Scientific breakthroughs and discoveries
Discoveries that changed our understanding of the world.
Scientific milestoneThe discovery and development of penicillin
Turning an observation about mould into a treatment for bacterial infection.
Scientific milestoneThe DNA double helix
Explaining how DNA's molecular structure could carry and copy genetic information.
Scientific milestoneThe Human Genome Project
Producing a shared reference sequence of the human genome.
Scientific milestoneThe first detection of gravitational waves
Measuring ripples in spacetime from two merging black holes.
Scientific milestoneThe first polio vaccine rollout
Bringing an effective vaccine against paralytic polio into widespread use.
Cultural historyAstronomical translation in Abbasid Baghdad
Bringing astronomical knowledge across languages into new scholarly work.
Scientific synthesisAryabhata's mathematical astronomy
A compact mathematical and astronomical work that shaped later calculation and commentary.
Scientific treatiseIbn al-Haytham's Book of Optics
An experimental and mathematical account of vision based on light entering the eye.
Scientific breakthroughDiscovery of oxygen and the chemical revolution
Experiments with gases overturning an influential explanation of combustion.
Scientific synthesisMendeleev's periodic table
Organising elements into recurring patterns and predicting properties of missing members.
Scientific breakthroughPlate tectonics synthesis
A unified explanation of moving continents, ocean floors, earthquakes and mountain building.
Scientific announcementDarwin and Wallace's natural selection announcement
The joint presentation of two independently developed explanations of evolution by natural selection.
Biotechnology breakthroughCRISPR-Cas9 genome editing
Turning a bacterial defence mechanism into a programmable tool for editing DNA.