page_title: 2013 in science
section_title: July
hierarchical_section_title: 2013 in science / Events, discoveries and inventions / July
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. Navy X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System makes an arrested landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) as the ship conducts flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia on July 10, 2013. The successful landing marks the first time a tail-less, unmanned autonomous aircraft landed on a modern aircraft carrier.
context_page_description: A number of significant scientific events occurred in 2013, including the discovery of numerous Earthlike exoplanets, the development of viable lab-grown ears, teeth, livers and blood vessels, and the atmospheric entry of the most destructive meteor since 1908. The year also saw successful new treatments for diseases such as HIV, Usher syndrome and leukodystrophy, and a major expansion in the use and capabilities of technologies such as 3D printing and autonomous cars.
  The United Nations designated 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation.
context_section_description: 1 July
  Neptune's moon Neptune XIV is discovered.
  The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope releases new data on the highest-energy regions of the observable universe, including over 500 new gamma-ray bursts.
  2 July
  Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50%, according to a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers.
  Using computer modelling and solar data, Scottish scientists determine that the last living species on Earth in the distant future will be extremophile microbes able to survive harsh conditions.
  Microsoft develops a 3D touchscreen that uses force sensors and a robotic arm to allow users to "feel" objects that it displays.
  The first Maersk Triple E-class container ships, the largest and most energy-efficient cargo vessels yet constructed, begin sea trials.
  The two most recently discovered moons of Pluto are officially named Styx and Kerberos.
  3 July
  In a breakthrough for regenerative medicine, Japanese scientists grow functional livers from stem cells and successfully transplant them into mice.
  It is reported that naval sonar can seriously disrupt the behavior of whales, potentially causing them to fatally beach themselves.
  Bone marrow transplants are found to remove all traces of HIV from two test patients, in conjunction with antiretroviral treatments.
  A New Zealand student designs a "skeletal" 3D-printable orthopedic cast that offers far greater lightness, cleanliness and ventilation than conventional casts, and can be personalized to suit individual patients and specific injuries.
  4 July
  The London Array, at the time the world's largest offshore wind farm, opens in the UK.
  A US study reveals that remaining mentally and physically active in old age is key to slowing the onset of dementia.
  5 July
  European researchers create molecular nanowires which are ultra-sensitive to ambient magnetic fields, requiring no actual magnetic materials to change their electrical conductivity. The invention, which is similar to the system used for navigation by migratory birds, could have numerous applications in electronics, from improved magnetic sensors and hard disk drives to enhanced smartphones.
  Scientists record X-ray videos of bats in flight, revealing the highly efficient skeletal motion that allows them to fly. This data could be used to design new, more efficient flying robots.
  6 July
  The Solar Impulse aircraft completes the first cross-country flight over the United States powered entirely by solar energy.
  Scientists report that a wide variety of microbial life exists in the subglacial Antarctic Lake Vostok, which has been buried in ice for around 15 million years. Samples of the lake's water obtained by drilling were found to contain traces of DNA from over 3,000 tiny organisms.
  8 July
  Nanoparticles of rust could be used to efficiently generate hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water, according to a scientific study.
  Researchers state that the first baby conceived with a new, cheaper, more efficient form of IVF is born healthy.
  9 July
  Scientists develop a blood test for babies that can reportedly predict a person's long-term health and rate of ageing in later life.
  A radical new theory of the composition of the Earth's core is published. It proposes that the shape of the solid iron core is determined by the atomic structure of the different forms of iron of which it consists.
  North Carolina State University researchers demonstrate a method of 3D printing liquid metal at room temperature, forming freestanding structures which maintain their shape despite initially remaining liquid. The invention, which uses an alloy of gallium and indium, could allow electronic circuitry and even flexible wiring to be printed on demand.
  10 July
  French scientists construct an ultra-precise optical lattice clock that misses only one second in 300 million years. The clock's measurements could form a new basis for global time standards, replacing the present generation of atomic clocks.
  The American Northrop Grumman X-47B becomes the first drone to perform an a
caption: 10 July 2013: the Northrop Grumman X-47B (photographed above) becomes the first robotic aircraft to successfully land on an aircraft carrier at sea.
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