brain stimulation, a technique that sends electric pulses deep into the brain, may be the only hope for some patients suffering from acute depression. This series provides an in-depth view of the impact of this experimental procedure on the lives of Jon Nelson and three other patients (SN: 9/23/23, p. 16).
Depression is often mistakenly attributed to a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. The reality is that despite years of advanced research, scientists still don’t have a clear understanding of what depression is or what triggers it (SN: 2/11/23, p. 18).
Coal-fuelled power plants across the U.S are being decommissioned as society gravitates towards cleaner energy sources. A successful transition to renewables could largely depend on grid-forming inverters - devices that connect solar and wind farms to the current power grid and ensure its stability (SN: 8/26/23, p. 22).
