by Lina Martinez
Image credit: Pixabay
The year 2019 is expected to bring with it some exciting scientific breakthroughs which could be of enormous benefit to the public if they can be developed to their full potential.
From DNA, through to space, thanks to scientific investigation, our understanding of these subjects continues to develop further, particularly due to the increased emphasis on STEM in schools. As our everyday lives are packed full of technology, it should come as no surprise to see that technology is aiding the advancement of science to help with a variety of issues. Equipment such as the new chip seq can be used to speed up scientific processes in the laboratory. Meanwhile, robot surgeons could increasingly be utilized further for performing operations; these are just some of the ways that technology will help to move science forward in 2019!
Here are just some of the scientific advancements that could be happening this year:
Quantum Computing
Quantum Computing is set to be both a substantial scientific and technological breakthrough that should be happening in 2019. So what makes Quantum Computing so good? Well, instead of using binary to process information, quantum algorithms are used instead. The use of quantum algorithms makes for a much powerful computer. This means that Quantum Computing could be the ideal tool to aid future scientific discoveries and to assist technological breakthroughs.
Gene Editing
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a system for editing the human genome. This new system, known as CRISPR-Cas3 has recently been tested on human cells for the very first time.
The CRISPR-Cas3 system could be a massive breakthrough in the fight against disease. The system can be used to erase illness from the human genome, and could potentially be used to remove diseases such as Hepatitis B from DNA.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is currently used in the treatment of certain cancers, but continued research means that immunotherapy could be used on an increased number of cancers. Further research would also help to reduce the amount of side effects associated with the treatment. Continuing development in immunotherapy should eventually mean that it can be used to treat a range of tumors with fewer side effects to help a far more significant number of patients than at present.
3D Printing
3D printing is of course not a new phenomenon, but it is a technology that continues to develop further rapidly. New uses for 3D printing are continually being tested creating further advancements and opportunities to utilize this popular technology further still.
Significant developments in 3D printing in 2019 are already well underway. One hugely important development so far is a 3D printer replicating a human heart. However, this is not the first time that a human heart has been created through the use of a 3D printer, but it is the very first time that a whole human heart has been recreated. Although the heart created was on a small scale, it featured blood vessels, chambers, ventricles, and cells, making it a scientific first with lots of opportunity for the development of potentially life-saving 3D printing.