discoveries

Lost: Sunspots.
This year, astronomers expect the fewest sunspots—magnetic storms on the sun's surface—in a century. Fewer spots indicates a cooler sun, which could cool the planet by a fraction of a degree.

Using Google Earth, his own legwork, and a slew of amateur spies, Curtis Melvin has mapped out all of North Korea's secrets. Called "North Korea Uncovered", the project has pinpointed everything from nuclear facilities to restaurants, from anti-aircraft arsenals to a waterslide.

Google Earth in its current form went live in June 2005. In addition to allowing users to fly to their childhood homes, zoom in on potential vacation spots, and explore under the sea and atop the world's highest peaks, the virtual mapping software has proven instrumental in a number of scientific discoveries -- several in 2009 alone. Here's a look back at some of the highlights.

Any guesses on future Google Earth discoveries? Will Google Earth be an ever-more-important scientific tool in the future? Post in the comments.

Scientists estimate the number of species on Earth to be close to 10 million -- and each year, the number of known species grows. The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists recently released its "Top 10" list of new species described in 2008.