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Top 10 for 1997By Sean Henahan, Access Excellence
 Washington,
DC (12/18/97)- The polls are closed, the votes are in, and the top
ten science stories have once again been selected by the editors of Science
magazine. The top winner in this breakthrough beauty contest is Dolly,
the first animal cloned from an adult cell. The first runner-up is Mars
Pathfinder, the brave little toaster that re-ignited interest in interplanetary
travel and the origins of life (and basic science on a budget).
Here is a review of the top ten science stories of 1997 along with some links to more in-depth information. 1. Hello DollyWith all the media hype and hoopla, it was easy to lose track of the scientific essence of the Dolly story. This was not the first case of cloning by nuclear transfer. Nuclear transfer had already been accomplished with frogs and fetuses. The thing that set Dolly apart was that she was cloned from a mature udder cell through a process called adult nuclear transfer, a process which many had said would never work.The most important spin-off from this accomplishment, at least in the short term, will not be the cloning of a super-race, but rather the more efficient production of therapeutic proteins (through milk, blood etc.) via transgenic engineering. Indeed, the Scottish team that created Dolly has already produced another sheep, Polly, the first transgenic animal produced by the new method. The same team announced this week that it had successfully cloned transgenic sheep whose cells contained a human gene for Factor IX, a natural blood coagulant that can be used to treat hemophilia.
The cloning of Dolly caught the public and the politicians by surprise. Suddenly, the possibility of cloning adult humans seemed real. President Clinton quickly issued an executive order banning any federal money from being spent on human cloning research, even going so far as to request a moratorium on such research by private individuals and institutions. Dolly also challenged the existing scientific dogma of cell growth, development, and aging. For example, how old is an animal whose DNA is older than she is? The world is still discussing the moral, ethical and scientific implications that cloning presents.
The success of the unmanned Mars Pathfinder mission rekindled enthusiasm for near planet exploration and restored some lustre to NASA. With Hollywood timing, the small craft landed on Mars on July 4, and after a few minor technical hiccups, returned an incredible 1.2 gigabits of data, which included 9669 lander and 384 rover images and about 4 million temperature, pressure, and wind measurements from a small patch of the Red planet. The mission control engineers entertained the public by narrating the action, with whimsical cartoon names for every rocky outcropping that came into view. And the Internet earned some new respect, as millions of people dropped by the Pathfinder web page for news, pictures and interactive animations.
3. Microbial GenomesImprovements in gene mapping technologies led to major progress in genomic sequencing. Researchers reported the sequencing the complete genomes of several important microorganisms, including the laboratory workhorses E. coli and B. subtilis, as well as H. pylori, the bacterium now known to cause a majority of gastric ulcers. ulcers. The information from these studies is expected to advance the progress of the HUman Genome Project, as well as provide important new approaches for the development of medical treatments and vaccines.4. Advances in NeurologyAs the "Decade of the Brain" winds down, the field of neurology continues to expand. The year saw a number of important advances in understanding neurological diseases. The discovery of Nurr1, a receptor protein critical to the development of healthy dopamine circuits in the brain, will advance Parkinson's disease research. Perhaps the most amazing report was of the stimulation of regrowth in severed spinal cord nerves in experimental animals.5. Clock Genes1997 saw the discovery of the first two mammalian clock genes. These genes appear to act in complex ways to regulate the timing of eating, sleeping, and other essential functions. Scientists also presented findings indicating that individual cells in fruit flies keep their own time, independently of each other. Researchers now believe the circadian genes are some of the earliest to appear in the genome.
6. Neanderthal DNA1997 was also a good year for paleontologists. Scientists were able to extract mitochondrial DNA from the original Neanderthal fossil, and reported that the new evidence suggests that while the Neanderthals were related to Home Sapiens they did not precede them.7. Europa's OceanThe Solar System gave up plenty of secrets this year. The Galileo probe returned quite a few pieces of new information along with plenty of beautiful pictures. One of the most striking findings from Galileo came as it passed Jupiter's giant moon - Europa. The data from the probe clearly suggested the presence of liquid water below the frozen surface of the moon. This means Europa might be the only other water-bearing body in our solar system, besides Earth. Since Europa now seems to possess two of the most important preconditions for life-- water and a source of internal heat, the possibility of life on that moon is real.8. Single Walled Nanotubes:Nanotechnologists had a lot of fun with a new form of carbon called a nanotube. These tubes consist of carbon atoms arrayed in adjoining hexagons that are rolled up and capped at the ends. These nanotubes are especially prized for their regular structures and predictable behavior. Potential uses for nanotubes include everything from nanoelectronics to super-strong materials.Nanotube
Illustration
9. Synchrotron lightBig ticket science also earned a place in the top ten, with a number of new findings reported through the use of gigantic machines known as synchrotrons. These devices produce the brightest beams of light yet possible and can illuminate the structural secrets of matter-- down to the level of atoms. Synchrotron studies produced an atomic-scale map of the nucleosome core particle, which manages to coil meters of DNA inside each cell.Cornell High Energy Synchrotron 10. Gamma Ray BurstsMeanwhile, out at the edge of the known universe, gamma ray bursts were observed as they happened by astrophysicists. Gamma ray bursts are the most violent events known. Scientists were able to view and record the a gamma ray burst in action, with optical (visible light frequency) instrumentation. This event will shed light on the origins of the universe.
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The transgenic
work represents another step in cloning research. Whereas Dolly was the
result of a single cell whose DNA had been replaced, the latest transgenic
sheep were produced from cloned cells. This opens the way for more specific
and efficient transgenic engineering than was ever possible before. Transgenic
animals can be expected to be a commercially viable source of proteins
and other substances of use to humans.
The
Pathfinder mission also stimulated debate on the possibility of life on
Mars. While the debate on the presence or absence of bacterial fossils
on the Martian meteorite ALH84001 continues, the Pathfinder scientists
reported this month that many geological signs point to the presence of
large amounts of liquid water on Mars at some point in its history. Another
important aspect of the Pathfinder mission was its emphasis on basic science
on a basic budget.
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