Top 10 Strangest Science Stories of 2023
Scientists have been delving into some truly bizarre topics in 2023, ranging from the manipulation of human neurons on silicon chips to detecting stars made of dark matter in deep space.
Cortical Labs, an Australian company, has been growing human brain tissue from stem cells and connecting them to computer chips, essentially teaching these neurons to perform computing tasks and even play video games like Pong. While still far from displaying anything close to consciousness, ethical guidelines may need to be set as these technologies advance.
The James Webb Space Telescope may have discovered the first candidate signatures from hypothetical “dark stars,” which are invisible objects that generate heat from the annihilation of dark matter particles in their cores. These stars, if confirmed, would challenge our understanding of how the universe formed.
The world of artificial intelligence has also seen some strange developments, with systems producing surreal and disturbing videos based on text prompts. Additionally, an Italian fashion company has released a clothing line that can scramble AI object recognition algorithms in an attempt to thwart facial recognition systems.
Efforts to understand non-human intelligence have led scientists to attempt communicating with whales, in the hopes of developing filters that can spot rule structures in any potential alien messages that may be received in the future.
In another study, scientists have mapped out where in the body people feel various types of love, revealing physical and mental perceptions of different kinds of love.
In the world of astrophysics, it has been discovered that time appeared to tick slower in the early universe, relative to now, raising questions about the nature of time itself.
Examining a mountain of bird poop has also become the focus of a scientific study, revealing 2,200 years of history preserved within a deposit laid down by generations of Andean condors.
Finally, a Scottish woman, Jo Cameron, has been found to experience very little pain due to gene mutations, shedding light on the genetic mechanisms that underlie pain sensation and healing.
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