The Top 5 Science Events to Look Forward to in 2022

Folks, this year’s forecast is (finally) looking bright. After a challenging collection of years behind us, there’s hope just ahead. In the world of science, 2022 is poised to be a riveting year full of life-changing discoveries.

Mark your calendars; here are the top five most exciting scientific events and discoveries to keep an eye on this year:

The Mysterious Moon Cube Investigation

In November 2021, an odd photo was taken by a rover on the moon. The photo in question, seen below, displayed an oddly shaped object, dubbed the “Moon Cube”. Since the sighting, some communities have been buzzing about what the cube could be. To solve this puzzling question, a Chinese moon rover is traveling to observe it closely.

About two months away from the writing of this article, the Chinese Rover Yutu-2 will reach the mysterious object. Though scientists have reported that the structure is most likely an odd rock formation, many are hoping (and meme-ing) that the cube could be something more. Within a matter of months, we’ll be able to find out what it actually is!

Warp Bubbles

At the end of 2021, we got a small step closer to achieving the space travel of every Star Trek fan’s dreams. Seriously, last year a team of scientists accidentally made a teeny tiny warp drive. The warp bubble (pictured below) was accidentally created by Dr. Harold White and his colleagues during experimentation on Casimir geometry and energy production.

Though there’s additional peer review and research required to understand and develop anything that even resembles science fiction, this baby step could very well be a catalyst into engineering the technology that makes humanity a space-traveling species.

Medicinal Psychedelics

In the psychiatry world, clinical trials are underway to test the therapeutic effects of a wide variety of psychoactive substances. Via the use of medicinal Psilocybin (magic mushrooms), MDMA (ecstasy), and LSD (acid), scientists are attempting to help their patients improve symptoms of depression, PTSD, addiction, and more!

As the field continues experimentation and settles on a common answer on how to best administer therapeutic psychedelics, this year will likely have many breakthroughs in mental health treatments, and perhaps even a cultural shift in the perception of many currently illegal substances. Already, cities and states across the United States are going as far as considering legalization!

Preventative Measures

After great difficulty in effectively distributing coronavirus vaccines, some scientists turned their attention to creating other solutions for saving lives. One such potential solution, a pill called molnupiravir, is showing some significant results in clinical trials.

This option, which could be prescribed to patients who are in the early stage of the illness, would prevent the severity of covid-19 symptoms, according to Yale Medicine. This pill, and others that are currently in development, might be able to reduce the amount of death caused by coronavirus. Already, the FDA has approved molnupiravir and another pill by Pfizer for use by high-risk individuals. As this year continues, we just might see the use of these pills expand, improve, and save countless lives.

Back Online

The second half of 2022 is going to be an exciting one for physics lovers. At CERN, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is set to resume operations this summer. This machine, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, will “operate at almost double the energy of its first run” (CERN).

For the next 20 years, scientists will be using this upgraded version of the machine to explore how the universe and nature work, thus making 2022 a year for physicists to embark on studies that may change how we understand how life and everything works.

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Though the five above will likely have the greatest impact on our news, I couldn’t help but add a few others I found in my investigation. I just think they’re neat!

Honorable Mentions:

• UN Convention on Biological Diversity
• International Climate Commitments
• A Plethora of Moon Missions
• More Mars Missions
• Improved Self-Driving
• Improved Cancer Treatments

Which scientific event are you looking forward to the most?