2011 in science
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The year 2011 involved many significant scientific events, including the first artificial organ transplant, the launch of China's first space station and the growth of the world population to seven billion. The year saw a total of 78 successful orbital spaceflights, as well as numerous advances in fields such as electronics, medicine, genetics, climatology and robotics.
26 November 2011: NASA launches its Curiosity rover (pictured), the largest Mars rover yet built.
18 January 2011: scientists prove that sharks are functionally colorblind.
20 January 2011: researchers demonstrate a medical technique that renders human T-cells (pictured, right) resistant to HIV.
18 March 2011: the MESSENGER probe (artist's rendering shown) becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the planet Mercury.
2010 in science
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The year 2010 involved numerous significant scientific events and discoveries, some of which are listed below. The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity.
8 July 2010: the Solar Impulse (picturedhola ) becomes the first aircraft to complete a non-stop 24-hour flight using only solar power.
15 February 2010: scientists state that the 1969 Murchison meteorite (fragment pictured) contained a large number of organic compounds.
1 March 2010: NASA confirms the presence of large quantities of water ice on the north pole of the Moon.
20 May 2010: scientists led by Craig Venter (pictured) create a living cell with an entirely artificial genome.