Ebola, Rosetta, e-cigarettes and more top stories of 2014

West Africa’s Ebola epidemic captured the attention of both the scientific world and the world at large in 2014, placing it first among the Top 25 stories of the year. Other big news included the rise and fall of a claimed detection of gravitational waves, new findings about the history of early humans from analyses of DNA and the spectacular landing of the Rosetta spacecraft’s robotic explorer Philae on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

For perspective on the year’s top stories, see “Science’s good, bad, ugly year” from managing editor Tom Siegfried, and “Science inspires awe — and arguments” from editor in chief Eva Emerson.

Without further ado, here’s our list of the top 25 stories of the year: