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101 research paper topics.

• Why do we sleep ?
• How do GPS systems work?
• Who was the first person to reach the North Pole ?
• Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz ?
• What was life like for a gladiator ?
• What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?
• What happened during the Salem witch trials ?
• Are there any effective means of repelling insects ?
• How did trains and railroads change life in America?
• What may have occurred during the Roswell  UFO incident of 1947?
• How is bulletproof clothing made?
• What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?
• What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs ?
• How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?
• How did the long bow contribute to English military dominance?
• What caused the stock market crash of 2008?
• How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt what did she do during her reign?
• How has airport security intensified since September 11 th , 2001?
• What is life like inside of a beehive ?
• Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?
• What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?
• How does tobacco use affect the human body?
• How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?
• What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk ?
• What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur ?
• How did gunpowder change warfare?
• In what ways do Wal-Mart stores affect local economies?
• How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?
• What do historians know about ninjas ?
• How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?
• What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden ?
• What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?
• What efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife ?
• How much does the war on drugs cost Americans each year?
• How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
• Are humans still evolving ?
• What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy ?
• How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?
• What was the Magna Carta and how did it change England?
• What is the curse of the pharaohs?
• Why was Socrates executed?
• What nonlethal weapons are used by police to subdue rioters?
• How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?
• How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?
• Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?
• What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?
• How are black holes formed?
• How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?
• Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
• How do submarines work?
• Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?
• How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?
• What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke ?
• How does a hybrid car save energy?
• What ingredients can be found inside of a hotdog ?
• How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?
• What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?
• How did the Freedom Riders change society?
• How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?
• What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors ?
• What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?
• What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?
• What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
• How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy ?
• How did Joan of Arc change history?
• What responsibilities do secret service agents have?
• How does a shark hunt?
• What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?
• Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?
• Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?
• How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?
• What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?
• How does the human brain store and retrieve memories ?
• What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?
• How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?
• What causes tornadoes ?
• Why did Martin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?
• How does a search engine work?
• What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers ?
• How did the Roman Empire fall?
• What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier ?
• How did the black plague affect Europe?
• What happened to Amelia Earhart ?
• What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power ?
• How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?
• What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire ?
• From where does spam email come and can we stop it?
• How does night vision work?
• How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam ?
• What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana ?
• What causes desert mirages and how do they affect wanderers?
• What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing ?
• What are sinkholes and how are they formed?
• Have any psychics ever solved crimes or prevented them from occurring?
• Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula ?
• What are the risks of climate change and global warming ?
• What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?
• Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison ?
• How are the Chinese and American economies similar and different?
• Why was communism unsuccessful in so many countries?
• In what ways do video games affect children and teenagers?

923 Comments

I like using this website when I assist kids with learning as a lot of these topics are quickly covered in the school systems. Thankyou

Mackenah Nicole Molina

Wow! I always have trouble deiciding what to do a research project on but this list has totally solved that. Now my only problem is choosing what idea on this list I should do first!

Most of these my teacher rejected because apparently ‘these aren’t grade level topics, and I doubt they interest you”

I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds like you will have a potentially valuable character-building experience in the short-term.

Edwin Augusto Galindo Cuba

THIS SITE IS AWESOME, THERE ARE LOTS OF TOPICS TO LEARN AND MASTER OUR SKILLS!

research kid

I need one about animals, please. I have been challenged to a animal research project, Due Friday. I have no clue what to research! somebody help, thanks for reading!

You can do one on bats

For international studies you can do Defense and Security.

This was very helpful.

Research on Ben Franklin? I think THAT will get a real charge out of everyone (hehehehegetit)

Mandy Maher

“Is it possible to colonize Mars?”

maddy burney

these are silly topics

thx for making this real.

more gaming questions!!!!!!

Is it still considered stealing if you don’t get caught?

Yes, yes it is still considered stealing.

I need topics on memes

Mary Nnamani

Please I need project topics on Language Literature

Marcella Vallarino

I would appreciate a list of survey questions for middle school grades 6-8

I need a research topics about public sector management

I NEED FIVE EXAMPLES EACH ON QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (EDUCATION, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND ENGINEERING)

publish research that are interesting please……

hey can you do one on the burmiueda triangle

Anybody know video games effect kids,and,teens. There Fun!!

they’re

I need a topic about woman history if any of u can find 1 please that would be great!

You could research about the history of the astronauts, and of human past (WWI, WWII, etc.)

so about women? Manitoba Women Win the Right to Vote in Municipal Elections, The First Women, January 23, 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to graduate from medical school and become a doctor in the United States, Rosa Parks Civil Rights Equal Pay. I have way more. so if you need more just ask.

communism is good

what are you a communist?!?!

Did FDR know about the upcoming attack on Pearl Harbor on 07 DEC 1941.

do you know how babies are born

Christine Singu

kindly assist with a research topic in the field of accounting or auditing

need more about US army

Please can yiu give me a topic in education

I think one should be how can music/Video games can affect the life for people

or How Do Video Games Affect Teenagers?

zimbabwe leader

I think a good topic is supporting the confederate flag!

Need a research topic within the context of students union government and dues payments

do more weird ones plz

joyce alcantara

Hi pls po can you give me a topic relate for humanities pls thank u.

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Worksheet: Evaluate Your Own Research Question

Ask the following 8 questions to evaluate the quality of your research question and the ease with which you should be able to answer it:

• Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?
• Is the question easily and fully researchable?
• statistics on airline crashes before and after
• statistics on other safety problems before and after
• information about maintenance practices before and after
• information about government safety requirements before and after
• Is the scope of this information reasonable (e.g., can I really research 30 online writing programs developed over a span of 10 years?)
• Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too broad, too narrow, or okay?
• What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question (journals, books, Internet resources, government documents, people)?
• Can I access these sources?
• Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research?

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Research Skills Worksheets

This is a vital skill to any job or project worth having in the real world. We expect to see the concept and process of research being emphasized much more in education at all levels.

In just about any job having solid and actionable research skills make the different between being a leader and being a follower. Researching skills are now more needed than ever with all the media that we constantly and involuntarily taking in. What is real and what is fake? If you can use your skills to find out the truth, you will be in high demand in the future. These worksheets will help develop those research skills for all your students.

Answering Research Focused Questions - This is a great exercise to dive into with your students before you start working on full blown projects.

Conflicting Information - How do you weigh which is a better source? We focus ourselves on validating sources and differentiating between them.

Conflicting Viewpoints - We explore how to completely avoid this when are creating your own work.

Gather Relevant Search Information - A great section to learn how to develop a set of background information and see what has already been explored with your topic.

Grade 3 Research Projects - A good time to get your feet wet with the basics.

Grade 4 Research Projects - The focus here is on planning.

Grade 5 Research Projects - We start asking students to examine a great deal more material.

Grade 6 Research Skills - This is the first time that we are letting students completely loose on the entire project.

Grade 8 Research Projects - There is a fold over between this series and grade 7 work. This is where students begin to take flight with the topic.

Grade 9 Research Projects - These are full on projects at the high school level that we ask students to get after.

Experiential Writing - This form of writing finds itself being monumentally helpful when we are exploring the results and discussion section.

MLA Citations - This is one of the most popular forms of listed and stating the resources that were used. We explain it in entirety.

Shared Research Writing Projects - These are done by complete group and each of the participants has their own distinct set of tasks.

Shared Research and Writing Projects (Kindergarten) - These are very basic in nature and are great for getting into the spirit of inquiry.

Sorting Evidence When Writing - It is all about determining which of the facts speaks volumes to support your thesis.

Technology Assisted Writing - A must for when you are composing your final product. Yes, some people still handwrite their first draft.

Using Dictionaries and Glossaries - When you run into terms that you may be unfamiliar with. We explore the quickest method for using these tools.

Using Evidence to Support Claims - We explore how to heighten your argument so that it is practically a no brainer.

Using Multiple Sources For Writing - Where do you get them and how do you cite them?

Using Reference Tools to Find Answers - Take some time to scrutinize all the different tools that you have at your disposal.

Using Text and Search Features - This is helpful for when you are looking for specific pieces of evidence that you may discount along the way.

Validating Arguments - We approach this from many different angles and give you time to get after it.

Writing a Research Paper - We help you put it all together in this comprehensive section.

How to Improve Your Research Skills

At some point in your academic life, you will be asked to investigate and probe a specific topic. Good research skills will make your article stand out. Here are some tips that will help you in improving your investigation skills.

Ask Good Questions

This is the most important tip to improve your research skills. This is because you should be well aware of what you want to delve into before you start. You should ask yourself plenty of questions like what are you expecting out of this inquisition process. What is it exactly that you want to prove? What knowledge do you want to share? What field interests you? What sources you will opt for? All of these questions will give you a clear direction for your research. You can do it better once you are sure of what you want to do.

Think Carefully About the Sources

Research is all about providing information and knowledge on different aspects of several fields of study. When you are beginning the process, you should pay attention to the sources. This is because the sources will decide the quality of your work. Give yourself plenty of time to find out the best sources that are available. This is a big mistake that many people make, they are not patient to look at all possible sources. They should not be biased or outdated. You should also confirm the information that you get from one source. All of your information should be completely accurate.

There will be many times through out your life that you will be exploring something that is new to you. As time goes on, you will learn how to compile a great many different sources. This means that you will be getting plenty of information that you will need to sift through. To avoid getting overwhelmed with all the information, you can organize all of it. If most of your research is on the Internet, you can use bookmarks and folders to organize the data. You can also get them printed if you like things to be right in front of you.

Ideas for Middle School Projects

Middle school is the most important phase of a student's academic life since the knowledge gained during this academic year will help the student throughout high school as well as in his or her professional life. Therefore, students must work hard during this grade to be successful in their future prospects. For most of the students, eighth grade is that first academic year where they are asked to do a research project. Eighth graders encounter a little difficulty in choosing a good starting topic that is informative as well as easy. One thing that eighth-graders must keep in mind while choosing a topic is that the topic must be of their interest so that they can enjoy working on it.

Given below are some basic ideas that will help the eighth-graders in choosing a research idea that is easy and informative:

Evaluation of Languages

To do an investigative project regarding the origin and evaluation of languages is one of the best and enjoyable topics. Middle school students can include formation, history, development, and phases of their development while focusing on either their native language or any other foreign language. This idea, chosen as research project, will help the middle school students to enjoy their research project alongside learning something useful.

Literary Writers' Contributions Towards Languages

Literary writers play a vital role in the development of any language. Middle school students can highlight the contributions to any of the languages by their respective literary writers in their research project. This topic is appreciated by the literature teachers as it is a combination of two topics: personalities and evaluation of language.

Impact of Media On Language

After scholars the media, either print or electronic, also has a significant impact on the development of any language. As media is quickly changing the ways of communication, students can look in on those ways and can include them in their end projects.

How to Gather Relevant Search Information (For Research Papers)

Writing a good research paper requires a writer to gather a lot of relevant data and read it carefully to use it as a guide for his or her project as well as to be able to quote the relevant information from the published works in the paper being written to substantiate it. However, collecting the right amount and nature of data that suits our research work is not an easy task. Most of the students fail badly in their field work because of their inability to gather relevant and useful information for their topic of interest.

Here are a few tips for such students that can help them find the most relevant information for their chosen topic:

Write Your Requirements Clearly and Briefly

Searching for the relevant data on the web must be done by entering a clear command into the browser. Add precise phrases and ideas so that you can get the most relevant thoughts through to your audience. To do this, you first need to be very clear about the idea you are doing your investigation on and the relevant data you want. Once you are clear on your idea, try to search for the relevant data using the keywords search method and make sure the phrases you add in the search bar are short and clear too.

Go Through the Specific Journals

Successful research writers get published in various journals depending upon the topic they have written on and the specific niche of their study. Try to find the journal that is well known for the publications related to your topic of interest and search for your requirements in those journals.

Search for Specific Researchers

Know the most famous researchers in your field who keep on getting their works published and try to search for their papers to get accurate results.

Steps of a Research Project

A research project is an academic piece of writing the students are bound to submit and clear with good grades within the given deadline. It is based on its writer's knowledge base on a particular topic. Given below are few important steps of a research project that will help the researcher to come up with a good enquiry project easily:

Select a Good Topic

While choosing a topic, one should select a topic that is according to his or her interest so that he or she can enjoy working on it. Secondly, the selected topic should be informative and a good quantity of information, data, and facts must be gathered related to it so one can use them to come up with a good body of work.

Develop Background Information

Once you have selected your topic of research, develop background information about that topic to broaden your knowledge and to have a better understanding of information that can be added in your research.

Develop a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement provides a clear idea about the research project. The background information you have gained will help you to come up with a good thesis statement. The thesis statement will guide you throughout your project and will help you to stay focused during your investigation therefore, it must be very clear and well-written.

Create a Rough Draft

Do the preliminary research and come up with a rough draft. Include only the necessary information that will support your topic.

Write Your Paper

After organizing the information in the rough draft, start writing your paper properly. Remember to write it in an appropriate format, use strong academic language, correctly punctuate it and follow all the rules of grammar.

Add References

An important part of the research project is proper referencing and citations. Remember to cite the resources you have used over the course of your writing at the end of your project. Use APA or MLA format to cite resources.

How to Answer Research Focused Questions?

As the students grow up and reach their higher-level educational years, the focus of teacher's shifts from the course books and related material to research activities. Answering research-focused questions at that time becomes a great issue for the students who are not taught the ways to do so before. Simply defined, the research focused questions are the questions that are based on some work done by other scholars and the students have to either read those whole researches or try finding the direct answers to those questions over the internet. Some basic steps to follow to answer such questions are as follows:

Understand the Question

Being clear on the question you are being asked is the first step to answering a research-focused question correctly. You must be able to understand where the question came from, what type of previous work can be read to find out the answers to it, and what it exactly and precisely means. Once you are all clear about the question, only then you can answer it right and effectively.

Search the Internet

Most of the times, the specific research paper that has the answer to the questions given are known by the students. However, in cases otherwise, the students have to search the web using focused keywords and precise queries to know their answers. It is better to add a search query that is short but clear so that you have the answers to the questions easily.

Read the Paper and Write Your Answers

If you have got a lot of time, you should read the complete paper yourself and answer your questions. However, in case you do not have enough time, you can simply read an abstract to find the answers to the question and write your answer precisely and in an informative way.

Tips for Preparing Research Papers

A research paper is a text in academic writing that includes both theoretical and factual data. Writing a research paper might seem like a tiring exercise but it becomes easy overtime and with practice. Many students do not have enough knowledge regarding preparing a presentable research paper. Given below are some important tips that will help one to write efficient research papers easily:

Selecting a Topic

To prepare a research paper, it is very important to first select a topic that is of your accord or interest. Choosing an interesting and informative topic to conduct a research on is very helpful. It is enjoyable for one to research on the topic that is according to his or her interest.

Collecting Reliable Sources

Before beginning to write the main body of the research paper, it is advised to collect all the information, facts, figures, and other proven statistics. Collecting information before writing a research paper helps one to stay focused while writing the paper.

Writing a Rough Draft

After collecting all the necessary information, start writing a rough draft. Introduce all the ideas you want to include in the final research paper. Do care for the grammar, spellings, and punctuation marks even if it is only a rough draft because it will serve as the basis for your final paper.

Writing Main Body

During this stage, one organizes the ideas according to some sequence. Rewrite the rough draft, following the rules of grammar, using correct spellings, and punctuation marks. Also, remember to add the references of the sources used in the research paper.

Before submitting the research paper, remember to read it completely. Recheck your paper for grammatical errors, spelling errors and other literary elements. Ask an honest friend to read your paper and ask for his or her advice regarding how to further improve the document.

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Scientific breakthroughs: 2024 emerging trends to watch

December 28, 2023

Across disciplines and industries, scientific discoveries happen every day, so how can you stay ahead of emerging trends in a thriving landscape? At CAS, we have a unique view of recent scientific breakthroughs, the historical discoveries they were built upon, and the expertise to navigate the opportunities ahead. In 2023, we identified the top scientific breakthroughs , and 2024 has even more to offer. New trends to watch include the accelerated expansion of green chemistry, the clinical validation of CRISPR, the rise of biomaterials, and the renewed progress in treating the undruggable, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. To hear what the experts from Lawrence Liverpool National Lab and Oak Ridge National Lab are saying on this topic, join us for a free webinar on January 25 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EDT for a panel discussion on the trends to watch in 2024.

The ascension of AI in R&D

While the future of AI has always been forward-looking, the AI revolution in chemistry and drug discovery has yet to be fully realized. While there have been some high-profile set-backs , several breakthroughs should be watched closely as the field continues to evolve. Generative AI is making an impact in drug discovery , machine learning is being used more in environmental research , and large language models like ChatGPT are being tested in healthcare applications and clinical settings.

Many scientists are keeping an eye on AlphaFold, DeepMind’s protein structure prediction software that revolutionized how proteins are understood. DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs have recently announced how their latest model shows improved accuracy, can generate predictions for almost all molecules in the Protein Data Bank, and expand coverage to ligands, nucleic acids, and posttranslational modifications . Therapeutic antibody discovery driven by AI is also gaining popularity , and platforms such as the RubrYc Therapeutics antibody discovery engine will help advance research in this area.

Though many look at AI development with excitement, concerns over accurate and accessible training data , fairness and bias , lack of regulatory oversight , impact on academia, scholarly research and publishing , hallucinations in large language models , and even concerns over infodemic threats to public health are being discussed. However, continuous improvement is inevitable with AI, so expect to see many new developments and innovations throughout 2024.

‘Greener’ green chemistry

Green chemistry is a rapidly evolving field that is constantly seeking innovative ways to minimize the environmental impact of chemical processes. Here are several emerging trends that are seeing significant breakthroughs:

• Improving green chemistry predictions/outcomes : One of the biggest challenges in green chemistry is predicting the environmental impact of new chemicals and processes. Researchers are developing new computational tools and models that can help predict these impacts with greater accuracy. This will allow chemists to design safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals.
• Reducing plastics: More than 350 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year. Across the landscape of manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers, reducing the use of single-use plastics and microplastics is critical. New value-driven approaches by innovators like MiTerro that reuse industrial by-products and biomass waste for eco-friendly and cheaper plastic replacements will soon be industry expectations. Lowering costs and plastic footprints will be important throughout the entire supply chain.    
• Alternative battery chemistry: In the battery and energy storage space, finding alternatives to scarce " endangered elements" like lithium and cobalt will be critical. While essential components of many batteries, they are becoming scarce and expensive. New investments in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that do not use nickel and cobalt have expanded , with 45% of the EV market share being projected for LFP in 2029. Continued research is projected for more development in alternative materials like sodium, iron, and magnesium, which are more abundant, less expensive, and more sustainable.
• More sustainable catalysts : Catalysts speed up a chemical reaction or decrease the energy required without getting consumed. Noble metals are excellent catalysts; however, they are expensive and their mining causes environmental damage. Even non-noble metal catalysts can also be toxic due to contamination and challenges with their disposal. Sustainable catalysts are made of earth-abundant elements that are also non-toxic in nature. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on developing sustainable catalysts that are more environmentally friendly and less reliant on precious metals. New developments with catalysts, their roles, and environmental impact will drive meaningful progress in reducing carbon footprints.  
• Recycling lithium-ion batteries: Lithium-ion recycling has seen increased investments with more than 800 patents already published in 2023. The use of solid electrolytes or liquid nonflammable electrolytes may improve the safety and durability of LIBs and reduce their material use. Finally, a method to manufacture electrodes without solvent s could reduce the use of deprecated solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidinone, which require recycling and careful handling to prevent emissions.

Rise of biomaterials

New materials for biomedical applications could revolutionize many healthcare segments in 2024. One example is bioelectronic materials, which form interfaces between electronic devices and the human body, such as the brain-computer interface system being developed by Neuralink. This system, which uses a network of biocompatible electrodes implanted directly in the brain, was given FDA approval to begin human trials in 2023.

• Bioelectronic materials: are often hybrids or composites, incorporating nanoscale materials, highly engineered conductive polymers, and bioresorbable substances. Recently developed devices can be implanted, used temporarily, and then safely reabsorbed by the body without the need for removal. This has been demonstrated by a fully bioresorbable, combined sensor-wireless power receiver made from zinc and the biodegradable polymer, poly(lactic acid).
• Natural biomaterials: that are biocompatible and naturally derived (such as chitosan, cellulose nanomaterials, and silk) are used to make advanced multifunctional biomaterials in 2023. For example, they designed an injectable hydrogel brain implant for treating Parkinson’s disease, which is based on reversible crosslinks formed between chitosan, tannic acid, and gold nanoparticles.
• Bioinks : are used for 3D printing of organs and transplant development which could revolutionize patient care. Currently, these models are used for studying organ architecture like 3D-printed heart models for cardiac disorders and 3D-printed lung models to test the efficacy of drugs. Specialized bioinks enhance the quality, efficacy, and versatility of 3D-printed organs, structures, and outcomes. Finally, new approaches like volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) of pristine silk- based bioinks are unlocking new frontiers of innovation for 3D printing.

To the moon and beyond

The global Artemis program is a NASA-led international space exploration program that aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon by 2025 as part of the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Additionally, the NASA mission called Europa Clipper, scheduled for a 2024 launch, will orbit around Jupiter and fly by Europa , one of Jupiter’s moons, to study the presence of water and its habitability. China’s mission, Chang’e 6 , plans to bring samples from the moon back to Earth for further studies. The Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission by Japan’s JAXA plans to bring back samples from Phobos, one of the Mars moons. Boeing is also expected to do a test flight of its reusable space capsule Starliner , which can take people to low-earth orbit.

The R&D impact of Artemis extends to more fields than just aerospace engineering, though:

• Robotics: Robots will play a critical role in the Artemis program, performing many tasks, such as collecting samples, building infrastructure, and conducting scientific research. This will drive the development of new robotic technologies, including autonomous systems and dexterous manipulators.
• Space medicine: The Artemis program will require the development of new technologies to protect astronauts from the hazards of space travel, such as radiation exposure and microgravity. This will include scientific discoveries in medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and countermeasures.
• Earth science: The Artemis program will provide a unique opportunity to study the Moon and its environment. This will lead to new insights into the Earth's history, geology, and climate.
• Materials science: The extreme space environment will require new materials that are lightweight, durable, and radiation resistant. This will have applications in many industries, including aerospace, construction, and energy.
• Information technology: The Artemis program will generate a massive amount of data, which will need to be processed, analyzed, and shared in real time. This will drive the development of new IT technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

The CRISPR pay-off

After years of research, setbacks, and minimal progress, the first formal evidence of CRISPR as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic was realized. Intellia Therapeutics received FDA clearance to initiate a pivotal phase 3 trial of a new drug for the treatment of hATTR, and using the same Cas9 mRNA, got a new medicine treating a different disease, angioedema. This was achieved by only changing 20 nucleotides of the guide RNA, suggesting that CRISPR can be used as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic.

The second great moment for CRISPR drug development technology came when Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics announced the authorization of the first CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, CASGEVY™, by the United Kingdom MHRA, for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. This was the first approval of a CRISPR-based therapy for human use and is a landmark moment in realizing the potential of CRISPR to improve human health.

In addition to its remarkable genome editing capability, the CRISPR-Cas system has proven to be effective in many applications, including early cancer diagnosis . CRISPR-based genome and transcriptome engineering and CRISPR-Cas12a and CRISPR-Cas13a appear to have the necessary characteristics to be robust detection tools for cancer therapy and diagnostics. CRISPR-Cas-based biosensing system gives rise to a new era for precise diagnoses of early-stage cancers.

MIT engineers have also designed a new nanoparticle DNA-encoded nanosensor for urinary biomarkers that could enable early cancer diagnoses with a simple urine test. The sensors, which can detect cancerous proteins, could also distinguish the type of tumor or how it responds to treatment.

Ending cancer

The immuno-oncology field has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. Approved products such as cytokines, vaccines, tumor-directed monoclonal antibodies, and immune checkpoint blockers continue to grow in market size. Novel therapies like TAC01-HER2 are currently undergoing clinical trials. This unique therapy uses autologous T cells, which have been genetically engineered to incorporate T cell Antigen Coupler (TAC) receptors that recognize human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) presence on tumor cells to remove them. This could be a promising therapy for metastatic, HER2-positive solid tumors.

Another promising strategy aims to use the CAR-T cells against solid tumors in conjunction with a vaccine that boosts immune response. Immune boosting helps the body create more host T cells that can target other tumor antigens that CAR-T cells cannot kill.

Another notable trend is the development of improved and effective personalized therapies. For instance, a recently developed personalized RNA neoantigen vaccine, based on uridine mRNA–lipoplex nanoparticles, was found effective against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Major challenges in immuno-oncology are therapy resistance, lack of predictable biomarkers, and tumor heterogenicity. As a result, devising novel treatment strategies could be a future research focus.

Decarbonizing energy

Multiple well-funded efforts are underway to decarbonize energy production by replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with sources that generate no (or much less) CO2 in 2024.

One of these efforts is to incorporate large-scale energy storage devices into the existing power grid. These are an important part of enabling the use of renewable sources since they provide additional supply and demand for electricity to complement renewable sources. Several types of grid-scale storage that vary in the amount of energy they can store and how quickly they can discharge it into the grid are under development. Some are physical (flywheels, pumped hydro, and compressed air) and some are chemical (traditional batteries, flow batteries , supercapacitors, and hydrogen ), but all are the subject of active chemistry and materials development research. The U.S. government is encouraging development in this area through tax credits as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and a $7 billion program to establish regional hydrogen hubs.

Meanwhile, nuclear power will continue to be an active R&D area in 2024. In nuclear fission, multiple companies are developing small modular reactors (SMRs) for use in electricity production and chemical manufacturing, including hydrogen. The development of nuclear fusion reactors involves fundamental research in physics and materials science. One major challenge is finding a material that can be used for the wall of the reactor facing the fusion plasma; so far, candidate materials have included high-entropy alloys and even molten metals .

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major public health concern, being a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. While there is currently no cure for any neurodegenerative disease, new scientific discoveries and understandings of these pathways may be the key to helping patient outcomes.

• Alzheimer’s disease: Two immunotherapeutics have received FDA approval to reduce both cognitive and functional decline in individuals living with early Alzheimer's disease. Aducannumab (Aduhelm®) received accelerated approval in 2021 and is the first new treatment approved for Alzheimer’s since 2003 and the first therapy targeting the disease pathophysiology, reducing beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of early Alzheimer’s disease patients. Lecanemab (Leqembi®) received traditional approval in 2023 and is the first drug targeting Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology to show clinical benefits, reducing the rate of disease progression and slowing cognitive and functional decline in adults with early stages of the disease.
• Parkinson’s disease: New treatment modalities outside of pharmaceuticals and deep brain stimulation are being researched and approved by the FDA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease symptoms. The non-invasive medical device, Exablate Neuro (approved by the FDA in 2021), uses focused ultrasound on one side of the brain to provide relief from severe symptoms such as tremors, limb rigidity, and dyskinesia. 2023 brought major news for Parkinson’s disease research with the validation of the biomarker alpha-synuclein. Researchers have developed a tool called the α-synuclein seeding amplification assay which detects the biomarker in the spinal fluid of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and individuals who have not shown clinical symptoms.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Two pharmaceuticals have seen FDA approval in the past two years to slow disease progression in individuals with ALS. Relyvrio ® was approved in 2022 and acts by preventing or slowing more neuron cell death in patients with ALS. Tofersen (Qalsody®), an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved in 2023 under the accelerated approval pathway. Tofersen targets RNA produced from mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) genes to eliminate toxic SOD1 protein production. Recently published genetic research on how mutations contribute to ALS is ongoing with researchers recently discovering how NEK1 gene mutations lead to ALS. This discovery suggests a possible rational therapeutic approach to stabilizing microtubules in ALS patients.

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