This year saw many breakthroughs in physics. However, according to Physics World, one breakthrough stood out from all the rest: the landing of a man-made spacecraft on the surface of a comet.
Although there were other contenders, the European Space Agency (ESA) and its Rosetta Mission took top prize as the breakthrough of 2014, awarded by Physics World, by successfully landing a spacecraft, the Philae Lander, on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12.
This was the second time the Rosetta mission made history. After a 10-year journey, Rosetta finally caught up to the comet and successfully entered orbit around it, the first time any spacecraft has done so.
Even though Rosetta's follow-up mission with the Philae Lander, did not go completely according to plan, that part of the mission was still seen as a success, especially after Philae completed about 80 percent of its scientific studies of the comet's surface, sending back data we've never had access to before. The lander then went into hibernation after losing power, but there is still a chance we haven't heard the last of Philae.
"By landing the Philae probe on a distant comet, the Rosetta team has begun a new chapter in our understanding of how the solar system formed and evolved - and ultimately how life was able to emerge on Earth," says Dr Hamish Johnston, editor of PhysicsWorld.com. As well as looking forward to the fascinating science that will be forthcoming from Rosetta scientists, we also acknowledge the technological tour de forceof chasing a comet for 10 years and then placing an advanced laboratory on its surface."
Although there is only one winner for the Physics World breakthrough prize, the publication congratulates the runner-ups, which includes the first observation of a filament of the cosmic web, neutrinos spotted from activity on the sun, the first "fuel gain" of nuclear fusion, the first acoustic tractor beam, the creation of tiny supernova explosions in a lab, the discovery of the interaction between electrons, the creation of better optical fiber, a breakthrough in using holograms for storing data and the first successful compression of quantum data.
"In what was an exciting year for the field of physics, we commend the work of the nine runners-up, each of which represents an important step forward made by a team of creative and talented researchers. Our congratulations are extended to all of those involved," says Dr. Johnston.
[Photo Credit: ESA]
