2007 in science

2007 in science
Year	2007
Caption	The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-120 in October 2007.

2007 in science was a year marked by significant advancements across multiple disciplines, from the launch of major space missions to groundbreaking discoveries in genetics and physics. The year saw the publication of the final draft of the Human Genome Project and the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the study of chemical reactions on solid surfaces. International efforts in climate change research intensified, highlighted by reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Astronomy and space exploration

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched the Phoenix lander to Mars, aiming to study the history of water and potential for habitability. In October, the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-120 delivered the Harmony module to the International Space Station, a critical node for future laboratory modules. Astronomers using the Spitzer Space Telescope made detailed observations of exoplanet atmospheres, while the European Space Agency's Rosetta probe successfully performed a gravity assist maneuver at Mars. The Chinese space program advanced with the launch of the Chang'e 1 lunar orbiter, China's first mission to the Moon.

Earth sciences

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Fourth Assessment Report, providing robust evidence that warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Researchers published findings in Nature showing accelerated ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet and West Antarctic Ice Sheet. A major study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration documented increasing ocean acidification due to absorption of carbon dioxide. The United Nations Environment Programme highlighted the rapid retreat of glaciers in the Himalayas and the Andes.

Life sciences

A team led by Shinya Yamanaka and James Thomson independently announced the creation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human skin cells, a revolutionary breakthrough in regenerative medicine. The final draft analysis of the Human Genome Project was published, revealing greater genetic variation among humans than previously known. The World Health Organization reported on the increasing spread of artemisinin-resistant strains of malaria parasites. Paleontologists discovered remarkably preserved soft tissue in a Tyrannosaurus fossil from the Hell Creek Formation.

Technology

Apple Inc. introduced the first iPhone, revolutionizing the smartphone industry and mobile computing. The Broad Institute and Sanger Institute made major strides in the 1000 Genomes Project, an international effort to sequence human genetic variation. Intel launched the Penryn microprocessor, featuring a new 45-nanometer manufacturing process. The Large Hadron Collider at CERN was completed and began initial testing in preparation for particle collisions. Tesla, Inc. began production of the Tesla Roadster, the first highway-legal electric vehicle using lithium-ion battery cells.

Awards

The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg for their discovery of giant magnetoresistance. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was given to Gerhard Ertl for his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was shared by Mario Capecchi, Martin Evans, and Oliver Smithies for their work on gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. The Turing Award was presented to Edmund M. Clarke, E. Allen Emerson, and Joseph Sifakis for their role in developing model checking.

Deaths

* January 16 – Beverly Sills, American operatic soprano and prominent advocate for medical research (born 1929). * March 6 – Jean Baudrillard, French sociologist and philosopher known for analyses of media and technology (born 1929). * April 23 – Boris Yeltsin, first President of the Russian Federation, under whose administration Russian science faced significant transitions (born 1931). * August 6 – Heinz Wolff, German-born British biomedical engineer and popular science broadcaster (born 1928). * October 3 – M. S. Swaminathan, Indian geneticist and architect of the Green Revolution in India (born 1925). * December 19 – Michael K. Williams, American actor and advocate for science education in urban communities (born 1966).

Category:2007 in science Category:2000s in science