Tag Archives: dozens

Discovery of Dozens of Potential ‘Tatooine’ Exoplanets by Astronomers

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In the past 15 years, the discovery of circumbinary planets—exoplanets orbiting binary stars—has been firmly established. Thanks to observations from NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a total of 14 such planets have been identified using the transit method. Recently, innovative techniques applied to TESS data have unveiled 27 new orbiting star candidates, indicating that these unique planetary systems may be more prevalent than previously thought.

Artist’s impression of an orbiting exoplanet and its two parent stars. Image credit: Sci.News.

The newly identified planet candidates range from sizes comparable to Neptune to those with masses up to 10 times that of Jupiter.

The closest candidate is located approximately 650 light-years away from Earth, while the farthest is about 18,000 light-years distant.

“Candidates are distributed across both the southern and northern skies,” said study co-author Ben Montet, an astronomer at the University of New South Wales. “This means that if you have a telescope, at least one of these systems will be observable regardless of the time of year.”

“We discovered 27 planet candidates out of 1,590 binary systems, which signifies nearly 2% of these binary systems have the potential for hosting planets.”

“This could translate into thousands, or even tens of thousands, of planets waiting to be uncovered through data from the new 10-year sky survey conducted by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, known as the Space-Time Heritage Survey.”

“This represents a thrilling first step, revealing the significant work that lies ahead in the coming years.”

The team’s novel planet-detection technique, referred to as posterior body precession, has been used in the past to characterize binary stars but was previously unutilized for large-scale exoplanet searches.

This method involves monitoring the long-term changes in the orbits of visible binary stars due to stellar eclipses. Variations in the timing of these eclipses—unexplainable by general relativity or stellar interactions—suggest a third object, possibly a planet, may be influencing the star’s orbit.

“A significant portion of our current understanding of planets is based on biased detection methods,” states lead author Dr. Margo Thornton, a candidate at the University of New South Wales. “We’ve primarily identified those that are the simplest to detect.”

“This innovative method has the potential to reveal a multitude of hidden planets, particularly those that are not perfectly aligned to our line of sight.”

“It may help illuminate the true distribution of planets in our universe,” added Dr. Montet. “We are enthusiastic about the number of planets we could uncover using this approach.”

“Our preliminary research suggested that we would find 27 candidates at this stage, but we are thrilled to have achieved that.”

“We’re now embarking on an exciting project to validate which of these planets are indeed real.”

The team’s findings will be published in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Margo Thornton et al. 2026. 27 circumbinary planet candidates detected through posterior body precession of eclipsing binaries observed by TESS. MNRAS 548 (3): stag515; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stag515

Source: www.sci.news

Dozens of US Beaches to Close by July 4th Due to Fecal Bacteria Contamination

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Right before the extended Independence Day weekend, numerous beaches nationwide were closed due to high levels of harmful bacteria, accompanied by health advisories. The issue stems from fecal waste, a prevalent summer concern in both freshwater and ocean areas, which can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses and skin infections.

At least six states have enacted beach or lake closures and advisories. Testing revealed unsafe levels of fecal bacteria in various waterways. In Massachusetts, nearly 20 beaches are closed due to elevated bacterial counts. In New York, four beaches have been shut down. Illinois has issued at least eight advisories over recent weeks. Los Angeles County announced 8 ocean water quality advisories as of Tuesday. Three beaches in Michigan have been closed.

The bacteria posing threats to summer swimmers include E. coli and enterococcus. Contamination may result from sewage, fertilizers, or stormwater runoff. E. coli is often found in freshwater environments, while enterococcus can develop in both oceans and freshwater.

Edward Dudley, the director of Penn State’s E. coli reference center, noted that testing for swimming waters is a standard practice, as are the subsequent closures.

Antalpreet Jutla, an associate professor of environmental engineering science at the University of Florida, mentioned that beach closures tend to occur during the summer months when surface temperatures rise and bacteria can proliferate more easily. However, he emphasized that various factors — including human activities, temperature, and water movement — can influence bacterial growth.

Jutla also reiterated that closures due to fecal bacteria are quite common.

In North Carolina, authorities cautioned about a cyanobacteria algae bloom in Lake Norman, advising people to keep children and pets away from water that appears bright green, blue, or scummy. Unlike fecal bacteria, cyanobacteria are one of the primary causes of algae in freshwater environments, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research indicates that climate change may cause more frequent cyanobacteria blooms.

The Environmental Protection Agency has established guidelines for safe levels of fecal bacteria and recommends water quality and monitoring standards. Some Illinois beaches undergo testing every two weeks.

“Generally, the higher the level, the greater the risk,” Dudley stated.

Fecal waste can result in numerous harmful diseases, but experts are increasingly concerned about the recent rise in another dangerous bacterium, Vibrio.

Vibrio is a potentially lethal bacterium responsible for similar beach closures in the recent past. These carnivorous bacteria flourish in warm coastal waters. Jutla noted that he has observed Vibrio gradually migrating northward across the US. Testing for this bacterium varies based on specific conditions and concentration thresholds.

“While trends nationwide seem unusual at the moment, it’s something we’re particularly worried about: its presence in coastal waters,” Jutla remarked regarding Vibrio.

The deadly V. vulnificus is a rare type of bacterium, yet infections have surged in recent years due to warmer seawater along the US East Coast.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Authorities report dozens of deaths from mysterious disease in Congo

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A mysterious illness with flu-like symptoms has claimed the lives of dozens of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as reported by the country’s health authorities.

As of Tuesday, the unknown disease has resulted in the death of 79 people and the sickness of 376 individuals, according to the country’s Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Security.

In a statement regarding X, the ministry stated that the origin of the disease is “still unknown” and was first identified in Kwango province in southwestern Congo.

Symptoms reported include fever, headache, stuffy nose, cough, difficulty breathing, and anemia.

According to Reuters and Associated Press, local authorities have warned that the death toll could potentially rise to 143.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the remains of those who have died with similar symptoms should not be handled without the involvement of authorized health authorities. They urged the public to report any suspicious illnesses or unusual deaths, avoid large gatherings, and follow basic hygiene practices like washing hands with soap and water.

Emergency public health officials are being deployed to the affected area, as confirmed by the ministry.

The World Health Organization, in response to the reports of the unidentified illness, stated to NBC News that they are collaborating with local authorities and have dispatched a team to collect samples for laboratory testing.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with offices in Congo, is aware of the situation and is providing technical support to a rapid response team sent by the local emergency operations center.

Source: www.nbcnews.com