GABRIELA GONZALEZ: Gravity spy
A physicist helped to catch the first direct signs of long-sought gravitational waves.
DEMIS HASSABIS: Mind crafter
An AI developer beat one of the best at Go. Next up, solve global problems.
TERRY HUGHES: Reef sentinel
A coral researcher sounded the alarm over massive bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef.
GUUS VELDERS: Cooling agent
An atmospheric chemist laid the foundation for an international climate agreement.
CELINA M. TURCHI: Zika detective
A physician raced to make sense of a medical mystery in northeast Brazil.
ALEXANDRA ELBAKYAN: Paper pirate
The founder of an illegal hub for paywalled papers has attracted litigation and acclaim.
JOHN ZHANG: Fertility rebel
A physician jump-started debate over a controversial IVF procedure.
KEVIN ESVELT: CRISPR cautionary
A budding biologist put gene-drive ethics before experiments.
GUILLEM ANGLADA-ESCUDÉ: Planet hunter
An astronomer detected the nearest known planet outside the Solar System.
ELENA LONG: Diversity trailblazer
A transgender physicist paved the way for greater acceptance of minority groups.
