Important Scientific Issues of Today

Oftentimes when looking at the science section of The New York Times, I wonder why some scientific discoveries are chosen to be discussed, while others are simply deemed less interesting for the average reader? This has a lot to do with the fact that there may be discrepancies between what a non-scientist and a scientist think are the most crucial issues that scientists should be investigating. As it usually takes such a long time for a discovery in the lab to be translated into a "real-world" application, any kind of scientific research that in fact sounds immediately relevant (and would be more likely to be mentioned by a politician running for office, for example) is automatically more appealing for someone reading the Science Times. I have no qualms about this; I simply find it interesting to think about what might be considered as an interesting science story to casually read about in the newspaper, and I have made a list below (in no particular order):

1. Alternative energy (solar, wind, nuclear, biofuels, etc - the infamous debate about not relying on oil is still a pertinent issue)
2. Global warming and weather patterns (along with this is natural disasters and their aftermaths - it's really no longer feasible to think that global warming is just a "myth" that scientists "made up")
3. Any kind of major physics discovery (like discovering new subatomic particles - finding the smallest particles of matter is just simply awesome!)
4. Any kind of major astronomy discovery (like discoveries about new planets, stars, or solar systems - once again, it is just simply awesome to understand how big the universe really is! Work to show that there could be life on other planets also puts everything in perspective, as well)
5. Pathogenic viruses and bacteria (and fear of their worldwide spread - especially those that are resistant to vaccines and antibiotics)
6. Any new archaeological discoveries that shed light on human evolution (there is a never-ending curiosity to investigate who was around before Homo sapiens and why they went extinct!)
7. New theories about the evolution of animal behavior (everyone loves a good story about how other animals are similar to - or very different from - us, especially in terms of neurological function)
8. Any kind of quirky story about a rare animal species that somehow provides major insight into how humans function, as we tend to forget that we are animals, too (and especially if this species is endangered or affected by damage to our ecosystems)
9. Progress (or lack of progress) in solving how to cure major diseases so we can all live longer, healthier lives (and how much genetics versus the environment - nature versus nurture - contributes to these diseases)
10. Any report of new collaborations being made in the fields of math, science and engineering research (some may say that the best discoveries are made from the most unexpected collaborations!)