2013 in science

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15 February 2013: a 10-ton meteoroid (atmospheric trail pictured) impacts Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring over 1,200 people. At the time, it is the most destructive meteor to strike Earth since 1908.

A number of significant scientific events have occurred in 2013, including the discovery of numerous Earthlike exoplanets, the development of viable lab-grown ears, teeth, livers and blood vessels, and the atmospheric entry of the most destructive meteor since 1908. The year has also seen successful new treatments for diseases such as HIV, Usher syndrome and leukodystrophy, and a major expansion in the use and capabilities of technologies such as 3D printing and autonomous cars.

The United Nations designated 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation.

Events, discoveries and inventions

January

2 January 2013: astronomers estimate that every star in the Milky Way Galaxy (artist's rendering pictured) hosts at least one exoplanet.

• 2 January
  • A study by Caltech astronomers reports that the Milky Way Galaxy contains at least one planet per star, resulting in approximately 100–400 billion exoplanets. The study, based on planets orbiting the star Kepler-32, suggests that planetary systems may be the norm around stars in our galaxy.
  • Astronomers report the discovery of giant "geysers" of charged particles emanating from the core of the Milky Way Galaxy. These outflows, which extend as far as 50,000 light-years from the galactic plane, are thought to be fuelled by intense star formation.
  • LG Electronics releases the first commercial OLED television. OLED screens are thinner, more efficient and capable of displaying images with greater definition than conventional LCD and plasma screens.
• 3 January
  • Physicists create a potassium-based quantum gas which can be manipulated by lasers and magnetic fields to reach negative temperatures. At such temperatures, matter begins to exhibit previously unknown qualities.
  • Scientists analyse a meteorite, NWA 7034, that was found in the Sahara Desert and purchased in Morocco in 2011, and report that it is a new type of Mars rock with an unusually high water content.
  • American researchers state that a gene associated with active personality traits is also linked to increased longevity.
• 4 January
  • Britain's first hand transplantation operation is successfully conducted.
  • Toyota demonstrates an autonomous car capable of sensing and reacting to its surroundings, monitoring its driver and communicating with other vehicles.
• 6 January
  • British researchers successfully cure blindness in mice using an injection of photosensitive cells. Following additional testing, the treatment could be used to heal human sufferers of retinitis pigmentosa.
  • China is reported to be experiencing a rapid growth in the use of industrial robots, with robot installations increasing at over 10 percent a year.

9 January 2013: scientists test a new cancer treatment that uses sickle cells (pictured) to kill off tumours by starving them of their blood supply.

• 7 January
  • Australia experiences its hottest day on record, with nationwide average temperatures exceeding 40°C amid one of the most intense bushfire seasons in the country's history.
  • Remarkably well-preserved zinc pills are discovered aboard a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck, giving a rare insight into Roman medicine.
  • Astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) report that "at least 17 billion" Earth-sized exoplanets are estimated to reside in the Milky Way Galaxy.
• 8 January
  • The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show opens in Las Vegas, Nevada. Among the new technologies showcased are flexible tablet computers, autonomous cars, medical telepresence robots, ultra-definition TVs and high-efficiency microchips.
  • The German defence company Rheinmetall successfully demonstrates a high-powered military laser that can destroy drones in mid-flight and cut through steel from over 1 mile (1.6 km) away, even in adverse weather conditions. The company plans to mount the laser on a variety of vehicles for battlefield use.
  • American astronomers announce the discovery of seven new exocomets – more than double the previously known number of such objects. The exocomets were discovered using the McDonald Observatory in Texas, which imaged the chemical signatures of the comets' tails.
  • Astronomers affiliated with the Kepler space observatory announce the discovery of KOI-172.02, an Earth-like exoplanet candidate which orbits a star similar to the Sun in the habitable zone, and is possibly a "prime candidate to host alien life".
• 9 January
  • A gamma secretase inhibitor previously experimented for treating Alzheimer's disease is found to have regenerative effects on inner ear hair cells, potentially allowing for the effective treatment of deafness.
  • The most distant known supernova is discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, at a distance of around 10 billion light-years.
  • Medical researchers state that sickle cells can be induced to attack treatment-resistant tumours by starving them of blood.
  • British and Canadian researchers create a tablet computer which is as thin as paper and also flexible.
• 10 January
  • Half of all food is wasted worldwide, according to a new report by the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME).
  • The British General Lighthouse Authority activates a new backup navigation system that allows ships to navigate even if their GPS signals fail.
  • The first vessel of a new class of nuclear submarine goes into service with the Russian Navy, featuring a built-in escape pod to allow crew members to survive a critical hull breach.
  • An American company unveils a smart hunting rifle which uses a computerised scope, onboard aiming software and laser rangefinders to ensure great accuracy even in the hands of novice shooters. The rifle is also Wi-Fi-enabled, and its software can record its aiming and firing history, potentially allowing law enforcement agencies to track its use.

20 January 2013: it is proven that quadruple-helix DNA (pictured) is present in humans.

• 11 January
  • Manchester University chemists develop a functional molecular machine, only a few nanometers in size, that can assemble complex molecular structures in a fashion similar to DNA ribosomes. The invention could be used to precisely fashion new medicines or polymers.
  • Astronomers discover a distant cluster of supermassive quasars that is both the largest and brightest structure in the known universe, spanning approximately four billion light-years.
  • New high-precision observations of the asteroid 99942 Apophis reveal that it is almost certain that the asteroid will not strike the Earth in 2036, despite earlier scientific concern over its trajectory.
  • Scientists develop a Breathalyzer-like breath test that could be used to quickly and accurately diagnose lung infections.
• 12 January – Official sources state that Beijing's air is now hazardous to human health, after years of mounting air pollution. The city's air contains as much as 20 times the World Health Organization's recommended amount of toxic particles.
• 13 January – Massachusetts doctors invent a pill-sized medical scanner that can be safely swallowed by patients, allowing the esophagus to be more easily scanned for diseases.
• 15 January – The first museum of 3D-printed artifacts opens in China.
• 17 January – NASA announces that the Kepler space observatory has developed a reaction wheel issue and will discontinue operation for 10 days in the interest of solving the problem. Three functional reaction wheels are needed to accurately aim the telescope; one of Kepler's original four reaction wheels failed in July 2012. If this second wheel issue is not resolved, NASA may be forced to end the long-running Kepler mission altogether.
• 18 January – Japanese researchers create a "privacy visor" which uses near-infrared light to render its wearer unrecognizable to facial recognition software.
• 20 January – Scientists prove that quadruple-helix DNA is present in human cells.
• 21 January – Architects begin preparations for constructing the world's first 3D-printed building. The building will be constructed of a high-strength artificial marble laid down by an industrial-scale 3D printer, and is planned for completion in 2014.
• 22 January
  • French glaciologists release a report stating that the glaciers of the Andes are melting at an unprecedented rate.
  • NEC and Corning Inc. develop a multi-core fiber optic cable that can transfer a record-breaking petabit of data per second.
  • The private spaceflight venture Deep Space Industries announces plans to begin scanning and mining asteroids for precious metals. The company intends to launch its first prospecting spacecraft in 2015.
  • A resolution is introduced to the United States Congress to designate 12 February 2013 (Charles Darwin's 204th birthday) as "Darwin Day" in order to recognize "the importance of sciences in the betterment of humanity".

22 January 2013: a scientific study reveals that the glaciers of the Andes are melting at an unprecedented rate.

• 23 January
  • Scientists encode large amounts of digital information, including the complete sonnets of William Shakespeare, on a single strand of synthetic DNA. DNA has immense potential as a storage medium, and may become commercially available for this purpose in the near future.
  • Scientists resume controversial research into the H5N1 influenza subtype, which was previously halted due to fears of biological terrorism.
  • A British amputee becomes the first person in the UK to receive the Michelangelo Hand, an advanced new bionic hand, which uses electrodes to precisely mimic muscle movements and which can be used even for delicate engineering tasks.
  • Kenya begins the construction of the Konza Technology City, a planned city that is hoped to become a hub of African science and technology upon its completion in 2030.
• 24 January – Britain's Chief Medical Officer warns that antibiotic resistance could have "apocalyptic" consequences, with numerous common bacterial infections becoming increasingly resistant to treatment.
• 25 January
  • An international team of scientists develops a functional light-based "tractor beam", which allows individual cells to be selected and moved at will. The invention could have broad applications in medicine and microbiology.
  • Scientists design an evolution-inspired organic solar cell with a novel geometric pattern that increases its energy-harvesting efficiency.
  • New measurements performed by European scientists reveal that the radius of the proton is 4 percent smaller than previously estimated.
• 27 January – Asteroid 274301, a main belt asteroid, is officially renamed "Wikipedia" by the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature.
• 28 January
  • Bolivian scientists restore brain function to stroke-affected rats by injecting them with stem cells. This breakthrough may lead to more effective treatments for human stroke sufferers.
  • American medical researchers develop a painless polymer skin patch that can be used to inject DNA vaccines without a conventional needle, and also increases the initial effectiveness of the vaccine delivered.
  • An American research team uses the world's most powerful supercomputer at the time – the IBM Sequoia – to perform a record-breaking computation, modelling an experimental jet engine on over one million processor cores.
  • Iran successfully launches a live rhesus monkey into space and recovers the animal safely, in what is claimed to be a prelude to the country's future manned spaceflight efforts.
  • American scientists finish drilling down to the subglacial Lake Whillans, which is buried around 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) under the Antarctic ice.

30 January 2013: South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch with its indigenous Naro-1 rocket (replica pictured).

• 29 January
  • NASA reports that the Kepler space observatory has successfully returned to "science data collection" mode, after suffering a reaction wheel malfunction earlier in the month.
  • ESA scientists report that the ionosphere of the planet Venus streams outwards in a manner similar to "the ion tail seen streaming from a comet under similar conditions."
• 30 January – South Korea conducts its first successful orbital launch, using the Naro-1 rocket to place a satellite into orbit.
• 31 January
  • British scientists achieve a breakthrough in synthetic biology, developing microscopic biological "factories" that can be assembled in hours and which could be used to deliver medicines, produce biofuels and mine underground minerals.
  • Scientists sequence the genome of the domestic pigeon, discovering that all modern pigeon breeds are descended from the wild rock dove.
  • The ESA, in collaboration with a group of architectural firms, designs and tests a 3D-printed structure that can be built out of lunar regolith to serve as a Moon base.
  • Japanese scientists genetically modify a transparent zebrafish specimen to produce a visible glow during periods of intense brain activity, allowing the fish's "thoughts" to be recorded as specific regions of its brain light up in response to external stimuli.

February

• 1 February
  • Stanford University physicists discover that atom-thin sheets of graphene are 100 times more chemically reactive than thicker sheets. This reactivity may be crucial to developing new practical applications for graphene, which is already widely known for its immense strength and conductivity.
  • Medical researchers develop a new method of efficiently detecting cancer using bioelectric signals. In addition, they were able to manipulate cellular electric charge levels to prevent certain cells from developing cancer.
• 2 February
  • Iran unveils its first stealth fighter, the Qaher-313.
  • Californian researchers use genetic modification to rejuvenate ageing blood cells, strengthening the immune systems of elderly mice. If human trials prove successful, this treatment could allow older people to more effectively resist disease.
• 3 February
  • The Scottish Government announces plans for a national physics prize named in honour of Peter Higgs, who first theorized the Higgs boson in 1964.
  • The British Army begins using a miniature drone helicopter in Afghanistan. The aerial surveillance robot weighs just 16 grams, and can be remotely piloted into difficult terrain to detect hidden enemy positions.

4 February 2013: British scientists use DNA testing to confirm that a newly unearthed skeleton is that of the medieval king Richard III (pictured).

• 4 February
  • American researchers develop a new molecular therapy which can cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver medicines to the brain, potentially helping to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
  • A much-vaunted experimental vaccine for tuberculosis proves to be largely ineffective against the disease in human trials.
  • After DNA testing, scientists confirm that a medieval skeleton unearthed in Leicester is that of the defeated Plantagenet king Richard III, who was killed in battle in 1485.
  • Australian engineers build a "quantum microscope" which offers unprecedented levels of precision in measuring live biological systems.
  • Sea urchins are discovered to be capable of efficiently converting carbon dioxide into raw material for their shells, potentially offering a new method of carbon capture for industrial purposes.
• 5 February
  • Scientists at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University develop a 3D printer that can produce clusters of living stem cells, potentially allowing complete organs to be printed on demand in future.
  • American researchers partially cure Usher syndrome in mice, a severe form of congenital deafness, using a precisely targeted gene therapy.
• 6 February
  • Halley VI, a new British Antarctic research station, begins operation. The station, which is mounted on hydraulic ski-legs to allow it to be towed across the ice, features an advanced modular design and is expected to endure the Antarctic climate until 2050.
  • In a series of separate developments, American and Japanese engineers create 3D printers that can produce edible meals with a range of flavours and textures on demand. These could both replace conventional ready meals and allow astronauts to enjoy a far more varied diet.
  • Astronomers report that 6% of all dwarf stars – the most common stars in the known universe – may host Earthlike planets. Additionally, some such exoplanets may exist only 13 light-years from Earth.
  • Scientists discover live bacteria in the subglacial Antarctic Lake Whillans.
• 8 February
  • Scientists use an extensive genetic and phenotypic database to determine the common ancestor of all modern placental mammals, including humans.
  • New York researchers successfully cure leukodystrophy in mice by using skin cells to repair damaged myelin sheaths. This treatment may also prove effective in curing human multiple sclerosis.
• 10 February
  • NASA's Curiosity Mars rover uses its onboard drill to obtain the first deep rock sample ever retrieved from the surface of another planet.
  • A genetically engineered strain of the vaccinia virus is found to triple the average survival time of patients suffering from a severe form of liver cancer.
• 12 February – North Korea conducts its third nuclear test despite international sanctions and condemnation.
• 13 February
  • The ESA's CryoSat detects a significant decline in Arctic ice cover.
  • Scientists successfully cure type 1 diabetes in dogs using a pioneering gene therapy.

15 February 2013: a 10-ton meteoroid (atmospheric trail pictured) impacts Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring over 1,200 people.

• 14 February
  • University of Oxford engineers construct an autonomous car that can be easily switched between manual and self-driving modes.
  • The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) begins a planned two-year shutdown, during which it will undergo a major systems upgrade. Upon its reactivation in 2014, the LHC will operate at an energy of approximately 14 teraelectronvolts – double its current maximum energy.
  • Researchers develop a specialized neural implant which gives rats the ability to sense infrared light – a pioneering use of implant technology to grant living creatures new abilities, instead of simply replacing or augmenting existing ones.
  • The United States Food and Drug Administration approves the first functional commercial bionic eye, the Argus II, for the treatment of blindness. The device, which became available in Europe in 2011, uses a combination of ocular implants and camera-equipped eyeglasses to restore vision to people blinded by retinitis pigmentosa.
• 15 February
  • A 10-ton meteoroid impacts in Chelyabinsk, Russia, producing a powerful shockwave and injuring over 1,000 people.
  • The asteroid 2012 DA14, which masses around 130,000 tons, makes the closest Earth flyby yet recorded for a large asteroid, passing within 27,000 kilometres (17,000 mi) of the Earth's surface.
• 18 February – Studies of a recently discovered Higgs boson-like particle suggest that the universe may end in a false vacuum collapse billions of years from now.
• 19 February
  • The UK government pledges to provide advanced bionic limbs for all British soldiers who have lost limbs in combat.
  • A new species of bent-toed gecko is formally described, having been discovered in Vietnam.
• 20 February
  • NASA reports the discovery of Kepler-37b, the smallest exoplanet yet known, around the size of Earth's Moon.
  • Internet entrepreneurs Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg announce a new global prize for excellence in the life sciences, offering US$3 million to each recipient.
  • The President of the United States, Barack Obama, announces the Brain Activity Map Project – a decade-long collaborative effort to map the structures and functions of the human brain, with the aim of yielding new treatments for a range of neural diseases.
• 21 February
  • Cornell University scientists use a 3D printer to create a living artificial ear from collagen and ear cell cultures. In future, such ears could be grown to order for patients suffering from ear trauma or amputation.
  • The deepest known hydrothermal vents are discovered in the Caribbean at a depth of almost 5,000 metres (16,000 ft).
  • A study finds that bumblebees can sense electric fields around flowers.
  • University of Pennsylvania researchers develop a "protein passport" able to bypass the body's immune system. This could aid the delivery of medicinal nanoparticles in future nanomedicine.
• 22 February – Data gathered from Siberian ice caves reveals that continued global warming may lead to widespread thawing of permafrost, potentially releasing massive volumes of trapped carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

20 February 2013: NASA astronomers discover the smallest exoplanet to date, Kepler-37b (shown second from left).

• 23 February – A US inventor builds a "spider-sense" bodysuit, equipped with ultrasonic sensors and haptic feedback systems, which can alert its wearer of approaching threats and allow them to detect and respond to attackers even when blindfolded.
• 24 February
  • Oxford University researchers discover the mechanism by which certain brain cells are able to survive being starved of oxygen. In future, this research may yield more effective stroke treatments.
  • A study finds that chimpanzees solve puzzles for entertainment just as humans do.
  • Scientists announce that they have found fragments of Rodinia, an ancient "lost" supercontinent, in what is now the Indian Ocean.
• 25 February
  • Israel successfully tests its Arrow 3 missile defence system, designed to destroy enemy ballistic missiles while they are still high in the Earth's atmosphere.
  • Medical researchers at the University of Barcelona report in the New England Journal of Medicine that, based on a five-year study of 7,447 people, the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease in people at high risk by "about 30 percent".
• 26 February
  • American engineers develop a wirelessly charged flexible battery that can continue to function even if stretched to three times its usual size. With further development, the invention could be used to power flexible smartphones, tablets and medical electronics.
  • A study finds that sleep loss can alter the behavior of genes, which may explain why it often precedes more serious medical problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
• 27 February
  • Astronomers use the NuSTAR satellite to accurately measure the spin of a supermassive black hole for the first time, reporting that its surface is spinning at almost the speed of light.
  • An American company constructs a lightweight, high-efficiency urban car with an entirely 3D-printed plastic body that is as damage-resistant as steel. The vehicle's construction is entirely automated, requiring no human input beyond the uploading of the car's design.
• 28 February
  • Duke University researchers successfully connect the brains of two rats with electronic interfaces that allow them to directly share information, in the first-ever direct brain-to-brain interface.
  • A study finds common genetic links between five major psychiatric disorders: autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
  • Astronomers make the first direct observation of a protoplanet forming in a disk of gas and dust around a distant star.
  • A third radiation belt is discovered around the Earth.
  • Researchers identify adult stem cells in the bone marrow that could one day be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

March

1 March 2013: Boston Dynamics develops an advanced version of its BigDog heavy-lifting robot (2006 version pictured), featuring a powerful mechanical throwing arm.

• 1 March – Boston Dynamics demonstrates an updated version of its BigDog military robot, a mule-sized heavy-lifting robot able to navigate rough terrain and equipped with an arm powerful enough to easily lift and throw breeze blocks.
• 3 March – American scientists report that they have cured HIV in an infant by giving the child a course of antiretroviral drugs very early in its life. The previously HIV-positive child has reportedly exhibited no HIV symptoms since its treatment, despite having no further medication for a year.
• 4 March
  • Scientists announce that they have directly measured the polarization of light, overcoming aspects of the uncertainty principle.
  • DARPA begins efforts to develop a fleet of small naval vessels capable of launching and retrieving combat drones without the need for large and expensive aircraft carriers.
• 5 March – The Human Connectome Project releases the most detailed scans of the human brain yet made, allowing neuroscientists to more accurately study the complexities of the brain's structure and identify the causes of neural disorders.
• 6 March
  • After studying the DNA of a modern African American, scientists estimate that the Y-chromosomal Adam – the most recent male common ancestor of human beings – lived much earlier than previously thought, over 338,000 years ago.
  • Chinese and Israeli scientists develop a Breathalyzer-style breath test that can quickly and easily diagnose stomach cancer by analyzing exhaled chemicals, without the need for an intrusive endoscopy.
• 7 March
  • After an eight-year project involving the use of a pioneering cloning technique, Japanese researchers create 25 generations of healthy cloned mice with normal lifespans, demonstrating that clones are not intrinsically shorter-lived than naturally born animals.
  • An international project known as Bedmap2 analyses 50 years of data to measure the volume of Antarctic ice, finding it to be 26,500,000 cubic kilometres (6,400,000 cu mi), which would raise global sea levels by 58 metres (190 ft) if it melted.
  • Scientists from Oregon State University reconstruct the global temperature record since the end of the last Ice Age. Their data, taken from 73 sites around the world, shows a clear and rapid warming trend in the 20th and early 21st centuries.
  • In a world first, researchers replace 75 percent of an injured patient's skull with a precision 3D-printed polymer replacement implant. In future, damaged bones may routinely be replaced with custom-manufactured implants.
  • Tests on mice demonstrate conclusive proof that resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, improves health and longevity.
• 9 March
  • British dental researchers grow viable teeth from a combination of gingival cells and stem cells, potentially allowing future patients to receive living teeth to replace diseased or damaged ones.
  • Roboticists launch an online database and cloud computing platform which can be accessed by robots worldwide, allowing them to more easily recognise unfamiliar objects and perform intensive computing tasks.
• 11 March
  • Astronomers discover the binary brown dwarf WISE 1049-5319 at a distance of 6.5 light years from Earth – the closest star system to be discovered since 1916.
  • A study concludes that heart disease was common among ancient mummies.
  • Researchers develop smart self-healing circuits that can rapidly restore themselves to a fully functional state by detecting and neutralising electronic faults.

13 March 2013: the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (antennae pictured) becomes operational in Chile. At the time, it is the world's most powerful radio telescope.

• 12 March
  • NASA's Curiosity rover finds evidence that conditions on Mars were once suitable for microbial life after analyzing the first drilled sample of Martian rock, "John Klein" rock at Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater. The rover detected water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, chloromethane and dichloromethane. Related tests found results consistent with the presence of smectite clay minerals.
  • Japan becomes the first country to successfully extract natural gas from offshore methane clathrate deposits.
• 13 March
  • The Atacama Large Millimeter Array, at the time the world's most powerful radio telescope, becomes fully operational in northern Chile.
  • Lockheed Martin develops a new method for desalination that is reportedly vastly cheaper and more efficient than conventional methods. The new technique uses carbon membranes with nanoscale pores to efficiently filter salt molecules from seawater to make drinkable water.
• 14 March
  • CERN scientists confirm, with a very high degree of certainty, that a new particle identified by the Large Hadron Collider in July 2012 is the long-sought Higgs boson.
  • Scientists induce monkey skin cells to become healthy brain cells which function normally when implanted into the donor monkey's brain. This breakthrough suggests that such personalized medicine approaches could be effective in human patients.
• 15 March – Scientists working on the Lazarus Project announce that they have successfully rejuvenated cells of Rheobatrachus silus, a species of frog extinct since 1983.
• 16 March – Japanese researchers unveil the "smelling screen", a digital display screen capable of emitting pinpointed smells.
• 17 March
  • New data suggests that the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on the Earth's surface, is home to a large amount of bacterial life forms. Other researchers reported related studies that microbes thrive inside rocks up to 580 m (1,900 ft) below the sea floor under 2,600 m (8,500 ft) of ocean off the coast of the northwestern United States.
  • Shams 1, the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, becomes operational in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• 18 March
  • If global average temperatures rise by just 2°C, the number of extreme storm surges like Hurricane Katrina will increase tenfold, according to new research.
  • US scientists successfully map 80% of the neurons in a vertebrate brain at cellular-level resolution in just 1.3 seconds.
  • NASA reports evidence from the Curiosity rover on Mars of mineral hydration, likely hydrated calcium sulfate, in several rock samples, including the broken fragments of "Tintina" rock and "Sutton Inlier" rock as well as in the veins and nodules in other rocks like "Knorr" rock and "Wernicke" rock. Analysis using the rover's DAN instrument provided evidence of subsurface water, amounting to as much as 4% water content, down to a depth of 60 cm (2.0 ft).
  • Pluto may have up to 10 moons, along with at least one ring system, according to a new study.
• 19 March

19 March 2013: German scientists sequence the genome of the Neanderthal (skull pictured).

• • The Neanderthal genome is sequenced by German scientists from a toe bone found in southern Siberia.
  • Scientists announce they can now illuminate up to 100 biomarkers, ten times more than the previous standard. This breakthrough may make it much easier to spot proteins in cancer cells – a vital diagnostic technique.
  • NASA reports that a software computer problem on the Curiosity Mars rover is now repaired.
  • Researchers at the University of Cambridge demonstrate a virtual "talking head" with realistic emotions, which could lead to more naturalistic human-computer interactions.
  • Swiss scientists develop a medical scanner that can be implanted just under the skin and can monitor a range of blood-related conditions, providing instant results via mobile phone. They say it will be available to patients by 2017.
• 20 March – Gene therapy is used to cure leukaemia in three adult patients.
• 21 March
  • The European-led research team behind the Planck cosmology probe releases the mission's all-sky map of the cosmic microwave background. The map suggests the universe is slightly older than thought; according to the team, the universe is 13.798 ± 0.037 billion years old, and contains 4.9% ordinary matter, 26.8% dark matter and 68.3% dark energy. Also, the Hubble constant was measured to be 67.80 ± 0.77 (km/s)/Mpc.
  • Scientists develop a video screen that allows users to see 3D images without using special glasses.
  • Scientists develop genetically engineered T-lymphocytes that have been proven successful in treating cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
• 22 March – At the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, scientists announce the discovery of the first known meteorite to originate from Mercury. The green rock, known as NWA 7325, is thought to be 4.56 billion years old.
• 24 March
  • Supplementation of the protein SNX27 reverses the Down syndrome phenotype in mice, according to new research.
  • Scientists discover mutations in 26 genes that are believed to be responsible for oesophageal cancer, a breakthrough that could lead to new drug treatments for the disease.
• 27 March – A potential new weight loss method is discovered, after a 20% weight reduction was achieved in mice simply by having their gut microbes altered.
• 28 March
  • New research suggests that the cloth in the Turin Shroud, rather than being medieval in origin, likely dates from between 300 BC and 400 AD.
  • Stanford researchers announce the construction of a working transistor-like device, dubbed a transcriptor, out of DNA and RNA molecules.
  • NIH scientists report studies that life began 9.7±2.5 billion years ago, billions of years before the Earth was formed, based on "extrapolation of the genetic complexity of organisms to earlier times".
• 29 March – Scientists create a robotic ant colony that behaves like a real one. The tiny machines can be programmed to avoid obstacles and find the quickest route through a network or maze.

April

3 April 2013: NASA reports that the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (pictured, center-left) has detected possible signs of the elusive phenomenon known as dark matter.

• 3 April
  • A breakthrough is achieved in the production of hydrogen fuel, allowing large quantities to be extracted from any plant.
  • A new study suggests that common cholesterol-reducing drugs may also prevent macular degeneration.
  • NASA scientists report that hints of dark matter may have been detected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station. According to the scientists, "the first results from the space-borne Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer confirm an unexplained excess of high-energy positrons in Earth-bound cosmic rays."
  • NASA states that complex organic chemicals could arise on Titan, a moon of Saturn, based on studies simulating the atmosphere of Titan.
• 4 April
  • The discovery of the most distant supernova yet found is announced.
  • Scientists construct a 3D printer which can create material very similar to human tissue.
  • A new species of giant tarantula, Poecilotheria rajaei, is formally described, having been discovered in Sri Lanka in 2009.
  • American scientists announce that they have identified a number of genetic markers that are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
  • A new camera system is developed that can generate high-resolution 3D images from up to a kilometre away.
• 7 April – A US startup company develops plant-derived proteins that can be used as a sustainable, environmentally friendly substitute for eggs in almost all food products.
• 9 April
  • At the 2013 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, American defense companies display prototypes of numerous advanced weapons technologies, including viable railguns, VTOL airships and grenade-sized reconnaissance robots.
  • British researchers discover that a mutation of the gene BRCA2 increases both the risk and severity of prostate cancer in men, as well as being linked to hereditary breast cancer in women.
  • Chinese scientists develop a carbon-based aerogel which they claim is the lightest material yet produced, with a density only slightly greater than that of air.
  • Scientists state that climate change may cause a significant increase in air turbulence over the North Atlantic by 2050, potentially endangering passenger aircraft.
• 10 April
  • Stanford University researchers develop "CLARITY", a method of making brain tissue transparent using acrylamide, allowing brain structures to be studied in unprecedented detail without requiring extensive biopsies.
  • Scientists develop the first objective method of measuring pain by directly studying the brains of patients.
  • Scientists find that, by inhibiting the SEC24A gene, cholesterol levels in mice can be reduced by 45%, offering hope for an alternative or complementary therapy to statins.
• 11 April
  • International researchers discover key similarities in the brains of arthropods and vertebrates, potentially aiding scientific understanding of the causes of human neural diseases.
  • Philips demonstrates a new type of LED lighting that is reportedly twice as energy-efficient as any previous electric lightbulb.
  • A study finds that carefully timed sounds played during sleep can enhance memory.
  • NASA reports the possible finding of the "debris field" of the 1971 Soviet Mars 3 lander on the planet Mars. Images taken by the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter seem to show the possible remains of the parachute, retrorockets, heat shield and lander.

12 April 2013: scientists reconstruct the skeleton of the ancient hominid Australopithecus sediba (cranium pictured).

• 12 April
  • Animal trials are set to begin on a gene therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a degenerative condition which counts Stephen Hawking among its sufferers.
  • Scientists reconstruct the skeleton of the ancient hominid Australopithecus sediba, discovering that it possessed a unique mixture of human- and ape-like traits.
  • The first building to be entirely powered by algae is constructed in Hamburg.
• 15 April
  • A functional lab-grown kidney is successfully transplanted into a live rat in Massachusetts General Hospital. This breakthrough is a major step forward for the nascent field of regenerative medicine.
  • The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment reports the possible discovery of traces of dark matter, although further experimental confirmation is required.
• 16 April – American medical researchers develop a new type of bandage which uses microscopic needles to adhere to injured flesh. The bandage requires no adhesive chemicals, is significantly stronger than existing medical adhesives, and could offer a safer and more efficient means of securing skin grafts.
• 17 April
  • Scientists develop a new form of lithium-ion battery which is thousands of times more powerful than current battery technologies, while also charging much faster. The battery utilises a compact 3D design, intertwining its electrodes to maximize its surface area while reducing its volume.
  • MIT researchers determine the structure of bones down to the molecular level, using supercomputer simulations twinned with studies of real bone fibers. Their data grants new insights into the compounds that grant living bone its strength, and may permit the manufacture of versatile new biomimetic materials.
  • The genome of the coelacanth, an endangered deep-sea "living fossil", is sequenced.
• 18 April – NASA announces the discovery of three new Earthlike exoplanets – Kepler-62e, Kepler-62f, and Kepler-69c – in the habitable zones of their respective host stars, Kepler-62 and Kepler-69. The new exoplanets, which are considered prime candidates for possessing liquid water and thus potentially life, were identified using the Kepler spacecraft.
• 21 April
  • The Antares rocket, a commercial launch vehicle developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation, successfully conducts its maiden flight.
  • A study concludes that stress leads to faster growth in squirrels.

21 April 2013: the Antares commercial launch vehicle (pictured) is successfully launched on its maiden flight by Orbital Sciences Corporation.

• 22 April
  • Biologists use antibodies to transform bone marrow stem cells directly into healthy brain cells. This breakthrough may allow neurological injuries and illnesses to be more effectively treated, and reduces the risk of immune rejection.
  • University of Exeter scientists report the creation of a genetically modified strain of E. coli bacteria which can convert sugar into diesel fuel.
  • A British engineer unveils a giant "mantis" robot, large enough to carry a human pilot, which is supported by multiple hydraulic legs. The robot has reportedly attracted the interest of mining and marine research companies.
• 24 April
  • IBM develops a robot which combines telepresence and augmented reality technologies to assist engineers working on complex projects in remote areas.
  • CERN releases new particle-collision data from the Large Hadron Collider which may help explain why matter became dominant over antimatter in the early universe.
• 25 April – A partial lunar eclipse occurs.
• 26 April
  • Following laboratory tests of molten iron, European scientists determine that the Earth's core has a temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought. This discovery may help explain why the planet has such a strong geomagnetic field.
  • US and Chinese scientists develop a sensor array which is as sensitive to touch and pressure as the human fingertip. The invention may pave the way for new robotic sensors, electronic interfaces and types of artificial skin.
• 27 April – Design approval is given for a crucial reactor component of the ITER nuclear fusion project, which is currently under construction in Cadarache, France, and is expected to begin generating fusion power in 2022.
• 29 April
  • After years of unpowered glide tests, Scaled Composites' SpaceShipTwo hybrid spaceplane successfully conducts its first rocket-powered flight.
  • The ESA's Herschel Space Observatory runs out of liquid helium coolant, marking the end of its highly productive four-year mission to observe the far infrared universe.
  • NASA's Cassini spacecraft photographs an enormous hurricane on Saturn, more than 20 times the size of the average terrestrial hurricane.
  • NASA-funded French scientists claim that, during experiments on the International Space Station, microbes seem to adapt to the space environment in ways "not observed on Earth" and in ways that "can lead to increases in growth and virulence".

May

• 1 May
  • IBM scientists release A Boy and His Atom, the smallest stop-motion animation ever created, made by manipulating individual carbon monoxide molecules with a scanning tunnelling microscope.
  • Researchers discover that boron nitride – a nanomaterial also known as "white graphene" – is highly effective at removing harmful chemicals from polluted water, and could be used to clean up future oil spills.
  • American engineers create a multi-lens digital camera that mimics an insect's compound eye, providing immense depth of field without distorting the image.
• 2 May – Harvard scientists unveil RoboBee, a miniature robot with the smallest ever man-made wings capable of flight.
• 3 May
  • Scientists announce the discovery of a previously unknown meat-eating theropod dinosaur, Aorun zhaoi, dating from approximately 161 million years ago. It is the oldest coelurosaur yet discovered.
  • Researchers cure epilepsy in mice using transplanted brain cells.

29 April 2013: Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane (pictured with White Knight Two mothership) makes its first rocket-powered flight.

• 6 May
  • It is shown that boosting a single gene can increase the maximum lifespan of fruit flies by over 25 percent.
  • European researchers announce a potential cure for grey hair.
  • American scientists transform skin cells into bone cells using induced pluripotent methods, in which the cells were grown on scaffolding, allowing them to gain a 3D structure. This is the first time a fully functioning three-dimensional bone structure has been created from cell lines.
  • A new study finds that children whose parents suck on their pacifiers have fewer allergies later in life.
  • Solar engineers discover a method of increasing the efficiency of standard commercial silicon solar cells from 19% to 23%.
• 7 May
  • A new study suggests that all Europeans are related to a small group of ancestors dating back only 1,000 years.
  • Researchers discover statistical evidence for the proposed Eurasiatic language superfamily, dating back 15,000 years.
  • Scientists identify what may be the earliest known pachycephalosaur, Acrotholus audeti.
  • The Alzheimer's drug Gammagard fails to produce results in a large-scale clinical trial.
• 8 May – Researchers achieve a significant breakthrough in understanding genital herpes, which could lead to the development of a vaccine to prevent and treat HSV-2.
• 9 May
  • In a breakthrough they describe as "huge", researchers have identified a protein that reduces heart size and thickness in mice. This could potentially offer a way of treating heart failure and aging in humans.
  • A congressional hearing by two U. S. House of Representatives subcommittees discusses exoplanet discoveries, prompted by the discovery of the exoplanet Kepler-62f, along with Kepler-62e and Kepler-62c. A related special issue of the journal Science, published earlier, described the discovery of the exoplanets.
• 10 May
  • An annular solar eclipse occurs.
  • The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in Earth's atmosphere reaches a symbolic milestone, passing 400 ppm (parts per million) for the first time in human history.
  • Researchers create a form of magnetic graphene that could transform the electronics industry.
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police report the first known case of a life being saved by a search and rescue drone.
• 11 May – Researchers develop a thermal invisibility device, measuring 5 cm wide, able to "cloak" objects from heat.
• 12 May – It is discovered that Utricularia gibba, a carnivorous bladderwort plant, has the shortest known DNA sequence of any multicellular plant. It largely lacks "junk DNA", sequences of code that do not encode proteins.
• 13 May – Researchers at NYU school of Medicine identify a key protein mutation, called Ras, that is the mechanism through which pancreatic cancer cells acquire nutrients.
• 14 May – Iranian scientists create copper iodide nanostructures by applying pomegranate juice as a reducer.

15 May 2013: researchers discover key cholesterol genes in baboons, potentially leading to new drugs to treat heart disease in humans.

• 15 May
  • Human embryonic stem cells are created by cloning for the first time, with major implications for treating a wide range of diseases.
  • NASA reports that a reaction wheel on the Kepler space observatory may be malfunctioning and may result in the premature termination of the observatory's search for Earth-like exoplanets.
  • Four genes implicated in "bad" cholesterol have been identified in baboons, a finding that could pave the way for new drugs to prevent human heart disease.
  • New fossils provide physical evidence that the evolutionary split between apes and monkeys may have occurred "25 to 30 million years ago", as long suggested by DNA findings.
  • New evidence suggests that Mount Everest's glaciers are melting.
  • Scientists release pictures of what they believe the lost city of La Ciudad Blanca in La Mosquitia, Honduras.
  • A new study finds that the white blood cell levels in men decrease faster during aging than in women, possibly providing one clue as to why women have longer average lifespans.
  • Fish have been migrating to the poles for decades, due to climate change, according to a new study.
  • A team of Iranian researchers studies nanotechnology applications in neuroscience, reporting new results regarding medicine and drug delivery for the brain and nerves.
• 16 May
  • Water dating back 2.6 billion years, by far the oldest ever found, is discovered in a Canadian mine.
  • A study suggests that marijuana may improve blood sugar levels by decreasing insulin resistance.
  • Mild electric shock is shown to provide a lasting improvement to mathematical ability.
  • A new world record has been achieved in wireless data transfer, with 40 Gbit/s transferred at 240 GHz over a distance of one kilometer.
• 21 May
  • Genetic samples from a museum specimen have revealed the pathogen that caused the 19th-century Irish potato famine. The strain is now thought to be extinct.
  • By blocking a protein known as NF-kB that is secreted by the hypothalamus, researchers extend the lifespan of laboratory mice by 20 percent.
• 22 May
  • Plans are approved for the world's biggest wave farm in north-west Scotland, with an intended power-generation capacity of 40MW.
  • In a significant move to address climate change, China announces that it will impose a cap on carbon emissions by 2016.
  • Researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, report that Earth is pushing the Moon away more quickly than it has done for most of the past 50 million years.
  • Researchers in France confirm that atypical activation of different genes distinct to other tissues occur in all kinds of cancer. Tumor cells in lung cancer, for example, express genes, which should be silent, particular to male sperm production. According to the researchers, "The methodical recognition of ectopic gene activations in cancer cells could serve as a basis for gene signature–guided tumor stratification".
• 23 May – Very early symptoms of Huntington's disease, such as depression and anxiety, can be prevented in mice by switching off a protein, according to a new study.
• 25 May – A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs.
• 26 May – Using new algorithms, researchers generate accurate images of sub-cellular structures in milliseconds rather than minutes.

27 May 2013: scientists successfully resurrect bryophyte specimens (Marchantia pictured) which had been frozen inert in glacial ice for 400 years.

• 27 May
  • Four-hundred-year-old bryophyte specimens left behind by retreating glaciers in Canada are brought back to life in the laboratory.
  • Archaeologists announce the discovery of nearly 5,000 cave paintings, some of which may date back as early as 6,000 BC, near Burgos, Mexico.
• 28 May – The first graphene-based circuits to break the gigahertz barrier are created by researchers in the US and Italy.
• 29 May
  • Aurornis xui is described as the most basal species of Avialae, potentially unseating Archaeopteryx as the oldest known bird.
  • Soyuz TMA-09M is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, transporting a three-person crew to the International Space Station.
  • Russian scientists announce the discovery of mammoth blood and well-preserved muscle tissue from an adult female specimen in Siberia.
  • The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) discovers 28 asteroid families through the Jupiter-Mars chief asteroid belt. It also finds a large number of formerly concealed and unclassified asteroids through infrared snapshots for the first time.
  • A team of chemists and physicists from Japan's Yokohama National University produce a material that can be develop into mixed, conductive 3D formations, enabling scientists to create customized brain electrodes.
  • For the first time, astronomers observe a spinning neutron star suddenly slowing down.
  • Freescale Semiconductor introduces KL02, a millimeter-scale microchip that contains almost all the components of a tiny functioning computer.
• 30 May
  • New analysis suggests that turtles evolved a shell 40 million years earlier than previously thought.
  • Stanford University researchers unveil a zinc-air battery that is more energy-dense and cheaper than lithium-ion counterparts.
  • Researchers create the first-ever high-resolution images of a molecule as it breaks and reforms chemical bonds.
  • Biomedical researchers at SCRM in Edinburgh, Scotland, successfully synthesize human blood using stem cells.
  • Researchers at Nanyang Technological University invent a graphene-based sensor that is 1,000 times more sensitive to light than traditional CMOS or CCD sensors.
  • Within a century, climate change will threaten extinction for 82 percent of California's native fish, according to researchers at UC Davis.

31 May 2013: the asteroid (285263) 1998 QE2 (pictured) and its orbiting moon pass close to the Earth.

• 31 May
  • NASA scientists report a possible manned mission to Mars may involve a great radiation risk, based on the amount of energetic particle radiation detected by the RAD on the Mars Science Laboratory while traveling from the Earth to Mars in 2011–2012.
  • NASA astronomers report that the near-Earth asteroid 1998 QE2 is passing 3.6 million miles away from the Earth. 1998 QE2 reportedly has its own asteroid moon.
  • Researches find fragments of meteorites in pieces of ancient Egyptian jewellery, which were discovered in a cemetery dating back to roughly 3,300 BC near Cairo in 1911.
  • Researchers at the University of Birmingham develop an effective hearing aid based on the ear structure of a species of fly, Ormia ochracea.

June

• 1 June – The New York Times reports that "the United States is far and away the world leader in medical spending, even though numerous studies have concluded that Americans do not get better care."
• 4 June
  • A new treatment to "reset" the immune system of multiple sclerosis patients is reported to reduce their reactivity to myelin by 50 to 75 percent.
  • A newly discovered prehistoric lizard, Barbaturex morrisoni, is named after Doors singer Jim Morrison, who called himself "The Lizard King".
  • Microchip maker Intel launches its Haswell series of processors, offering better graphics performance and battery efficiency over the previous processor generation.

6 June 2013: an artificially grown blood vessel is transplanted into an American patient for the first time.

• 5 June
  • Urban environments have a profound effect on the circadian rhythms of humans and animals, according to a new study.
  • Scientists report fossil remains of Archicebus achilles, a primate considered to be the "earliest well-preserved fossil primate ever found," dating back an estimated 55 million years.
  • Researchers made a new discovery about tumors in hominids. They report the finding of the first known tumor in the rib of a Neanderthal man who lived more than 120,000 years ago.
• 6 June
  • For the first time in the United States, a bioengineered blood vessel is transplanted into a patient's arm. The patient, a man with end-stage kidney disease, is part of a clinical trial of laboratory-grown veins.
  • Scientists state that most male birds have no penis. They ejaculate sperm out of an exit opening named a cloaca, which is also used for excreting urine and feces.
  • Scientists at the IAA-CSIC report the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the upper atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of the planet Saturn.
• 7 June – Breastfeeding boosts brain development by 30% as compared to formula-fed babies, according to a new study.
• 10 June
  • Scientists report that the earlier claims of an Earth-like exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri B, a star close to our Solar System, may not be supported by astronomical evidence.
  • A new skyscraper elevator is demonstrated using carbon fiber cables to reach heights of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) or higher in a single trip, without passengers needing to change lifts.
• 11 June
  • Scientists at the University of Nottingham discover a previously undetected layer in the human cornea, dubbed Dua's layer.
  • The world's first commercially available 5-GHz computer processor is unveiled by AMD.
• 12 June
  • A new study suggests that altitude plays a role in language evolution, explaining why ejective sounds are more popular in languages of high-altitude regions.
  • Taking the AIDS drug tenofovir greatly reduces the risk of HIV infection among intravenous drug users, according to a new study.
  • Scientists discover a method to use pressure to make a material expand instead of compress/contract. The pressure-treated material has half the density of the first state.

13 June 2013: in a landmark case, the United States Supreme Court rules that non-synthetic genes cannot be patented by medical companies.

• 13 June
  • Sleep researchers state that natural sleep allows the brain to combine emotional memory, and also find that a popular sleeping drug heightens the recollection of and response to negative memories.
  • The US Supreme Court rules that naturally occurring genes may not be patented, with significant implications for future medical research.
• 14 June
  • American researchers identitfy a key embryonic protein that, though usually deactivated shortly after birth, is reactivated in patients with advanced cancer. This breakthrough may allow for better treatment of advanced cancer cases, which typically respond poorly to currently available therapies. As a result of this discovery, scientists may be able to determine from the structure of the protein the fundamental process through which cancer cells seek out new tumor sites and create secondary tumors after leaving the primary tumor site.
  • Scientists combine synchrotron X-rays with scanning tunneling microscopy to create highly detailed images of different materials at the atomic level. By combining the two methods, researchers are now able to not only see where individual atoms reside but also determine a material's chemical and magnetic properties. This discovery could have wide applications in accelerating discoveries in a number of fields, particularly in nanotechnology.
  • Sharp Corporation achieves the highest solar cell energy conversion efficiency to date, of approximately 44.4%, using a concentrator triple-junction compound solar cell.
• 17 June
  • TOP500 reports that China's Tianhe-2 supercomputer is the world's most powerful computer, capable of performing over 33 quadrillion floating point operations per second.
  • Physicists report the possible detection of a new subatomic particle, Zc(3900), a hadron which may be the first tetraquark to have been observed experimentally.
  • Two separate teams independently develop prototype flying bicycles. British engineers construct a hybrid bicycle-paraglider capable of flying to an altitude of 4,000 feet (1,200 m), while a Czech team demonstrates a multi-rotor electric "hoverbike" that can hover like a helicopter at low altitudes.
  • Engineers demonstrate a small quadrupedal "cheetah-cub" robot, with speed and agility approaching that of a real cat. The prototype is intended as the basis for future search-and-rescue robots with vastly greater speed and agility than human emergency workers.
  • Weapons manufacturer MBDA Germany develops a high-powered laser weapon capable of targeting and destroying incoming rockets, artillery shells and UAVs.
• 18 June
  • Google launches a fleet of high-altitude balloons capable of beaming wireless internet to remote locations far more cheaply than satellites.
  • American scientists use 3D printing to manufacture a new class of microscopic batteries, which may allow the easy production of extremely small medical devices, nanorobots and communications systems.
  • British researchers develop high-resolution 3D holograms for the teaching of anatomy to medical students.
• 19 June – Scientists claim that "cancerproof" laboratory animals, such as naked mole rats, may not get cancer because they produce an "extremely high-molecular-mass hyaluronan", which is over "five times larger" than that in cancer-prone humans and cancer-susceptible laboratory animals.

20 June 2013: silver particles are found to massively increase the effectiveness of antibiotics.

• 20 June
  • Adding silver particles to antibiotics makes them 10 to 1,000 times more effective at fighting infections, research suggests.
  • International neuroscientists produce a full-3D map of a human brain, scanning and digitizing thousands of ultrathin slices of the brain to determine its structure at extremely high resolution. The map will be made freely available to medical researchers worldwide.
  • During the Shenzhou 10 mission, Chinese astronauts deliver the country's first public video broadcast from the orbiting Tiangong-1 space laboratory.
  • The European Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV), an experimental spacecraft which is intended to make its first orbital launch in 2014, successfully conducts a parachute drop test over the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Physicists develop a table-top particle accelerator with 2 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) of power, downsizing a conventional accelerator by a factor of 10,000.
  • American engineers create a functional, rechargeable nanoscale battery out of wood. The conductive wooden fibers, coated with tin, are longer-lasting than any previous nanoscale battery.
  • The Israeli-based company NeuroDerm reports good trial results for a new Parkinson's disease treatment, which involves dermal introduction of two separate drugs.
• 21 June – Following groundbreaking laboratory tests, researchers discover that plants make use of quantum effects to efficiently channel photons during photosynthesis.
• 23 June
  • Scientists find that plants use complex mathematical calculations, similar to human circadian rhythms, to adjust their energy usage.
  • Following a large-scale genome study, researchers identify some of the biological roots of migraine, a chronic neurological condition affecting as many as 15% of all humans.
  • The 2013 Paris Air Show concludes, after a week of new technology demonstrations including a "green" electric airliner taxiing system, the world's first electric tiltrotor prototype, and advanced avionics and in-flight entertainment systems.
• 24 June
  • Researchers from Duke University detect methane in drinking water in Pennsylvania, claiming that "serious contamination from bubbly methane is 'much more' prevalent in some water wells within 1 kilometer of gas drilling sites". The researchers note that methane levels are "an average of six times" higher and ethane levels are "23 times higher" in the water wells "closer to drilling sites, compared with those farther away."
  • The 10,000th near-Earth object is discovered by astronomers at the University of Hawaii.
• 25 June – In an unprecedented discovery, astronomers detect three potentially Earthlike exoplanets orbiting a single star in the Gliese 667 system.
• 26 June
  • China's Shenzhou 10 manned spacecraft returns safely to Earth, having conducted China's longest manned space mission to date.
  • American scientists partially heal spinal cord injuries in paralyzed rats by transplanting nerve cells into the injury sites. These laboratory trials are hoped to be a precursor to human trials in the near future.
  • Ancient horse bones dating back 700,000 years are found to contain by far the oldest preserved DNA sequence yet discovered, predating all previous finds by 500,000 years.

27 June 2013: researchers induce "twisted light" beams in optical fibers, allowing for extremely high-bandwidth data transfer.

• 27 June
  • Japanese scientists produce a healthy cloned mouse from cells contained in a single drop of blood.
  • British geologists report that 1.3 quadrillion cubic feet of shale gas are present in shale formations in northern England, potentially heralding a transformation of the British energy market.
  • Researchers create genetically engineered wheat strains resistant to the fungal disease stem rust, which is a constant threat to wheat crops in the developing world.
  • Scientists demonstrate an optical fiber that uses "twisted light" to transmit massive amounts of information, potentially revolutionizing the field of data transfer. The prototype fiber was able to transmit data at rates of over one terabit per second.
  • US and German scientists develop a simple and efficient new method for desalinating seawater, using a small electric field to separate salt from water without needing complex filter membranes.
  • US and Swiss researchers develop a new form of telescopic contact lens designed to improve the vision of sufferers of age-related macular degeneration, which previously could not be ameliorated with contact lenses.
  • Molecular biologists successfully trap a ribosome in the middle of its protein-forming state, allowing them to study the precise motions it uses to translate genetic code into functional proteins. This discovery sheds new light on the basic building-blocks of life, and may allow the development of new antibiotics.
• 28 June – MIT engineers invent a handheld "X-ray vision" device which allows users to detect movement through walls.

July

• 1 July – The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope releases new data on the highest-energy regions of the observable universe, including over 500 new gamma-ray bursts.
• 2 July
  • Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers.
  • Using computer modelling and solar data, Scottish scientists determine that the last living species on Earth in the distant future will be extremophile microbes able to survive harsh conditions.
  • Microsoft develops a 3D touchscreen that uses force sensors and a robotic arm to allow users to "feel" objects that it displays.
  • The first Maersk Triple E-class container ships, the largest and most energy-efficient cargo vessels yet constructed, begin sea trials.
  • The two most recently discovered moons of Pluto are officially named Styx and Kerberos.

3 July 2013: in a groundbreaking medical trial, bone marrow transplants are found to eliminate all traces of HIV (virus particles pictured) in two male patients.

• 3 July
  • In a breakthrough for regenerative medicine, Japanese scientists grow functional livers from stem cells and successfully transplant them into mice.
  • It is reported that naval sonar can seriously disrupt the behavior of whales, potentially causing them to fatally beach themselves.
  • Bone marrow transplants are found to remove all traces of HIV from two test patients, in conjunction with antiretroviral treatments.
  • A New Zealand student designs a "skeletal" 3D-printable orthopedic cast that offers far greater lightness, cleanliness and ventilation than conventional casts, and can be personalized to suit individual patients and specific injuries.
• 4 July
  • The London Array, at the time the world's largest offshore wind farm, opens in the UK.
  • A US study reveals that remaining mentally and physically active in old age is key to slowing the onset of dementia.
• 5 July
  • European researchers create molecular nanowires which are ultra-sensitive to ambient magnetic fields, requiring no actual magnetic materials to change their electrical conductivity. The invention, which is similar to the system used for navigation by migratory birds, could have numerous applications in electronics, from improved magnetic sensors and hard disk drives to enhanced smartphones.
  • Scientists record X-ray videos of bats in flight, revealing the highly efficient skeletal motion that allows them to fly. This data could be used to design new, more efficient flying robots.
• 6 July
  • The Solar Impulse aircraft completes the first cross-country flight over the United States powered entirely by solar energy.
  • Scientists report that a wide variety of microbial life exists in the subglacial Antarctic Lake Vostok, which has been buried in ice for around 15 million years. Samples of the lake's water obtained by drilling were found to contain traces of DNA from over 3,000 tiny organisms.
• 8 July
  • Nanoparticles of rust could be used to efficiently generate hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water, according to a scientific study.
  • Researchers state that the first baby conceived with a new, cheaper, more efficient form of IVF is born healthy.

6 July 2013: the Solar Impulse aircraft (photographed above in 2011) becomes the first entirely solar-powered airplane to complete a flight across the United States.

• 9 July
  • Scientists develop a blood test for babies that can reportedly predict a person's long-term health and rate of ageing in later life.
  • A radical new theory of the composition of the Earth's core is published. It proposes that the shape of the solid iron core is determined by the atomic structure of the different forms of iron of which it consists.
  • North Carolina State University researchers demonstrate a method of 3D printing liquid metal at room temperature, forming freestanding structures which maintain their shape despite initially remaining liquid. The invention, which uses an alloy of gallium and indium, could allow electronic circuitry and even flexible wiring to be printed on demand.
• 10 July
  • French scientists construct an ultra-precise optical lattice clock that misses only one second in 300 million years. The clock's measurements could form a new basis for global time standards, replacing the present generation of atomic clocks.
  • The American Northrop Grumman X-47B becomes the first drone to perform an arrested landing on an aircraft carrier at sea.
• 11 July
  • For the first time, astronomers determine the true colour of a distant exoplanet. HD 189733 b, a searing-hot gas giant, is said to be a vivid blue colour, most likely due to clouds of silica in its atmosphere.
  • Italian scientists successfully treat the symptoms of leukodystrophy in six young children using gene therapy.
  • DARPA and Boston Dynamics unveil the Atlas humanoid robot, a 6-foot (1.8 m) autonomous machine capable of a wide variety of military and disaster-response operations.
  • The Canadian AeroVelo team wins the Igor Sikorsky Prize for developing a fully functional human-powered helicopter, 33 years after the competition began.
• 12 July – British engineers develop a high-velocity penetrator probe capable of surviving impact forces of 20,000 gravities. The probe could be used to punch through the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa to search for aquatic life.
• 15 July
  • Scientists sequence the genomes of 201 microbe species in an effort to gain a more detailed understanding of Earth's microbial ecosystem.
  • The Hubble Space Telescope photographs a new moon of Neptune, the 14th to be discovered so far. It is estimated to be just 12 miles (19 km) across.
  • NASA engineers successfully test a rocket engine with a fully 3D-printed injector, proving that critical rocket components can be produced through 3D printing without compromising their effectiveness.
  • Seismologists report that small earthquakes occur in a sequence with rapidly increasing frequency prior to a volcanic eruption. The discovery, described as a "seismic scream", could help predict future eruptions.

10 July 2013: the Northrop Grumman X-47B (photographed above) becomes the first robotic aircraft to successfully land on an aircraft carrier at sea.

• 16 July
  • NASA's Curiosity rover reaches a milestone in its journey across Mars, having travelled 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) since its landing in 2012.
  • Researchers develop artificial peroxisomes that can reduce toxic oxygen compounds. This could lead to novel drugs that influence processes directly inside living cells.
• 17 July
  • American scientists develop a method of "switching off" the extra chromosome that causes Down's syndrome, potentially offering an entirely new treatment for the condition.
  • British medical researchers create an "intelligent" surgical knife with a built-in mass spectrometer that can detect cancerous tissue during operations, allowing surgeons to more accurately and effectively excise tumors without damaging healthy tissue.
  • Swedish scientists create a magnesium carbonate-based material with an unparalleled surface-area-to-volume ratio and excellent water absorption abilities. The new material, dubbed "Upsalite", could have applications in many fields, including electronics, toxic waste cleanup, sanitation and medical drug delivery.
  • In an unprecedented discovery, astronomers directly observe the destruction of a gas cloud larger than Earth's solar system by the supermassive black hole at the galactic core.
  • Based on 34 earlier studies, researchers identify remarkable similarities between the brains of birds and humans.
• 18 July – A "giant" new genus of virus, Pandoravirus, is announced, along with two recently identified species, Pandoravirus dulcis and Pandoravirus salinus.
• 19 July
  • Japan begins a clinical trial of stem cells harvested from patients' own bodies. The stem cells will be used to treat age-related macular degeneration.
  • NASA scientists publish the results of a new analysis of the atmosphere of Mars, reporting a lack of methane around the landing site of the Curiosity rover. In addition, the scientists found evidence that Mars "has lost a good deal of its atmosphere over time", based on the abundance of isotopic compositions of gases, particularly those related to argon and carbon.
  • Japanese researchers confirm that muon-type neutrinos can spontaneously flip to the electron type, potentially explaining the imbalance of matter and antimatter during the Big Bang.
  • Harvard University medical experts report that a carefully targeted two-drug treatment could be tailored to successfully treat almost any form of cancer.
  • For the third time in history, Earth is photographed from the outer solar system. NASA's Cassini spacecraft releases images of the Earth and Moon taken from the orbit of Saturn.

19 July 2013: NASA's Cassini spacecraft photographs the Earth and Moon (visible bottom-right) from Saturn.

• 21 July
  • British scientists successfully cure blindness in mice with infusions of stem cells that repaired damaged retinas. It is hoped that a similar treatment can be developed for humans.
  • A private spaceflight venture announces plans to land a robotic observatory on the south pole of the Moon.
  • American researchers develop a flexible, sensitive "electronic skin" that mimics real human skin by detecting and responding to different levels of pressure.
• 22 July
  • Scientists report that dolphins have unique vocal names for one another, which they respond to just as humans do.
  • Scientists studying data from the Large Hadron Collider report an extremely rare particle decay event, casting doubt on the scientific theory of supersymmetry.
• 23 July – Thor's hero shrew, the first known sister species to the armored shrew, is described.
• 24 July – A scientific study warns that a major release of methane from melting Arctic ice could have immense climatic and economic impacts worldwide.
• 25 July
  • British scientists discover the mechanism which causes human allergy to cats. A cure for the allergy may become commercially available within five years.
  • Scientists successfully implant false memories into the brains of mice. This breakthrough could lead to a fuller understanding of human memory.
• 26 July – Scientists demonstrate a GM-free process that could dramatically reduce nitrogen pollution. It allows virtually all of the world’s crop species to automatically obtain up to 60% of their nitrogen requirements from air, as opposed to fertilisers.
• 28 July – A new DNA probe allows researchers to look for mutations in long sequences of up to 200 base pairs, compared to only 20 pairs using conventional methods.
• 29 July – Astronomers discover the first exoplanet orbiting a brown dwarf, 6,000 light years from Earth.
• 31 July
  • An artificial human-like ear is grown in a lab, using a flexible wire frame to support tissue cultures from cows and sheep.
  • New data from the Large Hadron Collider – based on measurements of the B meson – could offer the first direct hint of new physics beyond the Standard Model.

August

• 1 August
  • Michigan State University reports that climate change is fueling larger and more destructive wildfires in the United States, a trend that is set to continue.
  • Efficient chemical synthesis of ingenol mebutate is achieved for the first time. This compound – found in the Euphorbia genus of plants – is of great interest to drug developers for its anticarcinogenic properties.
• 2 August
  • The American Meteorological Society releases its peer-reviewed State of the Climate report, showing how the impacts of global warming are worsening.
  • A new "super-glass" coating produced by Harvard University researchers could lead to self-cleaning, scratch-resistant windows and other surfaces.
• 5 August
  • The world's first hamburger made entirely of lab-grown in-vitro meat is eaten in London.
  • A Japanese company develops a reusable skin patch which can treat chronic high blood pressure by constantly releasing bisoprolol into the bloodstream. It is reported to be safer than conventional blood pressure medication, and is easier to use for patients with swallowing problems.
  • Full-colour, 3D infrared images have been created by researchers, giving molecular-level chemical information of specimens in unprecedented detail.
• 7 August
  • A new study of the cosmic microwave background has looked back to within 100,000 years of the Big Bang, the furthest that has yet been observed.
  • A new deep brain stimulation device can simultaneously record brain activity while delivering therapy. It is hoped the automated system could reveal major insights into a range of neurological and psychological diseases.
• 8 August
  • In its latest trial, a new malaria vaccine has been shown to be 100 percent effective.
  • A breakthrough in tissue engineering has allowed scientists to 'grow' the first true cartilage. The researchers believe entire organs may be possible by 2025.
• 12 August – A gene linked to idiopathic focal epilepsy (IFE) has been identified by MedUni Vienna researchers.
• 14 August
  • In the largest-ever analysis of cancer genomes, researchers have discovered the genetic imprints and signatures left by DNA-damaging processes that lead to cancer.
  • Scientists have built a fully functional mouse heart from human tissues.
  • Seagrass is 35 times more efficient at absorbing carbon than rainforests, according to research by the University of Technology, Sydney.
• 15 August
  • For the first time in 35 years, a new carnivorous mammal species – the Olinguito – has been discovered in the Western Hemisphere.
  • NASA announces that the failing Kepler space observatory may never fully recover. New missions are being considered.
  • Extreme heat waves are likely to quadruple by 2040, according to new research.
  • Biologists from Tel Aviv University publish a, first of its kind, study on homosexual behavior among insect species.
• 17 August – In an unprecedented effort by ETH Zurich Laboratories, computational quantum teleportation has been achieved in solid-state circuit. Using quantum entanglement methods, researchers have teleported approximately 10,000 qubits (quantum bits) per second on a specially designed chip.
• 21 August – The lowest temperature at which single-celled organisms can live and grow is -20°C, according to new research.
• 22 August
  • A study has found more evidence that nanoparticles may be entering the human food supply, with potentially harmful effects.
  • A study has found that urban environments may cause increased brain size in animals.
  • NASA has released new images and a video of its planned asteroid capture mission.
• 27 August
  • The previous discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number 115 (temporarily named Ununpentium, symbol Uup) has been confirmed at GSI by researchers from Lund University in Sweden.
  • NASA reports that the Mars Curiosity rover used an Autonomous Navigation System (or "autonav" - the ability of the rover to decide for itself how to drive safely) over unknown ground for the first time.
  • University of Washington researchers have performed what they believe is the first noninvasive human-to-human brain interface, with one researcher able to send a brain signal via the Internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher.
• 28 August
  • Miniature, pea-sized human brains have been grown in the laboratory from stem cells.
  • Cooling waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean appear to be a major factor in dampening global warming in recent years, scientists say.
  • UK researchers have created the world's fastest spinning man-made object, achieving 600 million revolutions per minute.
• 29 August
  • By reducing the action of a single gene, mTor, researchers have increased the average lifespan of mice by 20 percent. Their research also shows that the effects of aging are not uniform.
  • The East Antarctic Ice Sheet could be more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought, based on a new analysis of satellite imagery going back 50 years.
  • A NASA mission has revealed a new canyon – 460 miles (750 km) long and 2,600 feet (800 meters) deep in places – hidden below Greenland's ice sheet. This is longer than the Grand Canyon.

September

• 1 September – Rising global temperatures are driving crop pests to higher and lower latitudes at nearly 3 kilometres per year, threatening global food security.
• 2 September – A team of international scientists has achieved a major breakthrough in nanosensing.
• 3 September
  • A new analysis indicates the amount of raw materials used to produce goods is far higher than previously thought.
  • Phase I clinical trials of SAV001 – the first and only preventative HIV vaccine – have been successfully completed with no adverse effects in all patients. Antibody production was greatly boosted after vaccination.
• 5 September
  • It has been confirmed that an undersea volcano in the northern Pacific is not a group of several volcanos. This makes it the largest confirmed volcano on Earth.
  • Two leading neurology researchers claim that prion-like proteins that misfold and aggregate into harmful "seeds" are responsible for brain diseases associated with aging.
• 6 September
  • The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is launched by NASA. It will measure the extremely thin atmosphere that surrounds the Moon.
  • Researchers have developed a new method for improving the connections between stacked solar cells. It allows them to operate at concentrations of 70,000 suns worth of energy without losing much voltage as "wasted energy" or heat.
  • Phase 1 clinical trials of an implantable vaccine to treat melanoma have been initiated.
  • The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants of $17 million to eight research teams, with a focus on nanopore technology aimed at more accurate and efficient DNA sequencing.
• 11 September – Three ancient rivers may once have crossed the Sahara, allowing early humans to cross from Africa into the Mediterranean about 100,000 years ago, based on a new study.

Predicted and scheduled events

October

• 18 October – A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur.

November

• 3 November – A total solar eclipse will occur.
• 17 November – The European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope will be launched.
• 18 November – The MAVEN spacecraft, part of NASA's Mars Scout Program, is set to launch.
• 28 November – The comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) will pass to within 1,800,000 kilometres (1,100,000 miles) of the Sun, and will be visible to the naked eye during the day on Earth.
• India will launch its first Mars probe, Mangalyaan.

Date unknown

• China will attempt its first unmanned Moon landing, with the Chang'e 3 lunar rover mission.
• China's Tiangong-2 space station module is set to be launched in 2013.
• The United States government will sell off the first large coastal sites for the development of offshore wind farms.
• A British energy firm plans to begin constructing Africa's largest photovoltaic power station, a 155-megawatt installation, in Ghana.

Prizes

Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Main article: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

• 2013 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences: Cornelia I. Bargmann, David Botstein, Lewis C. Cantley, Hans Clevers, Titia de Lange, Napoleone Ferrara, Eric S. Lander, Charles L. Sawyers, Robert A. Weinberg, Shinya Yamanaka and Bert Vogelstein

UNESCO Young Scientist Awards/Michel Batisse Award

• 2013 UNESCO Young Scientist Awards and Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management: Julio Blas Garcia, Angela Camargo, Bilal Habib, Hilaire Kouakou, Atieh Kazemi Mojarad and Claudia Munera

Deaths

January

9 January 2013: Brigitte Askonas, a leading British immunologist, dies aged 89.

• 6 January – Paul Grundy, Australian structural engineer (b. 1935).
• 8 January – Percy White, British chemist and nuclear scientist, contributor to Britain's first nuclear bomb (b. 1916).
• 9 January – Brigitte Askonas, British immunologist (b. 1923).
• 14 January – Andreas Raab, German computer scientist (b. 1968).
• 18 January – Jim Horning, American computer scientist (b. 1942).
• 19 January – Basil Hirschowitz, South African-American gastroenterologist (b. 1925).
• 21 January
  • Donald Hornig, American Manhattan Project chemist and explosives expert (b. 1920).
  • Ahmet Mete Işıkara, Turkish geophysicist (b. 1941).
• 28 January – Xu Liangying, Chinese physicist (b. 1920).

February

28 February 2013: Donald A. Glaser, a Nobel Prize-winning American physicist, dies aged 86.

• 8 February – Nevin S. Scrimshaw, American food scientist and nutritionist (b. 1918).
• 12 February – Reginald Turnill, British BBC science and spaceflight correspondent (b. 1915).
• 18 February
  • Jerry Buss, American chemist and businessman (b. 1933).
  • Godfrey Hewitt, British biologist and geneticist (b. 1940).
• 19 February – Robert Coleman Richardson, American physicist, joint winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics (b. 1937).
• 20 February – David S. McKay, American astrobiologist (b. 1936).
• 25 February – C. Everett Koop, American surgeon and public health official (b. 1916).
• 28 February – Donald A. Glaser, American physicist, winner of the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physics (b. 1926).

March

• 4 March – Hobart Muir Smith, American herpetologist (b. 1912).
• 10 March – Ian Munro Ross, British-born American electrical engineer and transistor pioneer (b. 1927).
• 15 March – Kallam Anji Reddy, Indian chemical engineer and pharmaceutical entrepreneur (b. 1940).
• 16 March – Jamal Nazrul Islam, Bangladeshi physicist and cosmologist (b. 1939).
• 21 March – Cornelis H. A. Koster, Dutch computer scientist (b. 1943).
• 24 March
  • Mary Gillham, British naturalist (b. 1921).
  • Gury Marchuk, Russian physicist and mathematician (b. 1925).

24 March 2013: Gury Marchuk, a prominent Russian mathematician and physicist, dies aged 87.

• 27 March – Yvonne Brill, Canadian rocket scientist (b. 1924).
• 28 March
  • George E. P. Box, British-born American statistician (b. 1919).
  • John Findlater, Scottish meteorologist (b. 1926).

April

• 8 April – Frank Panton, British military scientist and bomb disposal expert (b. 1923).
• 9 April – Paolo Soleri, Italian architect and ecologist, pioneer of the arcology concept (b. 1919).
• 10 April – Sir Robert Geoffrey Edwards, British physiologist and pioneer in in-vitro fertilisation, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1925).
• 15 April – Benjamin Fain, Ukrainian-born Israeli physicist and dissident (b. 1930).
• 19 April
  • François Jacob, French biologist, winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1920).
  • Kenneth Appel, American mathematician (b. 1932).
• 21 April – Shakuntala Devi, Indian mathematician (b. 1929).
• 22 April
  • Struther Arnott, Scottish molecular biologist and chemist (b. 1934).
  • Benjamin Milstein, British cardiothoracic surgeon and heart surgery pioneer (b. 1918).

19 April 2013: François Jacob, a Nobel Prize-winning French biologist, dies aged 92.

• 28 April – John C. Reynolds, American computer scientist (b. 1935).

May

• 3 May – David Morris Kern, American pharmacist (b. 1909).
• 4 May – Christian de Duve, English-born Belgian biologist and biochemist, co-recipient of the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1917).
• 10 May – Boicho Kokinov, Bulgarian cognitive scientist (b. 1960).
• 11 May – Joe Farman, British geophysicist who worked for the British Antarctic Survey (b. 1930).
• 12 May – George William Gray, Scottish chemist who discovered stable liquid crystal materials leading to the development of liquid crystal displays (b. 1926).
• 16 May
  • Heinrich Rohrer, Swiss physicist and nanotechnologist (b. 1933).
  • Frank Nigel Hepper, English botanist (b. 1929).
• 29 May – Ludwig G. Strauss, German medical radiologist (b. 1949).
• 31 May – Gerald E. Brown, American theoretical physicist (b. 1926).

June

• 1 June – Hanfried Lenz, German mathematician (b. 1916).
• 6 June – Jerome Karle, American chemist, joint winner of the 1985 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (b. 1918).
• 12 June – Michael Kasha, American chemist and biophysicist (b. 1920).
• 15 June – Kenneth G. Wilson, American physicist, winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Physics (b. 1936).
• 16 June – James Massey, American electrical engineer, information theorist and cryptographer (b. 1934).
• 20 June – Wu Zhengyi, Chinese botanist (b. 1916).
• 21 June
  • Zhang Guangdou, Chinese hydraulic engineer and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (b. 1912).
  • James P. Gordon, American physicist (b. 1928).
• 22 June – Sergio Focardi, Italian physicist (b. 1932).
• 24 June – James Martin, British computer scientist, author and futurist (b. 1933).
• 29 June – Margherita Hack, Italian astrophysicist (b. 1922).

2 July 2013: Douglas Engelbart, an American computer technology pioneer and inventor of the computer mouse, dies aged 88.

July

• 2 July
  • Douglas Engelbart, American scientist and computer pioneer, inventor of the computer mouse (b. 1925).
  • Anthony Llewellyn, Welsh-born American chemist and NASA astronaut candidate (b. 1933).
• 8 July – Rubby Sherr, American nuclear physicist and Manhattan Project participant (b. 1913).
• 9 July – Masao Yoshida, Japanese nuclear engineer who was involved in tackling the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (b. 1955).
• 11 July – Milton Silveira, American aerospace engineer and NASA project manager (b. 1929).
• 12 July
  • Amar Bose, Indian-American electrical engineer, acoustics expert and founder of Bose Corporation (b. 1929).
  • Elaine Morgan, Welsh evolutionary theorist and author (b. 1920).
• 15 July – John T. Riedl, American computer scientist (b. 1962).
• 16 July – Yuri Vasilyevich Prokhorov, Russian mathematician (b. 1929).
• 26 July – Obaid Siddiqi, Indian biologist (b. 1932).
• 30 July – Godfrey Stafford, British physicist (b. 1920).

August

• 5 August – Lin Chieh-liang, Taiwanese toxicologist and public health expert (b. 1958).

See also

• 2013 in spaceflight
• List of emerging technologies
• List of years in science

External links

• "A science news preview of 2013". BBC. 30 December 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
• Science obituaries in The Guardian
• Science obituaries in The Daily Telegraph
• Science obituaries at Legacy.com