REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 22, 2009 — As we close out 2009 and get ready for 2010, the editorial team of Microsoft PressPass has compiled below our selection of the most interesting stories we ran over the past year about Microsoft people and technologies.

WorldWide Telescope Puts Wonders of Space on a PC

March 24 — Since its public beta release in May 2008, WorldWide Telescope has garnered rave reviews in the press, support from educators and scientists across the globe, two award nominations, and nearly 2 million regular users.

Giving Healthcare a Digital “Touch”

April 6 — Prototype applications based on Microsoft Surface show potential to improve patient-doctor interactions, help children rehabilitate, and manage disasters.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Blazes Trail to Age of Digital Recordkeeping

April 7 — Microsoft HealthVault and Microsoft Amalga will give the hospital’s patients unprecedented online access to medical information.

A Look at Microsoft Research’s New “Platform for Science”

July 16 — The Project Trident workflow system greatly simplifies data-intensive research by allowing researchers in any discipline to build their own custom computer experiments without relying on computer scientists to write them from scratch.

Hohm Shows Way to More Energy-Efficient Future

Aug. 13 — Microsoft Hohm helps consumers reduce their energy consumption so utilities can better manage demand and power generation.

Microsoft Tag Gives Consumers a New Way to Gain Information, Take Action from Mobile Phones

Sept. 17 — Microsoft Tag technology is an updated mobile bar code that turns phones into marketing devices for publishers, retailers, consumer goods makers, and the hospitality industry.

Jim Gray eScience Award Recipient Unlocks Secrets in the Snow

Oct. 16 — Using satellites and powerful computing tools, Jeff Dozier has gained a deep understanding of the role snowfall and snowmelt play in creating healthy ecosystems.

Windows 7 Launch Slideshow & Virtual Presskit

Oct. 22 — See scenes from around the world as Microsoft launched the much-anticipated Windows 7 operating system. From New York to Paris to Tokyo, customers turned out to view and try out the product on a wide array of new computer hardware.

Spread the Word: Speech Recognition Is the “New Touch” in Computing

Oct. 28 — The Speech at Microsoft group is integrating voice technology into some of Microsoft’s best-known applications, revolutionizing how people interact with their computers and mobile devices.

Microsoft College Tour With Craig Mundie

Nov. 5 — See highlights from Microsoft Chief Research & Strategy Officer Craig Mundie’s tour of four U.S. universities where he discussed how science and technology are solving big world problems.

From the Cloud to the Crowd: NASA and Microsoft Ask Citizen Scientists to “Be a Martian”

Nov. 17 — Built on Microsoft cloud services technologies, NASA’s interactive “citizen-science” Web service lets anyone explore the Red Planet up close, while also contributing to Mars missions.

Bing Maps Rolls Out Enhanced Aerial and Street-Level Views

Dec. 2 — Bing Maps is launching features that give users a new view of the planet, including a Streetside and enhanced aerial view. The new features incorporate key Microsoft research and technology such as Photosynth and Silverlight.