The best of Chilean science in 2014
Experts highlight some of the most important scientific milestones of the year made by local researchers.
by Carlos Gonzalez I. / Patricio Lazcano
Best spatial photo and water vapor 120 light years away
In November, the largest radio telescope in the world, installed on the Chajnantor, performed the first tests with its antennas separated at 15 kilometers to obtain the image of a space object with higher resolution so far: a planetary disk in formation around the star HL Tauri, 450 light years from Earth (in the image, an artistic representation). This is the year's most important technological test for soul and Laura Pérez, Chilean astronomer and part of the team of the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory. UU. (NRAO).
It also highlights the discovery of water vapor on the surface of an Exoplanet, 120 light years from Earth. In the research, publicada en Nature, U.S. astronomers took part, Chile, United Kingdom and Switzerland, among them, academic Andrés Jordán and students of PhD of U. ACDDiS. "PhD students are key contributors to these discoveries", says Juan Larraín, Vice-Chancellor of UC research.
Katia Trusich, Secretary of economy, It emphasizes the participation of researchers of the Millennium Institute for more on the discovery of a star that escaped from a black hole.
The whale Hill to a new species at the Quiriquina island
According to David Rubilar, Head of the National Museum of Natural History paleontological Area (MNHN), four studies loe as highlights of 2014.
The first, highlights, It is the official presentation of the results of research in cerro whale, Región de Atacama, the only site that retains a large number of fossils of whales, In addition to other extinct animals.
While the place was discovered in 1965, in 2011 scientific excavations began, together with experts of the MNHN, the Smithsonian Institute (USA), the U. Chile and the paleontological museum of boiler. This year alone, the Group published the scientific article which confirmed the cause of death of marine mammals: the red tide. "In addition, We discovered that the whales died intoxicated with toxic algal blooms", explains Rubilar.
Other investigations that the expert highlights are a new plesiosaur description, bautizado Aristonectes quiriquinensis, discovered at the Quiriquina island, The Bío-Bío region (in the image). "It is the most complete specimen which has been discovered in the world", ensures.
He also mentioned the release of a study that explains the mortality of a group of ichthyosaurs in Torres del Paine, In addition to the discovery of traces of dinosaurs in Copiapo.
Studies in Antarctica
Marcelo Leppe, Head of the scientific Department of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (Inach), highlights the work of Tamara counter (U. Magellan) with insects seeking to know the scope of climate change in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions (2013-2016), delicate natural areas Antarctic and Magellan laboratories.
It also highlights of the Oses Romulus (Center of advanced studies in arid-CEAZA areas), It seeks to understand the role of Microfungi associated with the root system of plants that live in Antarctica, and in a vein that is applied to agriculture, find out if these fungi can improve the performance of cultivars in semi-arid areas.
Finally, highlights the work of Raúl Cordero (U. Santiago), "one of the projects of more technical complexities" and potential scientific impact that seeks to understand the effects associated with the new climate scenarios and UV radiation.
Pioneering research
Programmes financed by Conicyt this year include the creation of the Center for advanced studies of chronic diseases (ACCDiS ), studying the factors that influence diabetes, Obesity, cardiovascular ills, respiratory, dementia and cancer in Chile, In addition to the Studies Centre for conflict and Social Cohesion (COES) and its Observatory of labour strikes (the first in the country).
Another outstanding research was the beginning of the construction of a small wheel of Mounes, made by scientists at the U. Catholic and technological scientific center of Valparaiso (CCTVal) the u. Tecnica Federico Santa Maria. The project is part of the process of renewal of the ATLAS experiment, the detector of the large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN.
The U. Antofagasta also prepares the technology to build part of a next-generation Digital exploration of the space Sloan project spectrograph (SDSS).
Chilean dental implants
Jose Becerra, Director of research at the U. of conception, highlights the international marketing of dental implants (in the image) minimally invasive, outpatient and without suture created in the Centre of advanced rehabilitation and implantology (CRAI) of this University for the elderly.
The work took ten years and was led by Jorge Jofré (Fondef ,CONICYT) who said the implants costs a fraction of conventional. Training in Spain are already, France and Russia. In the public system be proven next year.
Earthquake in Iquique
Flavio Salazar, Vice-Rector of U. Chile and Deputy Director of Millennium Institute of Immunology and immunotherapy, highlights the work of the doctors Jaime campos and Sergio Ruiz of the Dept.. of geophysics (Cs faculty. Physics and mathematics) of this University. They published a study in the journal Science in which established geophysical events that preceded the earthquake in Iquique. "This area is of high relevance and Chile constitutes a natural laboratory". He also mentioned the work of Claudio Hetz for his contribution to the investigation of neurodegenerative ailments.
DNA of the salmon and whale
Oscar Bustos, Director of research at the U. Santiago, It highlights the deciphering of the genome of Atlantic salmon, created by an international group of researchers, including Rodrigo Vidal, University. "Whole genome studies are complex, Chile has entered into that area is a great achievement and clearly define the genome of salmon, considering that it is exported and that it has dealt with diseases, It is very important. "Know him helps prevent diseases associated with the species", says Bustos. It also highlights another advance in DNA, but whale, by Juan Pablo Torres and Rodrigo Hucke, the u. Austral (Uach) you were able to determine that there are at least two groups of blue whales feeding in Chile: the Antarctic and the South Pacific. Hans Richter, Director of research and development of the Uach, also stresses the importance of the study. "The work of Rodrigo Hucke, interest as a conservationist in United Kingdom, is a tremendous find ", says.
Advances in chemistry and cell biology
Carolina Torrealba, Director at the Science Foundation and life, emphasizes the study of Christian Wilson, the laboratory of biochemistry of the U. of Chile, This year they were the first use of optical tweezers in the country, instrument that uses a beam laser to manipulate microscopic objects, in which he participated. "You can catch an object through light and measure their biomechanical properties. This machine makes it, You can generate forces to objects", says Wilson. The scientist is working in the patent of a new system for dyeing genes, more easily than with the current instruments. "We found a method that when you miss a reagent in particular you can physically see the DNA", it's 100% done here".
Other investigations highlighting Torrealba is the thesis of Hianara Bustamante, the u. Austral, recognized by the Chilean Foundation for cell biology and the society of cell biology as the best of the year. Patricia Burgos, academic of the Uach, He explains that the work incorporated various techniques of cell biology, "that it was allowed to study in detail a molecule that produces a toxic peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease. She studied how this molecule is degraded into the cell and what are the mechanisms that would regulate such degradation. He described very new aspects that allow to project future search for possible new genes associated with the pathology".