While forest fires destroyed land and decimated homes in southern California, and cyclones killed thousands in Bangladesh, the world's scientific community was embracing a year of significant advancements. 2007 saw breakthroughs in the fight against cancer, obesity and diabetes, and a revolution in stem-cell research that could eliminate the controversial culling of cells from human embryos. Meanwhile, former Vice President Al Gore, along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work to educate us on the dangers of global warming — and the measures necessary to fight it.