The most notable scientific events in 2017

2017 promises to bring many new scientific achievements in areas such as space exploration, physics, biotechnology and health.

Space exploration

In 1997, the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) launched the Cassini spacecraft to study Saturn, a giant gas planet in the solar system. The Cassini spacecraft not only helps scientists photograph Saturn, it also provides other data about the planets of the planet.

Cassini spacecraft studies Saturn.(Photo: NASA).

In December 2016, Cassini began its mission to glide over Saturn's belt. After that, it will enter the outer belt of Saturn about 20 times, 7 days each time until April 2017 to observe some small satellites, and sample the molecules and gases at the belt to divide. . In September 2017, Cassini plans to plunge into Saturn's atmosphere and stop working after sending all important data to Earth.

In 2017 NASA's Juno spacecraft flying around Jupiter's orbit will also continue to send spectacular images of the planet.

The Juno spacecraft is equipped with many modern scientific tools. It is responsible for scanning infrared to measure the radiant heat emitted from deep in Jupiter atmosphere. Juno will map the magnetic field and probe behind the chaotic atmospheric region of the planet to find signs of the inner core.

Juno spacecraft approaches Jupiter.(Photo: NASA).

In February 2017, the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch CHEOPS satellites to search for exoplanets. CHEOPS is equipped with a high-resolution camera, allowing scientists to analyze more closely about detected objects.

By the end of next year, NASA plans to launch a TESS satellite to scan the entire sky with four cameras, looking for planets around the brightest stars outside the solar system. NASA hopes TESS will detect more than 3,000 extrasolar planets, from giant gas planets to small-sized rocky planets.

NASA TESS satellite illustration.(Photo: NASA).

2017 is the last year in the Lunar X Prize award race sponsored by Google. This is a contest to encourage private-funded research groups to access and explore space. The task of the participating teams is to bring the exploration robot to the Moon, move 500 meters and return to high definition video. The first team to complete the task will receive a prize of 20 million USD.

The Japanese exploration robot plans to attend Google's Lunar X Prize competition.(Photo: Ispace Inc).

astronomy

The rare total solar eclipse will take place on August 21, 2017, for the first time stretching from the east coast to the west coast of the United States in the past 99 years. Partial eclipse can be observed in other areas of North America, Hawaii and some parts of northern South America.

The path of the total eclipse in the US on August 21, 2017.(Photo: NASA).

Scientists next year will use Event Horizon Telescope to scan the central region of the Milky Way. If everything goes according to plan, we can see the first image of the supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A in the center of the Milky Way.

In 2017, scientists hope to find an answer to the mystery of the star KIC 8462852, also known as "Tabby Star", about 1,500 light-years from Earth. In November 2015, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, found that more than 20% of the star's light was blocked by a huge object. Many argue that the advanced alien civilization builds a giant structure around the star to harness its energy.

FAST is the world's largest radio telescope.(Photo: Xinhua).

Chinese astronomers will also use the world's largest Spherical Telescope 500M (FAST) to study hidden planets and other celestial bodies in the universe. FAST was completed in 2016 in the limestone basin area of ​​Pingtang District, Guizhou Province. It can detect radio signals and signs of life from distant planets in the universe.

Physical

In the first half of 2017, the Interfering Laser Wave Observation Station (LIGO) in the US will be used to detect additional trace of gravitational waves in the universe. Gravitational waves, space-time ripples created when two black holes collided with each other, were first discovered by LIGO in September and December 2015. Genius Alber Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves since 1916.

Gravitational waves result from two supermassive black holes colliding.(Photo: NASA).

In June 2017, NASA planned to bring the Cold Atomic Laboratory (CAL) to the International Space Station (ISS). CAL is responsible for studying the behavior of super-quantum gases (quantum gas) in a zero gravity environment, to help scientists observe new quantum phenomena and examine some of the most basic laws. of physics.

In 2017, the University of Washington, USA, will conduct the Dark Axion Experiment (ADMX) to hunt down axion hypothetical particles, a potential candidate for dark matter. Dark matter accounts for about 85% of the universe, it does not interact with the electromagnetic spectrum so it is invisible to the current human observation tool.

Biotechnology and health

Geneticists will continue to use the CRISPR gene editing tool to alter the genetic characteristics of animals and plants as desired, while seeking new ways to treat diseases such as cancer and HIV. .

Chinese scientists use CRISPR / Cas9 gene editing tools to create anti-HIV embryos.(Photo: Yorgos Nikas).

In 2017, genetically modified mosquitoes are more likely to be used to control the spread of viral diseases such as Zika and dengue fever. Scientists will learn more about the harm and how the Zika virus spreads, as well as begin to look at the results of clinical trials of vaccine against human Zika virus.

2017 is also the time when we use antibiotics on farm animals more than humans. This can make bacteria more resistant to the drug, making it more difficult to treat bacterial infections.

An international research group plans to produce the world's first synthetic yeast next year. This yeast can be used to make drugs and biofuels.