The end of the year means tons of semi-pointless year-end lists, and TIME Magazine chimes in with a slightly more useful "Top 10 Scientific Discoveries" list. #1 goes to the stem cell breakthroughs of the year, including the researchers who reprogrammed skin cells to behave like stem cells. WIRED coverboy J. Craig Venter had to settle for #2 for his mapping of the human genome. Don't worry, though Craigger -- there's always next year.
Other big winners this year on TIME's list included the brightest supernova recorded (#3), hundreds of new species discovered (#4), and research toward growing a human heart valve.
My favorite is #9, which highlights the discovery of the world's oldest animal, a 405-year-old clam. Only problem is researchers had to kill the clam to determine the true age of the animal.
Marine biologist: "OK, there's good news and bad news, Clam. The good news you're up for an award as oldest living animal."
Clam: "What's the bad news?"
Marine biologist: "We have to kill you to be sure."
Clam: "Hmm. This never happened to Tom Hanks."
Check out TIME's full list, and tell us your favorite scientific discoveries of the year below.
Comments
John Pavlus
says:
Maybe this is Time's atonement for naming the iPhone "Invention of the Year"... which irked a bunch of people.
December 11, 2007 9:01 AM
Add a comment