As nearly half of the global population cast their votes this year, politics dominated many headlines. However, science and the natural world also captured significant public interest.
In his year end reflection, our resident science guy Joe Johnson highlights some of the year’s most captivating science stories—from the solar eclipse and the mysteries of the sun to the rise of artificial intelligence and the fascinating world of the humble fruit fly.
Image: In 2024, a Princeton-led team of researchers and gamers mapped every neuron and synapse in the brain of an adult fruit fly. (Video still from Amy Sterling / FlyWire / Princeton)