It's exciting to see what 2017 has in store for the scientific community. There are predictions that there will be more breakthroughs on the study of space, climate change and biotechnology.
Gizmodo reported that there will be more news about space exploration especially when the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn ends its course. In April next year, it will begin its "Grand Finale," which is a series of close passes between the planet and its rings.
The spacecraft has already grazed the orbits of Saturn's rings. It is scheduled to make a kamikaze dive on Sep. 15, 2017. Juno, NASA's spacecraft, is also expected to bring in more news and images from Jupiter. In February, the ESA will launch the CHEOPS, which has been tasked to look for exoplanets around bright stars.
Late next year, NASA will be launching the Transiting Exoplanetary Survey Satellite. It is armed with four cameras to scan the sky and search for planets outside our solar system. Scientists believe that the device will be able to find more than 3,000 exoplanets.
It was previously reported that SpaceX has scheduled a relaunch for its Falcon 9 rocket early next year. The company still needs a license from the Federal Aviation Association (FAA), though. Moreover, more news on climate change is to be expected for next year. While the El Nino is believed to be gone and replaced by La Nina, it may only be temporary.
The publication noted that more signs of global warming could be witnessed in 2017. This would include the diminishing Arctic sea ice, extreme droughts and intense heat waves.
According to Telegraph, biotechnology will become an even more common part of people's everyday lives. There will be more and more breakthroughs in disease control and medication as well.
There could also be more dinosaur discoveries to be expected next year. Just recently, scientists have uncovered a species of dinosaurs that is related to both the T. rex and modern birds. Apparently, the baby Limusaurus Inextricabilis had a full set of teeth but was replaced with a beak as it grew up. Scientists concluded that inextricable mud lizards may have been losing teeth when they reach adulthood.
