Nature’s 10
Ten people (and one non-human) who helped shape science in 2023
An AI pioneer, an architect of India’s Moon mission and the world’s first global heat officer are some of the people behind this year’s big stories.
The Nature’s 10 list explores key developments in science over the past year and some of the individuals who helped to make amazing discoveries and bring attention to crucial issues. It is not an award or a ranking, but a selection compiled by Nature’s editors to highlight the year’s most compelling stories.
Since its inception more than a decade ago, Nature’s 10 has highlighted the influence of 10 people within the world of science. We are continuing with that tradition in 2023 and are adding to it by including a non-person – an acknowledgement of the role that artificial intelligence designed to mimic human language is having in the development and progress of science.
Kalpana Kalahasti: To the Moon
This engineer and manager played a crucial part in ensuring Chandrayaan-3’s triumphant touchdown on the Moon, making India only the fourth country to achieve the feat.
Marina Silva: Amazon protector
Brazil’s minister of the environment helped to rein in rampant deforestation and rebuild institutions that were weakened by the previous government.
Katsuhiko Hayashi: Rewiring reproduction
His feat of creating viable eggs from the cells of male mice could help to save species on the brink of extinction.
Annie Kritcher: Fusion igniter
This physicist helped the US National Ignition Facility to produce nuclear reactions once seen only in hydrogen bombs and stars.
Eleni Myrivili: Warming warden
As the United Nations chief heat officer, this former politician is helping the world to prepare for the threats of climate change.
Ilya Sutskever: AI visionary
A pioneer of ChatGPT and other AI systems that are changing society.
James Hamlin: Superconductivity sleuth
This physicist helped to spot flaws in sensational claims of superconductivity at room temperature.
Svetlana Mojsov: Unsung drug developer
How a biochemist finally gained recognition for her part in developing multibillion-dollar weight-loss drugs.
Halidou Tinto: Malaria fighter
A second vaccine for a deadly scourge will soon roll out, thanks to this researcher’s rigorous testing.
Thomas Powles: Cancer explorer
This physician and cancer researcher led a transformative clinical trial for the treatment of severe bladder cancer.
ChatGPT: Boon and burden?
The poster child for generative AI software represents a potential new era for science.
Ones to watch in 2024
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Monica M. Bertagnolli: Director, US National Institutes of Health
This surgical oncologist will steer the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, which was without an officially confirmed director for nearly two years.
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Colin Waters: Chair, Anthropocene Working Group
A geologist at the University of Leicester, UK, Waters heads a research committee seeking to define the Anthropocene geological epoch.
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Ilan Gur: Chief executive, UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency
This materials scientist will oversee the United Kingdom’s push to fund high-risk, high-reward research.
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Muhammad Masroor Alam: Molecular biologist, Pakistan National Institutes of Health
The director of Pakistan’s national polio lab leads the World Health Organization’s surveillance efforts in the country, a key role in the push to eliminate wild poliovirus there.
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