17 December 1998
Universe Expands Into Infinity
In their now annual review Science magazine has announced it's top ten scientific advances for 1998.
1. The Accelerating Universe
The discovery that galaxies of the cosmos are flying apart at ever faster speeds and that the expansion of the universe is in fact speeding up. Way to go - we're out of here.
2. Circadian Rhythms
Almost every organism on Earth keeps track of the 24-hour cycle between night and day using its "circadian clock". Synthesise this into a drug and it'll be party time till the Universe expands into eternity.
Then, in no particular order : 3. Potassium Channel Structure
How messages are sent along nerves. The next stage enroute to the biological computer?
4. Cancer Treatment and Prevention
New wonder drugs : Heceptin, Tamoxifen, and Raloxifene. But of course we know this is all bollox - refer to Lies, Damn Lies…
5. Combinatorial Chemistry
Researchers make and test hundreds of thousands of new compounds at once. The onward march of the mega-corp pharma companies.
6. Genomics
C. elegans worm, the first multi-cellular animal to be sequenced. Spooky - playing God with our genes.
7. Neutrino Mass
Neutrinos have mass - now we'll have to rethink the composition of the Universe.
8. Biochips
Micromachines are on the march, as is the nano guitar we reported on in May
9. Quantum Leaps
Star Trek's transporter room gets closer. Particle quantum state information was transported between US and Europe which was then used to create an identical particle
10. Molecular Mimicry
The discovery that infection causes the immune system to attack the body's own molecules. Invest in the company that can be synthesise this idea into a weight-loss drug.
Tell us your Top Ten Scientific advances for 1998
Acknowledgement is made to Science Magazine for this story
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