In 2024, researchers found evidence that ancient life may have existed on Mars, hinted that Alzheimer’s disease could be transmitted from person to person, and if it was real. , made a number of other potentially big scientific discoveries.
Could be microbes from Mars
Extraterrestrial microorganisms may have once colonized Mars (SN: August 24, 2024, p. 6). In July, NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered a rock on the Red Planet with white spots and a black ring woven with iron phosphate (See page 28). On Earth, such spots are associated with ancient microbial life. However, they are not a sure sign of microorganisms. The only way to know for sure is to bring the rock back to Earth for closer examination.
spark superconductor
Light may be the secret ingredient for making superconductors that don’t require frigid conditions. In the experiment, when a compound of copper and oxygen was blasted with a laser, the material generated a magnetic field. Scientists say that magnetic force is the key to superconductivity, the ability to conduct electricity without resistance.SN: 8/10/24, p. 6). However, skeptics argue that these magnetic fields could arise from other unknown physics.
ancient engineering
About 4,700 years ago, builders used water-powered elevators to build Egypt’s first pyramids, researchers propose (SN: September 7, 2024 and September 21, 2024, p. 11). This controversial idea is based on a computer model of the structures in and around the Step Pyramid of King Djoser. Models show that the block-lifting platform could have been raised and lowered by controlling the flow of floodwaters into and out of shafts inside the pyramid. But critics argue that occasional rains would not have provided enough water to sustain such a system.
Crustal deformation
South African rocks suggest that plate tectonics began early in Earth’s history. The rock layers bear scars from landslides 3 billion years ago that may have been caused by earthquakes (SN: 4/6/24, p. 6). Scientists say the quake may have been caused by plates of Earth’s crust colliding. The discovery supports the controversial idea that plate tectonics dates back more than 2.8 billion years. However, other geologists are not convinced that this earthquake marks the beginning of global plate tectonics.
Medium size, maximum hype
Astronomers may have discovered a medium-sized black hole in our galaxy for the first time (SN: 8/10/24, p. 7). Telescope data suggests that a black hole with at least 8,200 times the mass of the Sun lurks in the star cluster Omega Centauri. However, other research disputes this claim. Instead, star clusters may host swarms of smaller black holes (SN: August 20, 2024).
Contagious Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is not contagious in everyday life, but under very rare conditions it can be transmitted from person to person (SN: February 24, 2024, p. 6). Five people who received contaminated growth hormone injections as children later developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers said this was probably because the hormone was contaminated with amyloid beta, a protein whose buildup is associated with the disease. But other experts say it’s not yet clear whether growth hormone is to blame. Perhaps the health condition or other medical procedure that these hormones are intended to treat led to the development of Alzheimer’s disease in these patients.
shine a light on dark energy
Dark energy may have become even more mysterious. The mysterious substance that makes up most of the universe is generally thought to maintain a constant density. But new observations of 6.4 million galaxies and quasars by the Dark Energy Spectrometer (DESI), combined with data on exploding stars, cast doubt on that idea. These data fit better into a model of the Universe in which the relationship between the density of dark energy and its pressure changes over time (SN: 5/4/24 and 5/18/24, p. 6). If this discovery is confirmed, it will rewrite the history of the universe. Experts are withholding judgment until DESI completes its survey of more than 30 million other galaxies (SN: December 14, 2024 and December 28, 2024, p. 7).
