These are some of the biggest science stories of 2019

The last year has seen some fascinating, unprecedented moments in science, and Your Morning's science and technology expert Dan Riskin stopped by to show his picks of the biggest ones. From mysterious illnesses to a stellar photo of the cosmos, these are the top ten most important science stories of the decade! Find Dan's picks below, and watch the video above for more from Dan.

10. JACK THE RIPPER IDENTIFIED

The most infamous serial murderer in history was identified through DNA testing. Unsolved and conspiracy theorists had different ideas about who it was. There was a shawl found, which people managed to extract DNA from, which finally fingered the identity of Jack the Ripper - Aaron Kosminski, a 23-year-old Polish barber and a prime police suspect at the time.

9. BABY TIGER SHARKS EAT BIRDS

We found out that baby Tiger Sharks eat migratory birds in the Gulf of Mexico! Check out the story here.

8. ELEPHANTS CAN COUNT BY SMELL

Elephants can smell quantity, and count sunflower seeds by smell, a study suggested. Check out the story here.

7. DAVID SAINT JACQUES COMES HOME

After six months on the ISS, David Saint Jacques came home. It was the longest any Canadian had been in space, and almost as long as any human has been. The doctor was studying how does the human body handle space, and watched his own body falling apart – muscles weakening, back getting stretched out. The big question is – could a human really go farther? Could a human ever go to Mars?

6. E-CIGARETTES MAKING PEOPLE SICK

A mysterious illness linked to e-cigarettes caused at least 40 people to die. The CDC investigated and think they have nailed a major culprit called vitamin E oil - a substance which is safe, and in lots of our food.

5. DAD JOKES ARE FUNNY

We found out that dad jokes sound funnier when there’s a laugh track or a recording of one person laughing, compared to no laughter.

4. EXTINCTION RATES ARE HIGH

Extinction Rates are very high, and worse - they are accelerating, according to a UN Report from the IPBES.

3. BIODIVERSITY ON THE MOON

The Israelis accidentally left water bears on the moon when they crashed their lander. Some of them are probably still alive, and could be for decades.

2. EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

We are now seeing the effects of Climate Change. It is no longer a “future” problem. The amount of greenhouse gas has double since the 80s, and the temperature in the Arctic has gone up 0.7 degrees in the last decade. There is record melting of glaciers, but also a record number of climate strikes - people are taking action!

1. A PICTURE OF A BLACK HOLE

We finally got a picture of a black hole! Everyone has been waiting to see this, and we finally laid our eyes on one.[video_embed id='1709379']New research says the ability to deceive is viewed as sign of competence[/video_embed]