2021 brought important revelations
and historic advances in
human knowledge, from the
microscopic to the cosmic.READ MORE
ABOUT 2021’S
SCIENCE NEWS AND
BREAKTHROUGHS AT
NGM.COM/JAN 2022BY MAYA WEI-HAAS AND JASON TREAT
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW TWOMBLYCOSMIC
COLLISIONS
A billion years ago, a
black hole smashed into
a dead star—and in Janu-
ary 2020 scientists finally
caught it in action. Ten
days later, another clash
was detected elsewhere
in space. Each cosmic
collision, reported last
June in the Astrophysical
Journal Letters, sent out
ripples in the fabric of
space-time. The study of
these gravitational waves
is still in its infancy; the
collisions suggest there’s
plenty more to see.MALARIA VACCINE VICTORY
The World Health Organization endorsed
the first malaria vaccine, launching a
widespread rollout of the lifesaving shots.
With a 12-month efficacy of 56 percent in
clinical trials, the Mosquirix vaccine won’t
replace other prevention methods but is
a valuable tool in fighting the disease.
FILLING OUT OUR
FAMILY TREE
THE COMPLETE
HUMAN GENOME
Two fossil discoveries
added more kinks in
the tangled branches
of our human family
tree. One’s a stun-
ningly well preserved
skull—hidden for
nearly 90 years in an
abandoned well in
China—whose mash-up
of ancient and modern
features suggests it’s
more closely related to
modern humans than
even Neanderthals.
Some researchers
say the skull may
be from a new human
species, one they
dubbed Homo longi,
or the dragon man.
Similarly, skull and
jaw fragments found
in Israel presented
scientists with a con-
fusing mix of features.
New species or not,
both finds show a
surprising diversity
in our ancient kin.Scientists made waves
in 2001 with the first
draft sequence of the
human genome. But
headlines celebrating
a complete human
genome were prema-
ture. Despite years
of additional work,
some 8 percent was
still missing—until
May 2021, when 99
researchers unveiled
what they called the
“first truly complete”sequence of a human
genome, spanning
3.055 billion base
pairs across 23 chro-
mosomes. The study,
which was posted
before peer review,
adds nearly 200 mil-
lion base pairs and
multiple corrections
to prior sequencing
efforts. But more work
remains: Scientists
have yet to sequence
the Y chromosome.JANUARY 2022 9