Descubrimiento vs. hallazgo
The Spanish words 'descubrimiento' and 'hallazgo' both denote the idea of discovery, but they are used in different contexts. 'Descubrimiento' is often used to refer to discovering something new or unknown to the world or society, usually of great importance. In contrast, 'hallazgo' is more commonly used to refer to finding something that was lost or overlooked.
Descubrimiento
A significant discovery, unveiling something new or yet unknown to the world.
El descubrimiento de América por Cristóbal Colón fue un hito en la historia.
(The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus was a milestone in history.)
El descubrimiento de la penicilina cambió el curso de la medicina.
(The discovery of penicillin changed the course of medicine.)
La ciencia siempre está en busca de nuevos descubrimientos.
(Science is always in search of new discoveries.)
Hallazgo
Finding something that has been overlooked or lost, possibly of personal value.
El hallazgo del anillo perdido fue un alivio para ella.
(The finding of the lost ring was a relief for her.)
El hallazgo de documentos antiguos en la bodega fue sorprendente.
(The finding of old documents in the warehouse was surprising.)
La policía hizo un hallazgo importante en la escena del crimen.
(The police made an important find at the crime scene.)
Summary
'Descubrimiento' and 'hallazgo' refer to different types of discoveries. While both terms involve uncovering something, 'descubrimiento' typically involves greater societal revelations and developments, whereas 'hallazgo' relates more to individual or less globally significant findings.