The most important scientific achievement of the outgoing 2020 is the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine, Science reported. 

Not so long ago, scientists argued that it would take at least a year to develop vaccines against COVID-19, but reality has shown that science can do incredible things if there really is a need for it.

Science magazine has published a list of the most important scientific breakthroughs of 2020, noting, a number of other discoveries. The second most important discovery is associated with research devoted to the folding of proteins into three-dimensional structures. According to scientists, the folding of proteins into irregular 3D structures is the cause of a huge variety of diseases. If science manages to create reliable models of protein coagulation, then medicine will receive data that will be useful in the treatment of a number of diseases.

The new successes of the genetic editor CRISPR is another achievement. The creators were awarded the Nobel Prize this year. More recently, CRISPR has demonstrated the ability to treat hereditary blood diseases.

The Science sample includes studies on climate change as well.