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Explore the notable scientific milestones achieved by Polish researchers in 2023, including the development of a groundbreaking digital virus model, successful HIV elimination through bone marrow transplant, key discoveries in cellular protein modification, and Poland’s significant contributions to space exploration, from the launch of the JUICE spacecraft to the participation of a Polish astronaut in an ISS mission. Delve into the advancements that earned Nobel recognition and the opening of a state-of-the-art observatory in the Atacama Desert. Witness Poland’s leadership in shaping the future of scientific exploration and innovation.
JANUARY
25.01 – British scientists, including Polish researchers, developed the first accurate digital model of a virus, providing a powerful tool for new therapeutic research.
FEBRUARY
19.02 – In Toruń, the World Copernican Congress was inaugurated, organized by Nicolaus Copernicus University, Jagiellonian University, Warmia and Masuria University, and the Institute for the History of Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
24.02 – A bone marrow transplant successfully eliminated HIV in another patient, with cells obtained from an HIV-resistant donor. This groundbreaking procedure took place in Germany.
MARCH
30.03 – Scientists from Jagiellonian University made a significant discovery related to the modification of proteins in cells, known as hypusination, with implications for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes.
APRIL
14.04 – The unmanned JUICE spacecraft, with Polish scientific and technical involvement, was launched from the Guiana Space Centre to explore Jupiter and its surroundings.
JUNE
30.06 – Polish satellites, including Intuition-1 and STORK-7, were successfully launched into space by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, contributing to the Transporter-9 mission carrying a total of 90 satellites.
AUGUST
9.08 – Minister Waldemar Buda announced the participation of a Polish astronaut, Sławosz Uznański, in a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), focusing on testing advanced technologies and conducting experiments.
11.08 – Prof. Philip James Edwin Peebles and Prof. Barry Clark Barish, Nobel laureates, received the first Copernican Awards for outstanding international scientific achievements.
SEPTEMBER
24.09 – The largest sample of an asteroid ever collected landed in Utah, USA, culminating a six-year NASA and University of Arizona mission.
OCTOBER
2.10 – The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries related to nucleoside modification enabling the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
28.11 – After three years of intense work, the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center opened an observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile, considered one of the best places for ground-based star observations.
DECEMBER
24.11 – A Polish consortium, led by Creotech Instruments, was selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to design a moon mapping mission, utilizing the HyperSat platform.