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This Week: What does This Week in Science think were the year’s top science stories? This end-of-year episode counts down the Top 11 science news stories of 2024 and much more science!

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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

As one year ends, another begins…

A fresh new year of scientific discovery awaits us,
building off of knowledge gained and progress made.

And while there may be plenty of reasons to put the past year behind us,
Before we do, we will look back on the year that was.

Highlight a few of the scientific achievements,
Sometimes, whole categories of advancement,
That changes the way we understand the world around us.

So let’s reminisce about things we did not miss,
While listening to another episode of,
This Week in Science!

Counting down the top science news from 11 to 6

Number 11: DART

Asteroid Impact
Asteroid Games
NASA DART mission update

Number 10: De-extinction

Saving the southern white rhino
A Mammoth Step
Dead Mammoths
Tasmanian Tiger Time!

Number 9: Plastics Everywhere

Plastic Penis Problems
PLASTICS IN THE PLACENTA?
Plastics Problem
Plastic Protein Problems

Number 8 – Robots? Biobots?

Muscle Bots
Robo-Mirror
Robot Faces!
ShroomBots
Neo Beta Unveiled

Number 7 – Bird Flu

First confirmed human case of infection with H5N2 virus
Bird Flu: Yet another reason to avoid cats
Flu Boobs
mammal-to-mammal avian flu spread
Headline News in Brief
Texas has a cow problem

Number 6 – Astrophysics & JWST

Supernovae Survey Says!
JWST Sees Clearly
JWST At It Again
Not So Wow?
Webb is finding weird galaxies
Distant Mirror
Wrong Universe
New research challenges dark matter theory
DESI News Update!
The universe is expanding faster than we thought! The Hubble tension is real!
No hubble tension?

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Continuing the countdown from 5 to 1!

Number 5 – Electrons, photons, & weirdness

Light Chemistry
Molecular Transistors
Vaporized By Light
Tractor Beam?
Electron Excitement
Photonic Consciousness
Food Dye Discovery
Abstract Quantum Something

Number 4 – People in Space

Space Success
Space Shelter?
When will the Starliner crew return?
Stucktronauts
Starliners return
Welcome home Starliner!!!
Private Space

Number 3 – AI

Childlike Learning
Propagandist AI
Computerized CRISPR Edits
No Buy AI
Pong Goo
ChatGTP does Good?
Learning By Thinking
Poetry Perhaps?

Number 2 – Brain Stuff

Better living through brain circuitry
Star Influence
Hybrid Brains
Brain Scaffolding
Flexible Neurons
Reprogramming For Good
Brain To Brain?
Many Copies?
Brain Attack!
Anatomy of Consciousness
Eating Alzheimer’s
Immune or Nervous?

Number 1 – Animal Surprises

Going Ape
The Orca strikes again
The New Sixth Sense: shocking news
crows count caws!
Ant news
Chimp pharmacist
When hippos fly
The most disturbing spider news to date
Megalithic mystery solved
Butterfly Wings
Combining Jellies
Holy carnivorous squirrels, Batman!

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Honorable Mentions! 

In The Mirror
Mirror Life Questions

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This Week in Science Questions!

We want to ask YOU!!!
Which were your favorite stories from 2024? Let us know in our Discord or on Socials with the hashtag: #TWIStop11.

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Take a blast into the past…

What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year we were counting down the top stories of 2023. How did things change over a year? Listen to the show!

This time of year 10 years ago we did our predictions for 2015! Go back and see how well we did predicting the future!

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