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PrintEmailMore sharingDanger meets discovery: Top 10 science stories of 2012By Elizabeth Landau, CNNDecember 28, 2012 -- Updated 2016 GMT (0416 HKT) | Filed under: Innovationsif (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(10);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Mars rover lands, does science", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}
The Mars rover Curiosity has been sending back spectacular images of the Red Planet in addition to analyzing the chemistry of the soil and atmosphere on Mars. The rover, about the size of a Mini Cooper, arrived on August 6.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Mars rover lands, does science"}Scientists detected a particle whose properties match those of the elusive Higgs boson, whose existence helps us understand why matter has mass. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Higgs boson may have been detected"}Oscar-winning director James Cameron traveled to the deepest known point in the world's oceans.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"James Cameron goes underwater"}Skydiver Felix Baumgartner undertook a record-breaking free-fall jump from the edge of space.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Felix Baumgartner skydives"}Astronomers identified the closest known planet to Earth outside our solar system. It is 4 light-years away and orbits a star called Alpha Centauri B.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Alpha Centauri B has a planet"}PH1, confirmed to be a planet, is in a unique solar system configuration -- it has four suns! Seen here on the right, PH1 was identified by citizen scientists through the group Planet Hunters. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Planet with four suns is found"}
Scientists detected a particle whose properties match those of the elusive Higgs boson, whose existence helps us understand why matter has mass. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Higgs boson may have been detected"}
Oscar-winning director James Cameron traveled to the deepest known point in the world's oceans.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"James Cameron goes underwater"}
Skydiver Felix Baumgartner undertook a record-breaking free-fall jump from the edge of space.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Felix Baumgartner skydives"}
Astronomers identified the closest known planet to Earth outside our solar system. It is 4 light-years away and orbits a star called Alpha Centauri B.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Alpha Centauri B has a planet"}
PH1, confirmed to be a planet, is in a unique solar system configuration -- it has four suns! Seen here on the right, PH1 was identified by citizen scientists through the group Planet Hunters. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"Planet with four suns is found"}
NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained images of asteroid Vesta, which, in 2012, was declared a "protoplanet."cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"Dawn captures Vesta images"}Endeavour is one of four NASA space shuttles that found a new home in 2012. After a much-viewed tour through the streets of Los Angeles, the shuttle now resides at LA's California Science Center.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Space shuttles go on display"}Private company SpaceX successfully sent almost 900 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station in its first official mission in October. Pictured here is Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX (at podium), with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"SpaceX Dragon goes to space station"}For the first time, scientists showed they can obtain a near-total genome sequence of a fetus using a blood sample from the mother and saliva from the father.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"Fetus genome sequenced"}HIDE CAPTIONMars rover lands, does scienceHiggs boson may have been detectedJames Cameron goes underwaterFelix Baumgartner skydivesAlpha Centauri B has a planetPlanet with four suns is foundDawn captures Vesta imagesSpace shuttles go on displaySpaceX Dragon goes to space stationFetus genome sequenced<<<
Endeavour is one of four NASA space shuttles that found a new home in 2012. After a much-viewed tour through the streets of Los Angeles, the shuttle now resides at LA's California Science Center.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Space shuttles go on display"}
Private company SpaceX successfully sent almost 900 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station in its first official mission in October. Pictured here is Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX (at podium), with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"SpaceX Dragon goes to space station"}
For the first time, scientists showed they can obtain a near-total genome sequence of a fetus using a blood sample from the mother and saliva from the father.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"Fetus genome sequenced"}HIDE CAPTIONMars rover lands, does scienceHiggs boson may have been detectedJames Cameron goes underwaterFelix Baumgartner skydivesAlpha Centauri B has a planetPlanet with four suns is foundDawn captures Vesta imagesSpace shuttles go on displaySpaceX Dragon goes to space stationFetus genome sequenced<<<
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10>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Top science achievements of 2012");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe Mars rover Curiosity landed on the surface of the Red Planet in AugustScientists detected a particle whose properties match those of the elusive Higgs bosonA planet with four suns was identified by citizen scientistsFour retired space shuttles found new homes in 2013(CNN) -- From faraway planets to the deepest depths of the ocean, 2012 has been an exciting year for scientific achievements and milestones.
Humans broke previously unimaginable barriers by detecting an elusive tiny particle and free-falling 24 miles from the edge of space. At the same time, we said goodbye to four retired NASA space shuttles that found new museum-type homes.Here's our list of the biggest science achievements this year, in order of significance:1. Curiosity lands, performs science on MarsEvery time I hear the word "curiosity" in a sentence, I'm tempted to butt in and ask if you're talking about the Mars rover Curiosity. She's really there! On Mars! Right now! And people are driving it! (Forgive me, I get excited about this.)Landing this 2-ton rover flawlessly on the surface of Mars is our choice for the most exciting science moment of 2012. You can see from NASA's "seven minutes of terror" video how crazy-complicated that was -- the landing process included a supersonic parachute and a sky crane.I'll never forget watching the live NASA feed with hundreds of other science enthusiasts at Georgia Institute of Technology in the first hours of August 6. James Wray, assistant professor at Georgia Tech, who is affiliated with Curiosity's science team, was next to me, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. And when the landing was confirmed, the room erupted in cheers and shouts. This was only one of many gatherings around the world celebrating this achievement.And then there's all the stuff Curiosity's been doing since then, such as taking gorgeous photos, finding shiny objects, and coming across evidence that water once flowed on Mars.We can't wait to see what Curiosity will do in 2013.2. Higgs boson -- it's real One of the most highly anticipated discoveries in all of physics happened this year -- well, probably. Scientists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, said they used the Large Hadron Collider to detect a particle whose characteristics matched those of the Higgs boson.var currExpandable="expand112";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/12/25/exp-early-zarrella-top-ten-science-pkg.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="C:\Program Files\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\technology\12\121225125458-exp-early-zarrella-top-ten-science-pkg-00004921-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand112Store=mObj;
2012: When danger met discoveryWhat is the Higgs boson, you ask? It's basically a component of an invisible field, called the Higgs field, that is responsible for the mass of all the matter in the universe. In essence, it is why we are here.Finding this particle, sometimes referred to as the "God particle" in popular culture, will fill a large gap in scientists' understanding about how the universe works. But it's not "God" in the way that you might think. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Leon Lederman wrote a book with "God Particle" in the title, but reportedly said he'd actually wanted to call it the "Goddamn Particle."But wait, what about its mass? The two most precise ways that the particle has been measured have yielded slightly different values for its mass, said Beate Heinemann, scientist with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. But these measurements are consistent, and with more data that difference should get smaller. "It all points at the moment to that this is indeed the Higgs boson," she said in an e-mail.More results are expected in March 2013, she said.3. James Cameron's deep diveHe didn't find The Heart of the Ocean necklace, but director James Cameron did probe the remotest depths of the ocean this year. In fact, using his one-man submersible, the maker of "Titanic" and "Avatar" traveled to the deepest known point in the world's oceans.Cameron is the first to go alone to Challenger Deep, the name for that part of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean. Here's a mind-boggling fact: Mariana Trench is deeper than Mount Everest is tall. Only two other humans have ever visited it.In this cold, dark place, miles beneath the ocean's surface, Cameron said he did not see any fish, but did spot some "shrimplike animals." It took him 2 hours, 36 minutes, to get down there."It's a completely alien world," Cameron said.4. Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking jump Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner broke the speed of sound in October by jumping from the edge of space. He got up there on a balloon, then stepped off a platform 24 miles high and landed soon after in the New Mexico desert.Baumgartner wore a 100-pound pressurized flight suit and helmet. Without protection, his blood would have been vaporized because the atmosphere was so thin when he jumped. The temperature at his launch point was estimated at 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, if not lower.In doing so, Baumgartner broke the record for highest jump that had been set in 1960 by Col. Joe Kittinger. As part of a U.S. Air Force mission, Kittinger fell from 102,800 feet. He was a consultant for Baumgartner's efforts.Technology behind how he did it 5. Planet with four sunsYou may recall a scene from "Star Wars" where Luke Skywalker looks out across the landscape of a planet called Tatooine, which had two suns. This year, amateur scientists discovered that in reality, there is a planet with not just two, but four, suns.This planet, called PH1, is special for another reason: It's the first confirmed planet that the Planet Hunters group has identified. Planet Hunters is a citizen science organization, made of people just like you, who are combing through planet data. The group has also helped identify several planet candidates. Learn more at planethunters.org.6. Nearby star has a planetThe closest planet we know of to Earth, outside of our solar system, was identified in October. This planet orbits a star called Alpha Centauri B. It's unlikely to harbor life, but there's hope that other potential planets in that area might be more hospitable to breathing creatures.Of course, when we say "close," we mean 4 light-years, or 23.5 trillion miles, away.About 800 planets have been confirmed to exist outside our solar system, in addition to nearly 2,000 planet candidates found with the Kepler mission.7. Vesta becomes a 'protoplanet'NASA's Dawn spacecraft helped scientists to determine that Vesta, originally thought of as an asteroid, is a "protoplanet." That means that its structure has a dense, layered body, and it orbits the sun.What's the difference between a protoplanet and a planet? It appears that something interrupted the development of protoplanets, which aren't fully formed, so they don't quite make the cut as full-fledged planets.8. Bye-bye, space shuttles In 2011, we said goodbye to NASA's Space Shuttle Program. This year, we saw the four surviving orbiters making Earthly journeys -- whether flown or towed -- to new homes at museums and similar attractions.Discovery is at the Udvar-Hazy Center at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. It flew on the back of a 747 from Kennedy Space Center. This is the most traveled of the space shuttles.Enterprise is at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York. This shuttle never actually went into space, but it was carried on a 747 jet from Washington to New York in June. It was originally designed as a prototype test vehicle.Endeavour is at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, having flown from Kennedy Space Center on the back of a 747. To make room for it to be towed through the city, dozens of trees were cut down and traffic signs removed.Atlantis is at the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. It was the last space shuttle to go to space, and the last to come to rest this year. Unlike the other shuttles, which made flyovers in various parts of the United States, Atlantis moved only 10 miles, towed by land to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in November.The other two shuttles -- Challenger and Columbia -- did not make it back to Earth after accidents that killed their entire crews.9. SpaceX gets to the space station, and backNo NASA shuttles flew in 2012, but a private company called SpaceX successfully sent almost 900 pounds of cargo to the international space station in its first official mission in October. The Dragon capsule came back with nearly 1,700 pounds of freight. This was only months after the SpaceX demonstration flight in May.NASA and SpaceX have a contract for a dozen flights to the space station, and the October trip was just the first.SpaceX isn't the only player in this commercial spaceflight arena. Virgin Galactic, Sir Richard Branson's private spaceflight company, recently completed a high-altitude test. Orbital Sciences is also under contract with NASA, and will also launch a demonstration flight.10. Baby's DNA constructed before birthFor the first time, researchers at the University of Washington were able to construct a near-total genome sequence of a fetus, using a blood sample from the mother and saliva from the father.The study suggested this method could be used to detect thousands of genetic diseases in children while they are still in the fetal stage. In the long run, it could help scientists derive new insights about genetic diseases.Right now, this sequencing costs in the neighborhood of $50,000, but given how rapidly the price of genetic testing is falling, the process may become less expensive over time. Of course, it also raises ethical issues about selecting certain desirable traits in children. For right now, however, the technology is still in its early stages.What were your favorite science stories this year? Share them in the comments. 0Comments »PrintEmailMore sharingvar OB_permalink='http://edition.cnn.com'+location.pathname;var OB_langJS='http://widgets.outbrain.com/lang_en.js';var OB_widgetId='AR_1';var OB_Template="cnnedition";if (typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined'){OutbrainStart();}else{var OB_Script=true;var str="cnnad_createAd("730968","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=607x95_adlinks&cnn_intl_rollup=technology&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","95","607");cnnad_registerSpace(730968,607,95);
Part of complete coverage on 2012: Year in P/Review Vote for your face of 2012
Sporting heroes, musical sensations and political leaders: Tell us who the most important person of 2012 was for you. In photos: Olympics opening ceremony
Highlights from the dramatic opening ceremony of the London 2102 Olympic Games directed by British filmmaker Danny Boyle.Internet sensation 'Gangnam Style' August 3, 2012 -- Updated 1746 GMT (0146 HKT)
This year the viral hit "Gangnam Style" by South Korean K-pop star PSY became the most watched video on YouTube.75 amazing sport moments in 2012 December 5, 2012 -- Updated 1730 GMT (0130 HKT)
It wasn't all about the Olympics this year: Catch up skiing, motorsport, football, dog racing and more from the world of sport.Lost and found: Japan one year later
iReporters share the stories of their search to rebuild their lives since the tsunami. They report finding inner strength in the face of their fears.Celebrity child sex scandal rocks BBCOctober 22, 2012 -- Updated 2055 GMT (0455 HKT)
Jimmy Savile was one of Britain's best loved children's television personalities -- until allegations of sexual abuse struck.US Election 2012: The victory speechNovember 7, 2012 -- Updated 0952 GMT (1752 HKT)
Re-elected president Barack Obama tells supporters "the best is yet to come" in his victory address in Chicago. Watch the full length video.Neil Armstrong passes awayAugust 28, 2012 -- Updated 0022 GMT (0822 HKT)
Opinion: Neil Armstrong passes away, aged 82. He's the hero who always shied away from the spoils and trappings of heroism itself. Showdown in SyriaDecember 28, 2012 -- Updated 1217 GMT (2017 HKT)
The unrest in the Middle East continues. See these photos from a showdown in the embattled town of Aleppo, northern Syria.What was your best moment?
iReport: this year, share your special moments with CNN. Send us the image that captures your top moment of 2012.[TECH: NEWSPULSE]Most popular Tech stories right nowThe top 10 tech 'fails' of 2012The top 10 science stories of 2012Steve Jobs' yacht impounded over pay disputeThe top 12 tech stories of 2012All is well after Zuckerberg photo flapExplore the news with NewsPulse »cnnad_createAd("625961","http://ads.cnn.com/html.ng/site=cnn_international&cnn_intl_pagetype=mmst&cnn_intl_position=336x280_adlinks&cnn_intl_rollup=technology&page.allowcompete=no¶ms.styles=fs","280","336");cnnad_registerSpace(625961,336,280); Loading weather data ...
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By Doug Gross, CNNDecember 28, 2012 -- Updated 1808 GMT (0208 HKT) | Filed under: Webif (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(10);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Apple Maps\' fiasco", 1);.cnn_html_slideshow_metadata > .cnn_html_media_utility::before{color:red;content:'>>';font-size:9px;line-height:12px;padding-right:1px}.cnnstrylccimg640{margin:0 27px 14px 0}.captionText{filter:alpha(opacity=100);opacity:1}.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:visited,.cnn_html_slideshow_media_caption a:link,.captionText a,.captionText a:visited,.captiontext a:link{color:#004276;outline:medium none}.cnnVerticalGalleryPhoto{margin:0 auto;padding-right:68px;width:270px}
Apple Maps looked beautiful. Unfortunately, many users soon found the app wasn't so good at ... well ... mapping. Landmarks such as the Washington Monument showed up submerged in bodies of water. Oops.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"Apple Maps\' fiasco"}
Facebook's initial public offering in May got buzz like few stocks in the history of the market. Not nearly as many investors clicked "like" as they would have hoped, though, and the stock soon slumped. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"Facebook\'s bungled IPO"}
Google's media streaming device, the Nexus Q, looks totally fun. Sadly, it was sort of hard to figure out what it's supposed to do.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"Google Nexus Q"}
Remember the Color photo-sharing app that arrived last year with much fanfare and millions in backing? No? It never caught on with users and will shut down December 31.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"Color photo app"}
Daily-deals services like Groupon and LivingSocial were all the rage a few years ago. Then, inbox fatigue and other factors cut into their appeal. Groupon's stock value has plummeted 75%.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"Groupon grumblings"}
Congress may want to stop trying to regulate the Web for a while. When you make every major player on the Internet unhappy -- which the Stop Online Piracy Act did -- they will use the Internet to defeat you. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"SOPA? Nope-a"}
Just because smartphones and GPS can hook us up with nearby strangers doesn't mean that people won't find the whole deal a little creepy. Great, we like the same band -- now leave me alone.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"\'Social discovery\' apps"}
Airtime, a video-chat service created by tech hotshots Sean Parker, left, and Shawn Fanning, launched with a glitzy party in June. Four months later, it had just 10,000 active users.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"Airtime"}
Social game "Draw Something" started with a bang this year but fizzled fast. It was another ominous sign for new owner Zynga, the once-hot "FarmVille" maker whose income tumbled in 2012.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"Zynga"}
If you say dumb things on Twitter, people will notice. And they will mock you. A lot. This gracious tweet from singer Chris Brown was just one of many shining examples from 2012.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"People saying dumb things on Twitter"}HIDE CAPTIONApple Maps' fiascoFacebook's bungled IPOGoogle Nexus QColor photo appGroupon grumblingsSOPA? Nope-a'Social discovery' appsAirtimeZyngaPeople saying dumb things on Twitter<<<
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10>>>Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Top 10 tech 'fails' of 2012");}});STORY HIGHLIGHTSCNN Tech lists the top 10 tech misfires of 2012Apple dumped Google Maps, then made a mess of its own mapsFacebook's stock offering was massively hyped, then underwhelmedSlumping games, pricey "Draw Something" purchase stung Zynga
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in New York before his company's initial public offering.Everybody uses Facebook. And everybody likes to make money. So everybody's going to gobble up Facebook stock, right?So went the conventional thinking -- at least among those of us who spend more time thinking about mobile phones than mutual funds. But on Wall Street? Not so much.It's hard to remember a stock opening more hyped than Facebook's when it hit the market in May. The stock began the day worth about $38. Then, after what everyone predicted to be a dynamic day of trading for the social media superstar, it closed at ... well ... about $38.It wouldn't take long for the pinstripe-suit types to decide it wasn't even worth that. Facebook's stock bottomed out in September, falling below $18. Since then, it's been steadily rebounding and currently sells for about $28.Facebook says it has solid financial plans for the future. And the stock may well keep climbing, eventually turning a profit for folks who bought early.But that fateful day in May will be a reminder that Wall Street and Silicon Valley don't always play well together.AirtimeWhen the man who created Napster and helped launch Facebook talks, the tech industry listens.And when Sean Parker and partner Shawn Fanning tease something new called Airtime, techies fall all over themselves to see what the next great innovation will be.But then, at a fancy launch event featuring celebrities such as Alicia Keys and Snoop Dogg, Parker announces that it's ... basically, a random Web chat tool.Cue the collective, "Huh?"It didn't help that, at that fancy event, Airtime crashed over and over again. Or that folks had a hard time seeing how it would be different than Chatroulette (although Parker promised more users would actually be wearing pants).In October, Parker admitted that Airtme, launched with more than $33 million in backing, had just 10,000 active users. (That's $3,300 spent per user, if you're scoring along at home.)"Running a startup is like eating glass," he said at the All Things D conference. "You just start to like the taste of your own blood."Ouch.Online coupons"These aren't your grandma's coupons!" the digital generation so brashly declared.With their mobile apps and irreverent style, daily-deal offerings such as Groupon and Living Social were all the rage as 2012 dawned.Now? Um, not so much.Groupon, perhaps the best-known player in the field, watched its value plummet 79% in 2012. Its stock value dropped about three-quarters since opening in November 2011 as high-profile investors washed their hands of it.And this is the company Google reportedly tried to buy for $6 billion in 2010.LivingSocial, meanwhile, announced last month it was laying off 400 people. That's after announcing months of revenue losses.So what happened? Inbox fatigue made some users stop checking the deals. A glut of offers you don't care about (pottery classes?) can make your eyes glaze over. And some businesses quit making offers, saying they never saw the promised returns on their investment.Nexus QWhen Google gets something right, they get it really, really right.Redefining Web search? Yep. World's leading mobile system? Check. A car that drives itself? Vroom!But some of the Big G's outings in the gadget world have hit with a thud. Enter ... the Nexus Q.The size and shape of a Magic Eight Ball, the Nexus Q is (or was ... it's hard to say) a media streamer that uses Android to play audio and video. It's also made in the United States, no small thing in a world where virtually all gadgets come from China.Unfortunately, in the grand tradition of Google Wave, nobody really knew what it was when it was released in June. Its release date was pushed back and, eventually, Google just gave everybody who pre-ordered a free one.The Q has not officially been canned. But on Google's online store, the never-released gadget is listed as "not available at this time."Stop Online Piracy Act
People protest the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act outside lawmakers' offices in January in New York.The new law was supposed to be about fighting online piracy. Who's going to be against that, right?Answer: Pretty much the whole Internet.Members of Congress sponsored the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, and related bills to make it easier to shut down websites that illegally share music, movies and other content.But opponents argued it went too far and could end up shutting down legitimate sites while stifling free expression in the process.Unfortunately for backers of SOPA, Web heavyweights such as Google, Facebook, Reddit and Wikipedia joined the fight against the bill. Sites went black on January 18 to raise awareness. Members of communities such as Reddit put intense pressure on lawmakers (including soon-to-be GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan) until they dropped their support or went on record opposing the bill.The unprecedented backlash eventually caused supporters to shelve SOPA, and quite possibly ushered in a new age of Web activism.'Social discovery' appsIf the first wave of social networking was about hooking up with friends, the next wave would be about meeting strangers -- or so the thinking went.Tech-world pundits predicted a new wave of "social discovery" apps that would change the way we meet people. The basic idea was that, by using phones' GPS, users could see who else was nearby and then meet up with other users with shared friends or similar interests."If we get this right, I cannot think of a bigger thing to be working on right now," Paul Davison, CEO of the app Highlight, told CNN in June. "We can take billions and billions of dollars."Significantly, he also chose not to tell a reporter how many users the app had at the time.Banjo and Glancee were apps that did something similar. Others, such as Skout and Grindr, were even more specific -- they let you hunt down willing partners for a quick hookup.But here's the thing -- some users, particularly women, found the apps a little creepy.OK, so you know that somebody sitting in the same bar as you likes the Pixies, "Firefly," the fantasy stylings of George R.R. Martin and the Atlanta Braves. Are you really just going to start waving around your smartphone to get their attention?Sure, they've got good taste. But they still might be jerks.ColorIt was supposed to be a tech-world slam-dunk. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about what some feel could become a tech "bubble."Color, a photo-sharing mobile app, stoked excitement in the startup community that was virtually unrivaled. Before it had a single user, Color had raised $41 million from investors. So certain were its Silicon Valley creators that, reportedly, they turned down a $200 million buyout offer from Google.With much fanfare, Color launched in March 2011. But users soon complained that the app, designed to share photos with the people around you, often didn't find anyone for them to share with. Its creators were forced to announce they were working on a major overhaul on the same day it was released.Color tallied about 1 million users at its peak and, more recently, was reportedly down to about 100,000. Compare that to the roughly 100 million users of photo app Instagram (it had about 27 million when Facebook bought it last year), and you see the problem.Color will be shutting down on New Year's Eve.Zynga
Zynga is the maker of such social games as the popular "Words With Friends."It reads like an old VH1 "Behind the Music" episode."Zynga was riding high. Love them or hate them, its games like "Mafia Wars" and "FarmVille" were everywhere, clogging up Facebook pages and spurring millions of bored casual gamers to pay real cash for virtual cows. Then, it all came crumbling down."OK, maybe "crumbling down" is an overstatement. But things in The 'Ville definitely didn't go Zynga's way in 2012.In October, Zynga announced it was laying off 5% of its employees, shutting down its studio in Boston and proposing the closure of others in Japan and England.(It would be entirely cynical to suggest Zynga hoped to bury that news by making the announcement during Apple's much-hyped iPad Mini event. So we won't suggest that here.)Facebook, which gets a cut when people spend money on games such as "FarmVille," said that income from Zynga was down 20% over last year.And, like unskilled mafia warriors, Zynga shot itself in the foot again in March when it bought the company that makes mobile game "Draw Something" for an eye-popping $180 million. But fascination with "Draw Something" dropped off fast. When's the last time you played?Twitter twitsOK, so you can post something stupid anywhere. But there's something about Twitter's rapid-fire, 140-character bursts that brings out the stupid in people.From companies embarrassing themselves to celebrities behaving badly, it's hard to name just one Twitter doofus. But here are a few nominees:• Chris Brown, the hip-hop star, consistently used Twitter to make himself look like a foul-mouthed rage monster. Instead of thanking fans after winning a Grammy, he launched a profanity-laced bromide at his "haters." Then there were the misogynistic, scatological insults he hurled at comedian-critic Jenny Johnson before "quitting" Twitter. (He's back.)• McDonald's thought it would get a little of that social media love it had been hearing about in January when it created the #McDstories hashtag -- asking customers to share their favorite McDonald's memories. Then it found out what happens when you give the Internet open access to your advertising effort. McDonald's yanked the campaign after just two hours and countless food-horror stories about fingernails, insects and bouts of food poisoning.• Spike Lee was, like many Twitter users, angered by the killing of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Tweeting the home address of shooter George Zimmerman would have been questionable enough. But Lee mistakenly tweeted out the address of a couple who have a son by that name. They had to leave their home after being besieged by reporters and threats. Lee would later apologize and "reach an agreement" with the aggrieved family.• Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was on her way to the Olympics when she tried a little ill-advised Twitter humor. With so many African Olympians in London, "the West Nile mosquitoes will at least eat homemade food!" she wrote. Her tweet was quickly criticized as racially insensitive, and Greece's Olympic Committee barred her from participating in the Games.• Oprah Winfrey had been gushing for weeks about how much she loved the new Microsoft Surface tablet, culminating in this tweet: "Gotta say love that SURFACE! Have bought 12 already for Christmas gifts." Unfortunately for her, those words were followed by ... "via Twitter for iPad."0Comments »