In 2024, Five Pioneering Advancements Paved the Way for Subsequent Technological Progressions
When you recall Albert Einstein, the first thought likely pops into your mind is his contribution to the Theory of Relativity. However, it's intriguing to learn that he didn't win the Nobel Prize for this. Instead, the accolade went to his discovery of the photoelectric effect. Despite its anonymity, this discovery has a significant impact on our daily lives, contributing to innovations like solar panels, medical imaging, and digital cameras.
Many of the advancements in technology today stem from early scientific and engineering breakthroughs. All over the world, researchers are continuously pushing the envelope, making groundbreaking discoveries that might shape our future. Here are five such innovations expected in 2024.
Walking towards DNA-based computers
The idea of utilizing DNA for computing has been a topic of research since the 1990s. This approach could potentially offer advantages in energy efficiency, parallel processing, and data storage. For instance, a gram of DNA could store about 10 million hours of video, an amount currently requiring an entire server rack. While a practical DNA computer is still in the distant future, there have been interesting advancements this year, possibly bringing it a step closer.
In August, a research team from Johns Hopkins University and North Carolina State University published a study presenting the first-ever DNA computer capable of computation, data access, modification, and manipulation. The researchers successfully used this prototype to solve simple issues in games like chess and sudoku.
Another significant development in the field of DNA computing happened this year. In October, scientists at Peking University published a paper revealing the potential to store information in binary code using DNA, making it more compatible with conventional programming languages. This method doesn't require the specialized equipment and trained researchers typically needed for such computing, making DNA a more manageable storage medium.
Developing real-life Spider-Man's web fluid
In the comics, Spider-Man's web fluid is a highly versatile substance capable of storing, adhering to objects, and carrying heavy weights. In October, researchers at Tufts University created a real-life counterpart by extracting fibers from silk moth cocoons and adding chemical additives to create a liquid that turns solid when squeezed from a needle and exposed to air. This adhesive substance can stick to objects and carry over 80 times its own weight.
In the near future, the researchers plan to strengthen the material. Even when its properties are refined, it could potentially be used in a variety of applications, just like silk is in industrial and commercial products today.
Manufacturing drugs in space and transporting them back to Earth
In March, California-based startup Varda Space Industries revealed a study demonstrating its success in manufacturing HIV drug ritonavir in a small, automated laboratory in space. The company also managed to bring the drugs back to Earth, marking a significant milestone in showcasing that drugs made in microgravity remain stable upon their return.
Manufacturing drugs in orbit allows for greater control over the crystallization process, which can make a difference between formulating a pill and delivering the drug through an IV. As a result, pharmaceutical companies have conducted multiple experiments on the International Space Station.
Varda's spacecraft have an edge over the ISS as they are automated, freeing them from NASA's crewed flight schedule, hence reducing associated costs. In April, the company secured a $90 million series B round to accelerate its spacecraft production.
Mapping the human spliceosome to find new disease treatments
It took a decade, but in October, scientists at Barcelona's Center for Genomic Regulation unveiled a map of the human spliceosome. This is the part of the cell that reads and edits DNA to produce various proteins. It turns out that this process is significantly more complex than previously thought, with over 90% of genes being edited through this mechanism.
These detailed blueprints of the cell's most crucial processes are a major step towards new medicine. Errors in the spliceosome have been linked to various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, genetic disorders, and most types of cancer. Now that scientists have access to a precise map of its components, potential new targets for drug development might be discovered.
The EV's future battery could partly originate from coal
Lithium-ion batteries, a crucial component of EVs, are expected to face shortages by the 2030s due to demand. Currently, the world is highly dependent on China, which produces nearly 80% of the material. This process is currently expensive, but it has the potential to become more affordable in the future.
During December, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory might have discovered a means to avert potential scarcities: they've invented two entirely new methods that convert coal into graphite. One method manipulates solid forms of coal using an electrochemical reaction, while the other refines a liquid coal form known as slurry, subsequently treating it electrochemically to create graphite. In both situations, these processes consume less energy than traditional methods, potentially making them an economical choice.
Project head Edgar Lara-Curzio shared this information with Our Website, suggesting the potential for coal, which remains plentiful globally, to continue playing a role in the 21st century. He stated, "You could produce items such as carbon fibers and energy storage device electrodes, along with construction materials." This groundbreaking discovery anticipates a promising future for regions where coal is still a dominant economic force as the world shifts towards renewable sources of energy.
Source
- The discovery of the photoelectric effect by Albert Einstein, although not recognized with a Nobel Prize for Relativity, paved the way for innovations in solar panels, medical imaging, and digital cameras.
- In their quest to create DNA-based computers, researchers have made significant strides this year, with Johns Hopkins University and North Carolina State University publishing a study presenting the first-ever DNA computer capable of computation.
- Emulating Spider-Man's web fluid in real life, researchers at Tufts University succeeded in creating an adhesive substance from silk moth cocoons and chemical additives, which can stick to objects and carry over 80 times its own weight.
- California-based startup Varda Space Industries revealed a study in March demonstrating its success in manufacturing HIV drug ritonavir in space and bringing it back to Earth, marking a milestone in space-based drug manufacturing.
- In an effort to alleviate potential lithium-ion battery shortages handed over by the increasing demand for EVs by 2030, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory invented two methods that convert coal into graphite, providing a potential economical solution for graphite production.
