The most amazing and strange discoveries made in 2023 (10 photos)

The year 2023, despite the complete madness happening in the world, was full of scientific discoveries.





Researchers have discovered the oldest black hole ever observed



When you need to understand how old the Universe is, you can divide it into the usual 12 months. This will make it easier to understand.

On January 1st, the Big Bang occurred, creating time and space as we know it.

On March 15, the beginnings of the Milky Way began to form. Our solar system began to form only on September 1, and the first multicellular organisms appeared on Earth only on December 1.





When did Homo sapiens appear? This happened on December 31 at 23:53.

Given this context, the discovery of a new black hole (in early November 2023) becomes even more impressive.

It dates back to just 470 million years after the Big Bang. This is the oldest black hole scientists have ever seen, which means that according to our cosmic calendar it falls in the second week of January.

The black hole is also very massive, 100 million times larger than our Sun. Scientists hope this new discovery will provide further insight into how black holes are created in the first place.

The James Webb Telescope discovered water vapor around a comet in the Asteroid Belt



Where did water come from on Earth? Many research groups are trying to find the answer to this question, and in 2023 they received an important clue.

It is worth recalling that this telescope was launched only in 2021, but in such a short period it has already made a number of amazing discoveries.

The asteroid belt is a region of the solar system located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It’s not just about him.

Using Webb's NIRSpec (near-infrared spectrograph) instrument, astronomers have confirmed for the first time the presence of gas - specifically water vapor - around a comet in the main asteroid belt.



However, the successful detection of water comes with a new mystery: unlike other comets, Comet 238P/Read had no detectable carbon dioxide.

Typically, carbon dioxide makes up about 10 percent of the volatile material in a comet, which can be easily vaporized by the sun's heat.

One theory is that the comet had carbon dioxide when it formed, but lost it over time due to high temperatures.

Thousands of new sea creatures discovered



Even now, accidental discoveries of new species occur. For example, someone might go hiking in the jungle and come across birds or insects they've never seen before.

And sometimes there is a whole scientific work behind the discovery of new species. That's exactly the case with a new analysis of the Clarion-Clipperton zone.

This is an area of the Pacific Ocean that is being studied as a future location for deep sea mining because it is rich in various minerals.

But while studying the area, scientists discovered more than five thousand previously unknown species of sea creatures. But there's a catch.

If we start drilling wells there, most of the inhabitants of this area will die even before a detailed description of each of them.

Archaeologists may have found a Roman-era 'adult toy' in England



Initially, researchers believed that this strange thing was a sewing tool, but everything turned out to be much more prosaic.

According to experts, this wooden artifact bears a striking resemblance to a phallus. However, there are theories regarding its use:

Mary Queen of Scots lived more than 400 years ago. However, it was in 2023 that we got a new look at her 19 years of captivity.

Hundreds of letters written by Mary Queen of Scots deciphered



Queen Elizabeth I of England imprisoned Mary in 1568, seeing her as a threat to her crown.

For almost twenty years after thisshe wrote encrypted messages to her compatriots and transmitted them through reliable channels.

Three amateurs, in their free time, were able to decipher more than fifty thousand words from her letters.

Among the information revealed are Mary's extreme measures to preserve communication routes, attempts to enlist the support of her allies, and even her thoughts about Elizabeth.

I never would have thought that a computer scientist, a pianist and an astrophysicist would work together to make one of the greatest historical discoveries of the past year.

Archaeologists have discovered a new chamber in the Great Pyramid of Cheops



The Great Pyramid of Cheops is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It is also one of the most well-studied structures of antiquity, with archaeologists studying the pyramid closely for decades.

But even this turned out to be not enough. A previously unknown room was discovered above the original entrance. Apparently, man has not entered this room for over 4,500 years. This is a little shocking.

Discovering a hollow space in a pyramid is already something special. But the fact that this chamber is large enough to accommodate several people makes the discovery even more surprising.

The confirmed results clearly demonstrate the need for further research on the Egyptian pyramids. This means that many more amazing discoveries await us ahead.

Bible chapter written in ancient language discovered



Centuries ago, parchment was a truly valuable material and was often reused.

Essentially, the original inscription was erased, and something new was written on fresh, clean paper (this type of document is called a palimpsest).

However, with the help of ultraviolet technology available today, we can reverse this process and see the original text.

This is exactly what medievalist Gregory Kessel did when he discovered a previously unprecedented interpretation of the Bible - more precisely, the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

The document was known as a double palimpsest because the text was erased from the paper at least twice. This chapter is one of the earliest translations of the Gospel ever found.