Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is deepening. Scientific research is expanding towards the macro level, delving deeper into the micro level, advancing towards extreme conditions, and making comprehensive efforts to constantly break through the boundaries of human cognition.
Looking back at the trajectory of global scientific research in 2024, the trend towards the "quadrupole" frontier is particularly clear. Looking up at the vastness of the universe, space exploration has reached a new peak; Observing the subtleties, gene editing technology opens up a new chapter in conquering stubborn diseases; Across the vast expanse of heaven and earth, the deep sea has left traces of human exploration; The wide integration of interdisciplinary fields and the multi-point blooming of artificial intelligence are driving the wave of innovation.
Expanding towards the Extreme Macro: Chasing Stars and Asking the Sky Month by Month
The Webb Space Telescope's exploration of the dawn of the universe has been selected as one of the top ten breakthroughs of the year by the American journal Science. With the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists announced this year the observation of the oldest black hole, spiral galaxy structure, and the birth of early galaxies in the universe... As the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope, it is helping humanity continue to expand its exploration of the macroscopic universe.
The radio telescope, hailed as the "magical eye of cosmic observation," is also assisting human space exploration. In April 2024, the first batch of low-frequency antennas for the International Large Science Engineering Square Kilometer Array Radio Telescope project will be installed in Australia, which will help answer scientific questions such as cosmic evolution. The Chinese FAST telescope has discovered over 1000 pulsars, which is of great significance for understanding the formation of pulsars and stellar evolution.
Human lunar exploration has also yielded fruitful results. The Chinese Chang'e-6 spacecraft, which will depart in May 2024 and return in June, has accomplished the feat of collecting and returning samples from the far side of the moon for the first time in human history. Related research has filled multiple cognitive gaps in humans, such as discovering magma activity on the far side of the moon about 2.8 billion years ago and obtaining the first information on the lunar back's ancient magnetic field.
Rockets are the "bridge" for humanity to enter space, and related technologies will achieve multiple breakthroughs in 2024. The US "Starship" has verified for the first time the recycling technology of the "chopstick pick rocket", which is expected to significantly reduce launch costs. The new generation main carrier rocket H3 from Japan and the new generation heavy carrier rocket Ariane 6 from Europe have also been successfully test fired.
The search for extraterrestrial life is an enduring space dream of humanity. Europa is considered the "best place" in the solar system to search for life beyond Earth. In October 2004, NASA's Europa spacecraft was launched to study whether life exists in the ocean beneath Europa's ice surface.
Going deep into the extreme micro: drilling hard and exploring the unknown
At the micro level, gene editing that can alter genetic material deep within cells, as well as deeper levels of particle physics, are at the forefront of technological development in today's world.
By using CRISPR Cas based 'gene scissors', scientists are now able to edit human genes and use them to treat diseases.
Chinese rheumatologist Xu Huji, who was selected as one of the top ten people of the year by the British journal Nature in 2024, is attempting to use chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy modified with "gene scissors" to treat autoimmune diseases. The journal Science also listed CAR-T cell therapy as one of this year's top ten breakthroughs, believing that it has opened a new chapter in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
In response to the medical problem of AIDS, Dutch researchers found in March 2024 that the use of "gene scissors" can eliminate AIDS virus in infected cells, bringing hope for the cure of AIDS.
Going deeper into the microscopic realm, humans are still exploring the underlying material structures and physical laws.
In August 2024, an international collaborative study led by Chinese researchers observed for the first time a new type of antimatter hypernucleus - Anti-Hydro-4. This is the heaviest antimatter hypernucleus discovered in experiments to date, which helps to explore the symmetry between antimatter and antimatter.
In December 2024, the official website of the European Organization for Nuclear Research announced that its scientists had detected the first evidence of anti helium-4 at the Large Hadron Collider, providing new clues to further reveal the mysteries of antimatter.
Advancing towards Extreme Conditions: Tracing Roots and Extreme Limits
The dark, high-pressure, and icy deep sea is a world full of unknowns and risks. In the Chinese 2024 Western Pacific International Expedition, which set sail in August, the manned submersible "Jiaolong" carried more than ten Chinese and foreign scientists to explore the deep sea, effectively promoting research on deep-sea biodiversity and environmental protection.
Deep earth usually refers to the area of the deep crust and below, including the range extending from the deep crust to the upper mantle. An international research team reported in the journal Science in August 2024 that they have drilled the deepest mantle core to date in the Atlantic Ocean floor. This 1268 meter long mantle core will contribute to a better understanding of terrestrial magmatic activity, crustal formation, and more.
In addition to exploring extreme environments in nature, humans are also simulating some extreme conditions through experiments. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), which simulates solar nuclear fusion, is one of the largest and most far-reaching international scientific research cooperation projects in the world. In November 2024, the latest batch of ITER component cladding shielding modules manufactured by Chinese companies were shipped to France, marking significant progress in key technologies required for fusion reactor construction in China.
Cross disciplinary efforts towards extreme synthesis: great potential of artificial intelligence
Recently, artificial intelligence has become a typical representative of interdisciplinary integration. In the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry, artificial intelligence experts have won, becoming "cross-border" big winners. In the field of life sciences, artificial intelligence can help predict Alzheimer's disease, aid in early screening for autism, and assist in the development of original new drugs.
The development of artificial intelligence, flexible materials, biosensors and other technologies is driving the practical application of brain computer interface technology. In August 2024, NeuroConnect, a US brain computer interface company, announced that it had completed its second human transplant of a brain computer interface device. The transplant recipient's ability to control the cursor and play electronic games with their mind was enhanced after the surgery.
Embodied intelligence "can endow robots with artificial intelligence. At the 2024 World Robot Conference held in Beijing, a variety of robots that can adapt to different environments and needs will be showcased. Tesla showcased the latest version of the Optimus humanoid robot this year, which has the ability to walk and sort batteries in factories.
Currently, technological innovation has entered an unprecedented period of intensive activity, and global scientific research is breaking through the boundaries of human cognition towards the "four poles" frontier, which is expected to help improve productivity and enhance the common well-being of humanity in the future.