5 Science Mysteries that Might Be Solved in 2016

Every scientist has their laboratory research notebook at the ready and is feeling hopeful about 2016. That’s because 2015 brought a whole host of discoveries and advances. Each time a new scientific discovery is made, it opens the doors for endless discoveries to jump off from it. After all, research is only limited by the current knowledge base. That’s why the world can and should expect great scientific things in 2016.

How Many More Synthetic Elements Can Be Created?

2015 brought the groundbreaking discovery of four more elements. These elements were added to the existing periodic table, but that’s not where things end. Instead, it’s where they begin. Scientists are continually working to create new elements themselves. They do this by smashing particles together. With four new elements on the table, you can expect lab notebooks to fill up with plans for new synthetic elements, as well.

What Is Dark Matter?

There has never really been a question of whether or not dark matter exists. The problem is, it can’t be seen or really measured. Scientists are aware of dark matter because of the impact it has on other things, rather than because they’ve seen the matter themselves. Since there is 5 times as much dark matter as there is matter that can be seen, it’s important to start learning more about it. Scientists have their sights fixed on doing just that this year.

Is Bigfoot Real?

This time, scientists come in the form of observers and operators of unmanned aerial vehicles. These drones can go places that aren’t easy to get to, and they can see more than has ever been seen because of it. They have already been able to capture images of elusive animals. Since they can go in areas that aren’t heavily populated, they may be able to catch a glimpse of creatures like Bigfoot, which, if they do exist, are likely to be hiding out in remote areas.

Is There Life on Mars?

2015 offered the astounding discovery of water on Mars. A history of a water-drenched land was provided, but there are also existing salt water areas. Scientists know that where there is water on Earth, there is life. It stands to reason that the same methodology might apply not just to Mars, but to Jupiter, and to a moon of Saturn, Enceladus.

What Do Gravitational Waves Look Like?

The world has long been aware that gravity exists, but has never seen gravitational waves. In 2015, there was an upgrade to a machine designed to look for waves that are 10,000 times smaller than protons. The upgrade hasn’t been revealed, but rumors have already started to circulate, and the scientific community is expecting big things from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)

Naturally, these aren’t the only questions that scientists seek to answer in 2016, but the changes and discoveries of 2015 did make answering these questions more of a possibility than ever before. With a lab notebook at the ready, each scientist is going into 2016 with a new sense of wonder and motivation.