SCIENTIFIC HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR: inspiring stories of science in 2025

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The beginning of 2026 is a traditional time to look back and calmly, without the rush of breaking news, reflect on what the past year has been for science. The New Year holidays set a special rhythm: instead of isolated sensations, the focus shifts to trends, breakthroughs, and discoveries that will shape the development of scientific thought in the years to come. It is in this context that the international journal Nature summed up the results of 2025, highlighting the key events and studies that have transformed our understanding of the world, technology, and the human being itself.

EXTINCTION CAN BE STOPPED

n the year now drawing to a close, scientists achieved significant progress in preserving biodiversity and restoring populations of species that were close to extinction. The green sea turtle, which had been under threat of extinction since the 1980s, has been saved. The risk of extinction has also been averted for the ampurta, an Australian marsupial about the size of a rat. A UN treaty aimed at protecting at least 30% of land and marine areas has entered into force, receiving approval from more than 60 countries.

THE OZONE HOLE IS SHRINKING

The Earth’s protective atmospheric layer is recovering: the ozone hole over Antarctica has shrunk to its smallest size since 2019. It was first discovered in 1985. At the same time, scientists established that the destruction of the ozone layer was caused by emissions of refrigerants used in refrigerators and aerosol sprays. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was adopted, gradually restricting the use of these chemicals, as a result of which the size of the ozone hole has been steadily decreasing. It is expected that, if current trends and atmospheric protection measures are maintained, the ozone layer will fully recover by the late 2060s.

ADVANCES IN GENE EDITING

A major breakthrough has been achieved in gene editing, confirmed by a series of clinical trials. In particular, gene therapy for Huntington’s disease slowed the rate of cognitive decline in participants by 75%. In the treatment of acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, it also produced promising results: most of the 11 children and adults who took part in the study achieved remission. A new type of CAR-T cell therapy has opened up new prospects for effective cancer treatment. The first clinical trial of gene therapy for a rare immune disorder — chronic granulomatous disease — has been completed. These technologies have also made it possible to correct a pathogenic mutation capable of causing lung damage and liver disease.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

In the year now ending, renewable energy sources surpassed coal for the first time worldwide in terms of energy consumption. This was driven in part by China becoming, in May, the first country in the world to create a solar power system with a capacity of 1 terawatt. In the first six months of 2025 alone, China installed new solar power capacity totaling 256 gigawatts — twice as much as the rest of the world combined. Over the next five years, the country plans to add a further 200–300 GW of solar and wind capacity. In the EU, during the second and third quarters, roughly half of electricity demand was met by renewable sources. It is projected that their capacity will increase by nearly 4,600 GW by 2030 — twice the capacity commissioned between 2019 and 2024. However, despite these achievements, the problem of greenhouse gas emissions remains unresolved: in 2025, their level reached a new record high.

EBOLA CONTAINED

It seems that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught humanity at least something. In September, thanks to the heroic efforts of medical workers and the governments of African countries, an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was contained. On September 4, the country’s Ministry of Health sounded the alarm after detecting an outbreak in one of the provinces. By September 25, 64 cases had already been recorded. However, within a record 42 days, the threat of an epidemic was eliminated.

NEW MALARIA DRUGS

Currently, children under the age of five account for about 75% of malaria deaths worldwide. In November, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the first malaria medicine for infants. The pediatric version of the drug, called Coartem, has brought us one step closer to the complete eradication of the disease. This year also saw clinical trials of another antimalarial drug, GanLum. It successfully cured malaria in 97.4% of study participants and eliminated parasites that had developed resistance to another antimalarial treatment. If GanLum is approved by regulatory authorities, it will mark the first new class of malaria medicines in 25 years.

COMBATING PEANUT ALLERGY

A study has shown that over the past decade, the number of cases of peanut allergy among children in the United States has declined. This represents a major victory for evidence-based nutrition policy. For many years, parents were advised not to give children peanuts in order to prevent dangerous allergic reactions. However, studies published in 2015 demonstrated that introducing peanut-containing foods to infants at the age of four months significantly reduces the risk of developing an allergy. Appropriate health guidelines were developed, and by 2025 they had delivered tangible results: peanut allergy among children under three fell by 43%, while the prevalence of other food allergies decreased by 36%.

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