.
2006
Pluto classified as a dwarf planet
Element 118 (ununoctium)
2006 — The long-awaited three-year WMAP results are released, confirming previous analysis, correcting several points, and including polarization data.
Astronomy
March 29 total eclipse from Turkey
January 25 - The discovery of the planet OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb through gravitational microlensing is announced by PLANET/RoboNet, OGLE and MOA
February 1 - 2003 UB313 is found to be larger than Pluto.
February 13 - The recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi erupts. The last outburst occurred in 1985.
March 29 - Total solar eclipse (Brazil, Greece, Mid Atlantic ocean, Sahara, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia).
June 30 - The discovery of 9 additional natural satellites of Saturn published.
August 24 - Pluto is redesignated as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union, joining 2003 UB313 and 1 Ceres.
September 13 - 2003 UB313 is assigned the name Eris.
September 22 - Annular solar eclipse in South America, West Africa, and Antarctica.
Biology
December - Baiji declared "functionally extinct".[1]
Environment
January 19 - Australian researchers at the CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research centre in Hobart, Tasmania, publish experimental data that matches models of increasing sea level rising. [1]
Mathematics
The great prime search project finds the 44th Mersenne prime.[2]
Space exploration
January 15 - The Stardust spacecraft successfully completes its primary mission of returning samples of cometary and interstellar dust to Earth. Its sample return capsule touches down safely inside its intended landing area in Utah, close to the Army Dugway Proving Ground.
January 19 - The NASA spacecraft New Horizons launches successfully from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and leaves Earth's orbit shortly afterwards on its journey to Pluto
February 2 - NASA's public affairs office is accused of censoring the comments by James Hansen of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. [2]
March 24 - The maiden flight of the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket ends in failure.
July 12 - The launch of the first private experimental space habitat, Genesis I.
September 12 - The construction of the International Space Station is continued for the first time after a hiatus of almost four years.
Science ethics
January 27 - The University of Tokyo announces that Kazunari Taira has produced irreproducible results [3]
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14 May 2006 Death of Robert Bruce Merrifield
9 August 2006, Death of James Alfred Van Allen in Iowa City, Iowa
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Nobel Prize
Physics to John C. Mather, George F. Smoot "for their discovery of the blackbody form and anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation"
Chemistry to Roger David Kornberg "for his studies of the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription"
Physiology or Medicine to Andrew Z. Fire and Craig C. Mello "for their discovery of RNA interference - gene silencing by double-stranded RNA"Arrow link
Source: Wikipedia, : All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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