Every year, reporters and editors at Science
Every year, reporters and editors at Science

choose several runners-up,
choose several runners-up,

and one Breakthrough of the Year.
and one Breakthrough of the Year.

Before we get to the Breakthrough,
Before we get to the Breakthrough,

here are the runners-up.
here are the runners-up.

In Mexico, researchers have drilled rock cores
In Mexico, researchers have drilled rock cores

from the Chicxulub crater.
from the Chicxulub crater.

The cores chronicle in minute-by-minute detail
The cores chronicle in minute-by-minute detail

the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.
the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Other studies have revealed how the impact
Other studies have revealed how the impact

immediately destroyed living things thousands
immediately destroyed living things thousands

of kilometers away, and how mammals and plants
of kilometers away, and how mammals and plants

recovered in the thousands of years that followed.
recovered in the thousands of years that followed.

A team of physicists claimed its rudimentary
A team of physicists claimed its rudimentary

quantum computer performed a calculation in
quantum computer performed a calculation in

200 seconds, that would overwhelm
200 seconds, that would overwhelm

a conventional supercomputer.
a conventional supercomputer.

The achievement is known as quantum supremacy,
The achievement is known as quantum supremacy,

and it marks a significant milestone on the
and it marks a significant milestone on the

long road to a fully functioning quantum computer.
long road to a fully functioning quantum computer.

Artificial intelligence systems have conquered a variety
Artificial intelligence systems have conquered a variety

of complex two-person games.
of complex two-person games.

But this year, a system called Pluribus upped the ante.
But this year, a system called Pluribus upped the ante.

It beat professional players in thousands of six-hand
It beat professional players in thousands of six-hand

games of no-limit Texas Hold ’em poker,
games of no-limit Texas Hold ’em poker,

a vastly more complex challenge.
a vastly more complex challenge.

Denisovans, the extinct cousins of Neanderthals,
Denisovans, the extinct cousins of Neanderthals,

have been known only by scraps of fossils
have been known only by scraps of fossils

from a Russian cave in Siberia.
from a Russian cave in Siberia.

But their genetic traces are found in modern humans,
But their genetic traces are found in modern humans,

especially in Melanesia and Australia.
especially in Melanesia and Australia.

This year, scientists used a new protein method
This year, scientists used a new protein method

to identify a jaw bone found
to identify a jaw bone found

on the Tibetan Plateau as Denisovan.
on the Tibetan Plateau as Denisovan.

It's the first physical trace of a Denisovan
It's the first physical trace of a Denisovan

found outside Siberia.
found outside Siberia.

And another research group used genetic data
And another research group used genetic data

to reconstruct the face of a Denisovan girl.
to reconstruct the face of a Denisovan girl.

The search for effective treatments for Ebola
The search for effective treatments for Ebola

has seen a string of disappointments.
has seen a string of disappointments.

But this year, two drugs tested
But this year, two drugs tested

during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic
during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic

of the Congo, dramatically increased
of the Congo, dramatically increased

a patient's chance of survival.
a patient's chance of survival.

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft celebrated
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft celebrated

the new year by relaying images of an icy
the new year by relaying images of an icy

object from the far reaches of the Solar System,
object from the far reaches of the Solar System,

1.6 billion kilometers beyond Pluto.
1.6 billion kilometers beyond Pluto.

It looks like two merged lumpy pancakes.
It looks like two merged lumpy pancakes.

Researchers believe it hasn't been disturbed
Researchers believe it hasn't been disturbed

since the formation of the Solar System,
since the formation of the Solar System,

and it holds clues to how planets form.
and it holds clues to how planets form.

A series of studies has indicated that some
A series of studies has indicated that some

severely malnourished children recuperate
severely malnourished children recuperate

slowly, if at all, because their gut microbes
slowly, if at all, because their gut microbes

remain in an immature state.
remain in an immature state.

This year, researchers came up with nutritional
This year, researchers came up with nutritional

supplements the gut flora in these children recover,
supplements the gut flora in these children recover,

paving the way for more effective treatments.
paving the way for more effective treatments.

A drug combination approved this year
A drug combination approved this year

in the United States, aims to turn Cystic fibrosis
in the United States, aims to turn Cystic fibrosis

from a progressively damaging lung disease,
from a progressively damaging lung disease,

into a manageable chronic illness for most patients.
into a manageable chronic illness for most patients.

The treatment, which counteracts the effects
The treatment, which counteracts the effects

of a genetic mutation carried by 90%
of a genetic mutation carried by 90%

of Cystic fibrosis patients, comes 30 years after
of Cystic fibrosis patients, comes 30 years after

researchers identified the gene behind the disease.
researchers identified the gene behind the disease.

This year, microbiologists took a major step
This year, microbiologists took a major step

toward understanding the origin of eukaryotes,
toward understanding the origin of eukaryotes,

the group that includes plants, animals,
the group that includes plants, animals,

and other organisms with cell nuclei.
and other organisms with cell nuclei.

After 12 years of trying, they succeeded in
After 12 years of trying, they succeeded in

culturing a microbe that belongs to an elusive
culturing a microbe that belongs to an elusive

group called Asgard archaea.
group called Asgard archaea.

They are the closest relatives to eukaryotes,
They are the closest relatives to eukaryotes,

according to recent DNA analyses.
according to recent DNA analyses.

Now, researchers have this missing link
Now, researchers have this missing link

in hand to study.
in hand to study.

And now, the Breakthrough of the Year.
And now, the Breakthrough of the Year.

In a technical tour de force, astronomers
In a technical tour de force, astronomers

combined observations from dozens of radio
combined observations from dozens of radio

telescope dishes at eight observatories around
telescope dishes at eight observatories around

the globe, to generate the first image of a
the globe, to generate the first image of a

black hole.
black hole.

The image shows a ring of light surrounding
The image shows a ring of light surrounding

a supermassive black hole at the center of
a supermassive black hole at the center of

a galaxy 53 million light-years from Earth.
a galaxy 53 million light-years from Earth.

Science is recognizing this impressive international
Science is recognizing this impressive international

collaboration, and its impact on our understanding
collaboration, and its impact on our understanding

of the cosmos, as the
of the cosmos, as the

2019 Breakthrough of the Year.
2019 Breakthrough of the Year.