Amazing Scientific Discoveries of the Decade

In the past decade, scientific discovery has reached unprecedented heights. Researchers from various disciplines have tested hypotheses, uncovered evidence, and explored uncharted territories, leading to a profound shift in our understanding of our planet and the universe. This period has marked a significant turning point in our comprehension of some of the most formidable challenges facing humanity. We have gained invaluable knowledge about the most destructive forces in existence. In this presentation, we will delve into five of the most remarkable scientific discoveries of the 2000s, beginning with the intriguing case of Pluto. Despite its reclassification from a full-fledged planet in 2006, Pluto continues to captivate our attention.

In that particular year, the launch of the New Horizons spacecraft was successfully executed. Its mission was to embark on a journey to the farthest reaches of our solar system, with the primary objective of studying a dwarf planet. The spacecraft ultimately reached its intended destination in July of 2015. The images and data transmitted back to Earth were nothing short of remarkable. Contrary to expectations of encountering a mundane, frozen celestial body, the dwarf planet revealed itself to possess dynamic features such as moving glaciers, floating ice mountains, and an expansive frozen sea composed of solid nitrogen. The ice undergoes continuous movement, albeit at a gradual pace, due to the warming effect of the pressure exerted above it, causing it to rise. This ongoing replenishment of the uppermost ice layer gives rise to unanticipated surface formations, offering novel insights and a deeper understanding of the enigmatic dwarf planets located at the periphery of our solar system. Furthermore, the construction of the world's largest machine, entailing an investment of approximately five billion dollars, was undertaken.

In 2012, the scientific community made a groundbreaking announcement regarding the discovery of the elusive Higgs boson particle, often referred to as the "God particle." This significant finding took place at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) located at CERN in Switzerland. The Higgs boson particle had been theorized since 1964 and holds immense importance in understanding the subatomic world.

The Standard Model of Physics, which encompasses familiar particles such as electrons, protons, and muons, lacks an explanation for why objects possess mass. The Higgs boson particle, residing within the Higgs field, plays a crucial role in addressing this fundamental question. Its interaction with other particles is the underlying reason behind the existence of mass.

This discovery marked a pivotal moment in physics, completing the Standard Model and opening new avenues for scientific exploration. Researchers are now equipped to redirect the LHC's capabilities toward investigating even more enigmatic phenomena, including the mysteries surrounding the Kepler space telescope's observations.

With the advent of astronomical instruments, we have come to understand the vastness of the universe and the existence of numerous stars. While we have discovered other planets within our solar system, determining the prevalence of planets orbiting stars has been a challenge.

However, the launch of the Kepler probe in 2009 revolutionized our ability to study distant stars. By measuring fluctuations in their brightness, we can detect the presence of orbiting objects. The results have been astounding, with over 4055 exoplanets discovered by the end of the last decade, including potentially habitable ones.

As we continue to explore the cosmos, our understanding of the prevalence of planetary systems similar to our own expands. It is exciting to contemplate the possibilities and discoveries that lie ahead.

The climate has changed dramatically, with periods of extreme heat and extreme cold. There is no doubt that things are noticeably changing again during our lifetimes. However, what is different this time is that the changes are largely due to human behavior. This became clearer than ever in the last decade, and we have begun to understand the extent to which it is affecting the planet.

In 2012, 400 billion tons of ice was lost from Greenland, and more than 250 billion tons of ice has been lost from Antarctica every year throughout the decade. This is an increase of almost six times the amount being lost just thirty years earlier. At the current rate, the world's sea levels are expected to rise by 3 feet by the year 2100. This would directly affect the homes and lives of at least 630 million people.

The ramifications, however, are far more extensive. Human activity has resulted in the endangerment of 40% of all amphibian species, more than 33% of marine mammals, and 10% of insect species. Furthermore, the situation continues to deteriorate. While the previous decade marked the beginning of a comprehensive understanding of the problem's scope, let us hope that the following decade will witness the discovery of a definitive solution.

In addition, black holes have long been regarded as some of the most enigmatic entities in the cosmos. However, due to the tireless efforts of researchers dedicated to studying these phenomena, we have gained a significantly deeper understanding of their nature, revealing them to be far more captivating than one might initially assume.

Black holes are typically formed by the gravitational collapse of massive stars at the end of their lifecycles. When all the material collapses inward, it creates an incredibly dense structure with intense gravitational forces. This phenomenon leads to extraordinary occurrences. In 2016, the detection of colliding black holes confirmed Einstein's prediction from 1916, generating ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. However, this remarkable discovery was not the most significant black hole revelation of the past decade. A team working with the Event Horizon Telescope achieved a groundbreaking feat by capturing the first-ever image of a single supermassive black hole. This colossal black hole resides at the center of the Messier 87 galaxy, approximately 54 million light-years away from Earth. Its immense mass is equivalent to 6.5 billion of our Suns. Black holes of this magnitude are believed to be present at the core of every galaxy, and their gravitational influence governs the orbits of billions of stars within these vast structures. The 2010s marked an extraordinary era of scientific advancements, including these remarkable discoveries related to black holes.