Polar Bears

In May, after years of debate, the U.S. Dept. of the Interior designated the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The decision cited the loss of the bear's sea ice habitat due to climate change.

Water on Mars

NASA confirms water on Mars. Nasa's Phoenix Mars Lander discovered ice at Mars' North Pole this year. This has been one of the major goals of the Mars Missions--to find water, one of the main elements to sustain life.


The Sichuan Earthquake

On May 12, 2008, an 8.0 earthquake hit near Chengdu, China. Nearly 70,000 people were killed in this disaster. The devastation and collapse of a school has brought a new call for safer buildings from the United Nations. Photo gallery

New Species

In Southeast Asia's Mekong region over a thousand new species have been discovered in the last ten years. A scientific expedition to Mount Mabu, Mozambique has revealed hundreds of new species of insects and plants. On the other hand, deforestation in places like Sumatra are bringing about the extinction of other species.

The Large Hadron Collider

Despite technical difficulties, the Large Hadron Collider has been labeled "Phenomenon of the Year" by the editors of Science magazine. It is expected to revolutionize particle physics, allowing physicists to peek further back in time than ever before.

Stonehenge

Before the iconic sarsen stones were put in place at Stonehenge, the site may have been meant as a burial ground for the elite. NGS grantee Michael Parker Pearson now has radiocarbon dates for some of the remains excavated there over the past several years, lending credence to the belief that Stonehenge was the "domain of the dead."

Oceanic Acidification

Increasing acidity of the world's oceans poses dire consequences for the fate of our planet over the next century. Lowered pH levels can wreak havoc on fertilization of such species as sea urchins, and marine scientists worry that fish and other shellfish as well as coral reefs are in peril.

Malaria Vaccine

An experimental malaria vaccine has been shown to protect up to 65 percent of infants from infection, based on two clinical trials in Africa. According to the World Health Organization, malaria infected 247 million people in 2006, resulting in 881,000 fatalities.

Exoplanets

This year, scientists in the U.S. and Canada took the first-ever photos of planets from beyond our solar system.

Changes at the White House

With the election of Barack Obama, many analysts anticipate major changes to U.S. science policy, including more aggressive action on climate change and the elimination of the ban on federal funds for embryonic stem cell research.

Photo credits: Polar bears - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Snake - World Wildlife Fund; Mars - NASA; Stonehenge - Bruce Dale (NGS)