The dawn of a new year is always a good time to take stock of priorities, hopes, and goals. True, it’s a somewhat artificial designation, but by turning the page of the calendar, we symbolically open a new chapter of our lives. In this spirit of reflection, I was intrigued by a recent article in the Times. The premise was this: what one scientific discovery would change everything? What key piece of information would completely alter our perception of our universe and our place in it?

Several influential people (scientists and otherwise) were asked this question, and answers varied from “personal genomics” to “radiotelepathy” to, yes, “finding (or not) life on Mars.” Whether or not you agree with any of these luminaries, the article is important in re-affirming the transformative, paradigm-shifting power of science. In the trenches, it’s often hard to lose sight of the potential impact of our work, but it’s clear that science can, has, and will fundamentally change things.

An inspiring thought on the first Monday of 2009. And now, back to the trenches.