8 scientific discoveries that changed the world without us even knowing (10 photos)

Did you know that doctors have already invented a vaccine against tooth decay? And why have clones of pets been returned to their owners for a long time? If not, then this is not surprising. This information is easily lost among the news and various entertainment shows. In this post, you'll learn about amazing scientific advances that don't get the attention they deserve.







Japanese doctors treated a patient with schizophrenia who was diagnosed with leukemia. To save his life, medical authorities decided to subject him to chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. The first procedure was aimed at weakening the immune system, the second - at restarting it.

Surprisingly, after the transplant, the signs of the person's mental disorder disappeared and never reappeared. This case gave scientists reason to believe that schizophrenia and other similar diseases may be caused by a malfunction in the body's immune system.

It should be clarified that the suspicion about the relationship between immunity and human mental health appeared in the 19th century, when doctors noticed that the abnormalities of patients in psychiatric clinics disappeared with fever. Extensive research is currently underway in this area.





It turns out that scientists have already learned to develop new teeth from stem cells. This can be done in two ways: growing a tooth in the laboratory and then implanting it into the patient, or “planting” cells directly into the gum and growing a tooth to replace the missing one.

Researchers have successfully tested these methods on rodents. It remains to test new technologies on humans. If these tests are also successful, the new method could make artificial dental implants a thing of the past.



A group of researchers led by scientist Robert Pitman discovered an unusual species of killer whales near Antarctica. The new species is slightly smaller than its known counterparts, with a more rounded head and sharp fins.

Scientists were able to take DNA samples from these mammals, and it will soon be decided whether the animals are a new species of killer whale or just a subspecies of an already known “breed.” While there is no certainty on this matter, these creatures will be called Class D killer whales.



Chinese researchers sent the Chang'e 4 probe carrying rice, cotton and potato seeds to the hidden side of the Moon. And soon it became known that the cotton had sprouted.

This is the first plant that managed to grow on the Moon (previously, similar experiments were carried out only on board space stations). According to scientists, the result of this experiment is another step towards long-term space exploration.



Many of us still consider news of animal cloning to be science fiction. Meanwhile, there are already organizations for which working with clones has become commonplace.

And a prime example of this is the Chinese company Sinogene Biotechnology Company from Beijing, which is engaged in returning replicas of deceased pets to their owners.

“If your dog dies, wrap its body in damp towels and place it in the refrigerator (not the freezer). Remember that you have 5 days before the cells we need become unsuitable for cloning,” the clinic’s website says. It sounds simple, but the service cannot yet be called affordable. Cloning a puppy costs about $50,000.



Two years ago, scientists announced the creation of a vaccine that prevents tooth decay. But in fact, we cannot be vaccinated yet, since the creators are only preparing for human trials. But testing on rodents has already shown the drug to be highly effective.

How does it work? A KF-rPAc fusion protein derived from caries-causing bacteria and Escherichia coli is injected into the patient's mouth. This provokes the development of immunity against carious microorganisms Streptococcus mutans. In the future, they will no longer be able to damage the teeth, as they will cause an immune response and will be destroyed. But it will take at least five years to obtain reliable results. This is due to the fact that caries develops slowly.



Scientists conducted a large-scale study, thanks to which they found that the number of insects on the planet is rapidly declining. At this rate, in just 100 years this class of animals will completely disappear from the Earth. The reason for this gradual disappearance is the modern human approach to agriculture: insects are killed with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. In addition, climate change and pathogen infection negatively affect their numbers.

Butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, bumblebees and other hymenoptera and lepidoptera insects are at greatest risk. Dung beetles are also endangered.

Scientists note that the misfortune will not be limited to the extinction of insects: pollinated plants and insectivorous animals will also die, respectively.



Doctors have learned to treat type 1 diabetes. As part of the experiment, researchers were able to grow pancreatic islets from stem cells, which are responsible for the production of insulin in the body. They were then transplanted into experimental diabetic mice. This therapy helped, and the animals were cured of the disease. Now the creators of this method intend to obtain permission to test the treatment on humans.



Now scientists can grow new skin at the site of burns using a special hydrogel.

In addition, with this treatment, the damaged tissue is restored without scarring in just a couple of weeks. A hydrogel solution is prepared based on the victim’s cells and applied directly to the damaged part of the body.