Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

main scientific-technological challenges for 2026

in 2026 it begins with an important archaeological news. Fossils of an ancestor of sapiens have been found in Morocco. They seem to belong to the last common ancestor of the Sapiens, the Neanderthals and the Denisobars. They are from the same period as the Homo ancestor of Atapuerca, but since the latter are morphologically more similar to the Neanderthals, they believe that the common ancestor may be Moroccan. However, they are still uncertain, so clarifying this remains a challenge.

Of course, there are other challenges for years, in all areas. For example, in the climate, decarbonisation on the one hand and the energy transition on the other will be key. Researchers will also focus on improving renewable energy sources with several objectives: improving efficiency, reducing dependence on critical minerals, etc. Along with all this, adaptations will also be essential to mitigate or prevent the effects of climate change.

In the same vein, from an environmental point of view, the waste issue will remain a major challenge. the Convention of Plastics was suspended in 2025, and even if 2026 is not reached, it should be a year of steps. Combating the loss of diversity is also a priority.

Related to all of the above are emerging diseases that threaten human health and antibiotic resistance, among others. On the other side of the coin, medical research awakens hope, as technologies and treatments that were recently part of hope are reaching more and more patients: immunotherapy, gene therapy, mRNA treatments, advances in neuroscience... In the prevention of AIDS, 2026 should be the year of the spread of lenakapabir, because in many parts of the world AIDS is still a major challenge.

In astronomy, China and the United States have plans for the Moon China will send a robotic Chang’e 7 mission to the Moon’s South Pole; and the US will make the Artemis II crew trip to bring humans back to the Moon later. Japan has announced a mission to explore the moons of Mars, while ESA is launching a satellite to study exoplanets (PLATO). Without forgetting that this is a year in which we will be able to observe a total eclipse of the Sun from many places in the Basque Country!

In physics, work will continue on the transformation of fusion energy into usable energy; quantum computers will move from research to application and the Large Hadron Collider LHC will begin to be renovated.

In all these areas—and in many others—they will harness the power of artificial intelligence by linking more data to achieve increasingly better results. the two main challenges will be to correct the errors and the biases and not create inequalities.

In all areas, the challenge will be to take into account ethical and social aspects so that development is equitable and reaches all.