In 2023, science and technology have taken a huge leap forward. Scientists have opened up new horizons in a variety of fields: the depths of space and the ocean, the mysteries of history and archaeology, biology, the IT sector, and more. Since science is a conservative phenomenon, many of these discoveries have yet to be thoroughly tested and validated, and this can take years, because only after many confirmations can fantastic hypotheses become accepted scientific theories. What are the most interesting discoveries of 2023? Let's be enlightened!
The Oldest Black Hole in History
When we talk about the age of the universe, our ideas about time stretch over millions and billions of years. To better understand these scales, we can use a calendar analogy.
If we think of the history of the universe as a calendar year, the Big Bang occurred at midnight on January 1, giving rise to time and space. By March 15, our galaxy, the Milky Way, had begun to form. The solar system will appear on September 1, and multicellular life on Earth will appear on December 1. Humanity appears on the planet just 5 minutes before midnight on December 31st!
Astronomers recently discovered a black hole that is more than 13 billion years old — just 470 million years after the Big Bang. Based on a calendar analogy, this colossal object, the mass of which is tens of millions of times greater than the Sun, appeared on January 9! In fact, this black hole has existed since the beginning of the universe.
The Chamber of Secrets in the Pyramid of Cheops
The Pyramid of Cheops, one of the most ancient and mysterious sights in the world, continues to amaze scientists and attract the attention of tourists. In the 4,500 years that the pyramid has stood at Giza, it has survived many lootings, but it still manages to keep unsolved secrets.
For a long time, scientists have had an assumption about the existence of an unexplored chamber above the entrance to the pyramid, and now, in 2023, archaeologists have confirmed its presence using ultrasound! There is a version that no man has set foot in this secret room since the construction of the pyramid. However, strict measures to preserve Egypt's cultural heritage do not allow physical access to this space. The room can remain closed indefinitely, keeping the mystery of the pyramid intact.
Discovery of water vapor in a comet
Scientists have not yet been able to figure out where water came from on our planet. There is a hypothesis that water came to Earth due to collisions with space objects, but to "fill" the planet with so much water, it would take millions of similar events.
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in late 2021, has made an important discovery — it has detected water vapor around a comet in the main asteroid belt. This discovery became a serious argument in favor of the theory of "alien" water. Now scientists will have to find additional confirmation of the version - to detect water on other comets - to fully confirm the hypothesis.
Discovery of new marine species
Researchers never cease to be amazed at how diverse the animal kingdom is! Sometimes even ordinary travelers stumble upon previously unknown species of animals and insects, causing a wave of delight in scientific circles. But when it comes to the depths of the ocean, which are accessible only with the help of special equipment, the task becomes more complicated.
While exploring the deep-sea Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, which is known for its mineral wealth, scientists have discovered hundreds of new marine species. This is an important scientific achievement, which once again reminded us of the need to take care of marine ecosystems.
Thought Transmission Technology
The world of science and technology is getting closer to realizing the concept of telepathy, but it seems that this will require an intermediary in the form of artificial intelligence.
In May 2023, developers introduced a new type of AI capable of interpreting human thoughts using MRI data. This research has been going on for a long time, but recent advances have greatly advanced the process. Modern AI can already decipher basic mental sentences and create visual images based on more complex thoughts: this means that a person can mentally form an idea, and a computer will translate it into a picture or text. Images, words, and sounds can be transmitted over a distance with the right device. The prospect of true telepathy is opening up, although there is still a long way to go before working prototypes are created.
Ice Age Writing
For a long time, historians from all over the world were sure that the first true writing appeared about 5-6 thousand years ago in the region of Mesopotamia. However, recent discoveries point to the possibility of the existence of proto-writing, transitional forms from simple drawings to symbols. These forms existed much earlier than Sumerian cuneiform.
The discovered symbols convey complex information, and scientists consider them to be a kind of cipher, the key to which has been lost. Interest in the issue of proto-writing increased after archaeologists began to systematize cave paintings, in the process discovering repetitive symbols in animal depictions. The accumulated data allowed scientists to suggest that these signs may reflect information about the cycles of reproduction and gestation of offspring of different species. The oldest of the symbols were painted on the walls about 37,000 years ago, so the discovery makes us reconsider the time of the appearance of writing and the life of ancient people.
IBM AI Processor
IBM is a company that has a huge influence in the world of computer technology. Despite the fact that it is almost invisible in the media space, the company continues to lead in the development of quantum computers.
In 2023, they introduced a new processor designed specifically for artificial intelligence. This chip, inspired by the structure of the human brain, demonstrates astounding efficiency and speed — it is 22 times faster than similar Intel products. A special feature of the new processor is that its specialization, which makes it ideal for working with AI and generative programs, opens up new horizons in this area.
