“Nature’s” 10 People who Helped Shape Science in 2024

Author
Nature

December 28, 2024

achievements

A fraud buster, a nuclear-clock maker and a virus hunter. These are just a few of the remarkable people chosen for this year’s Nature’s 10.

The Nature’s 10 list recognizes key developments in science over the past year, and tells the stories of some of the people behind them. It is compiled by Nature’s editors to highlight important trends in science, technology, engineering and medicine, as well as to acknowledge how researchers are shaping our world. Achievements this year range from reimagining how weather is forecast to leading a nation.

  • Ekkehard Peik: Father time

A physicist made key discoveries that could lead to nuclear clocks that outperform the best atomic ones.

Read Ekkehard Peik’s full profile

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Ekkehard Peik. Photo: Nature.
  • Kaitlin Kharas: Fair-pay champion

A PhD student helped to lead a campaign to get Canadian graduate students and postdocs their biggest pay rise in 20 years.

Read Kaitlin Kharas’s full profile

Nature2 - Kaitlin Kharas.jpg
Kaitlin Kharas. Photo: Nature.
  • Li Chunlai: Moon-rock guardian

A geologist is leading efforts to study the rock samples that China’s Chang’e-6 mission collected from the Moon’s far side.

Read Li Chunlai’s full profile

Nature3 - Li Chunlai.jpg
Li Chunlai. Photo: Nature.
  • Anna Abalkina: Fraud buster

This Russian science sleuth spots fake papers and hijacked journals.

Read Anna Abalkina’s full profile

Nature4 - Anna Abalkina.jpg
Anna Abalkina. Photo: Nature.
  • Huji Xu: Daring doctor

A physician and researcher took a chance on a revolutionary approach to treating autoimmune disease.

Read Huji Xu’s full profile

Nature5 - Huji Xu.jpg
Huji Xu. Photo: Nature.
  • Wendy Freedman: Cosmic ranger

A long-standing tension over the Universe’s expansion rate might be put to rest — thanks to this astronomer’s efforts.

Read Wendy Freedman’s full profile

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Wendy Freedman. Photo: Nature.
  • Muhammad Yunus: Nation builder

An economist and Nobel peace laureate is now the interim leader of Bangladesh. He has the expectations of his country’s students on his shoulders.

Read Muhammad Yunus’s full profile

Nature7 - Muhammad Yunus.jpg
Muhammad Yunus. Photo: Nature.
  • Placide Mbala: Virus hunter

He has been sounding the alarm about deadly mpox outbreaks. But when will the world truly listen?

Read Placide Mbala’s full profile

Nature8 - Placide Mbala.jpg
Placide Mbala. Photo: Nature.
  • Cordelia Bähr: Climate crusader

A lawyer and an army of older women in Switzerland won a historical legal battle against their government over its climate policies.

Read Cordelia Bähr’s full profile

Nature9 - Cordelia Bahr.jpg
Cordelia Bähr. Photo: Nature.
  • Rémi Lam: AI weather sleuth

This researcher is developing machine-learning techniques to vastly improve weather forecasts.

Read Rémi Lam’s full profile

Nature10 - Remi Lam.jpg
Rémi Lam. Photo: Nature.

This series is also available as a pdf version.

"Nature" is the world's leading multidisciplinary weekly scientific journal, published since 1869. It is distinguished by its high-quality peer-reviewed articles and research in the natural sciences, technology and medicine. “Nature's” goal is to promote scientific progress by publishing the most important discoveries, innovations and research that have an impact on science and society. In addition to academic research, the journal also publishes analytical reviews, commentaries and current trends in the field of science, making it an important resource for both researchers and a wider audience.

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Source: Nature’s 10.

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