2018 in science

A number of significant scientific events occurred in 2018.

5 January: Curious rock shapes ( biological or geological ?) found on Mars by the Curiosity rover . [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
9 January: A potentially major setback for CRISPR is reported, as it is shown to trigger an immune response in many humans.
24 January: Creation, using nuclear DNA transfer , for the first time , of clones of a primate (specifically, crab-eating macaque monkeys similar to the one in the picture) reported. [ 33 ] [ 34 ]
6 February: Successful launch of the Falcon Heavy , the most powerful rocket since the Space Shuttle program . [ 59 ]
14 February: Researchers found that blocking the enzyme beta-secretase ( BACE1 ) in mice reduces formation of plaques responsible for Alzheimer's disease . [ 71 ] [ 72 ]
8 March: First detection of natural Ice VII (see structure above) on Earth. [ 88 ] [ 89 ]
10 April: Centuries' worth of rare-earth metals reported near the island of Minami-Tori-shima (pictured).
26 April: NASA and ESA agree to develop Mars sample return missions . [ 122 ] [ 123 ] [ 124 ]
11 May: NASA approves the Mars Helicopter for the Mars 2020 mission. [ 142 ] [ 143 ] [ 144 ]
14 May: Water plumes on Europa detected by the Galileo space probe . [ 151 ] [ 152 ] [ 153 ] [ 154 ]
1 June: Mars dust storm (before/after) detected that may affect the survivability of the Opportunity rover . [ 174 ] [ 175 ]
20 June: Gene-edited pigs are made resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome , one of the world's most costly animal diseases. [ 198 ]
2 July: First confirmed image of a newborn planet , exoplanet PDS 70b , several times larger than the planet Jupiter . [ 218 ] [ 219 ] [ 220 ]
25 July: Radar image of a subglacial lake on Mars .
8 August: Stromatoveris psygmoglena , which dominated oceans a half billion years ago, found to be a member of Animalia . [ 248 ]
16 August: First complete map of the wheat genome.
3 September: Hexagon (in 2013 and 2017) at the north pole on the planet Saturn may be a jet stream of atmospheric gases moving at 320 km/h (200 mph) and 300 km (190 mi) high. [ 283 ] [ 284 ]
16 September: Medical study: use of low-dose aspirin by older healthy people may not be beneficial and, in some case, may be harmful. [ 292 ] [ 293 ]
24 September: Astronomers describe several possible star systems from where 'Oumuamua , an interstellar object passing through the Solar System , may have begun its journey. [ 303 ]
25 September: Vorombe titan (similar to purple above; maroon, an ostrich ; all others non-avian theropod dinosaurs ), an extinct elephant bird , determined to be the largest bird known to have existed. [ 314 ] [ 315 ] [ 316 ]
3 October: Evidence presented for first known exomoon , which may be orbiting exoplanet Kepler-1625b . [ 325 ] [ 326 ]
8 October: IPCC releases Special Report on Global Warming , noting the need to keep global warming below 1.5°C. [ 337 ] [ 338 ] [ 339 ]
24 October: Oldest weapons , chert spear points , dated as early as 15,500 years ago, found in North America [note: similar, but more recent, clovis point pictured] [ 364 ] [ 365 ]
5 November: Polar ozone holes are healing faster than previously thought, and are expected to completely heal by 2060. [ 392 ] [ 393 ]
19 November: NASA chooses Jezero crater as the landing site of the Mars 2020 rover mission, to land on Mars in February 2021. [ 408 ]
3 December: The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrives at asteroid Bennu after a two-year journey. [ 450 ]
24 December: NASA celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the 1968 Christmas Eve ( Earthrise ) Apollo 8 trip around the Moon . [ 469 ] [ 470 ] [ 471 ]