A landmark special issue collaboration between Kew and New Phytologist Foundation highlights the global roadmap for protecting and sustainably using plants and fungi. The research emphasizes the importance of collaboration and recognizes the threats to plant and fungal diversity, highlighting a critical need for conservation efforts.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized 'pi planet' called K2-315b, which orbits its star every 3.14 days and has a surface temperature of around 350 degrees Fahrenheit, making it unlikely to support life.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a crisp new image of Jupiter's storms, revealing a bright white plume traveling around the planet at 350 miles per hour. The Great Red Spot, currently an exceptionally rich red color, is shrinking in size and appears to be interacting with surrounding clouds.
Astronomers have found a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf star at breakneck speed every 34 hours. The system violates common conventions and may provide a rare habitable arrangement for life to arise.
The discovery of WD 1856 b, a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf every 34 hours, shows the likely presence of planets around these star remnants. The finding was made possible by NASA's TESS Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope data.
An international team of astronomers has reported the discovery of a planet, WD 1856 b, orbiting a white dwarf star, which is about seven times larger than the star. The planet's unusual orbit has confirmed previous theories of planetary migration from outer to inner solar systems.
Astronomers have discovered a Jupiter-sized planet, WD 1856b, orbiting close to a white dwarf star, defying previous assumptions about planetary destruction. The planet's unique characteristics suggest it may have originated far from the star and survived its demise, raising hopes for future discoveries.
Astronomers have detected a Jupiter-sized planet, TOI-1899 b, orbiting a low-mass star, providing insights into the formation of giant planets. The discovery was made possible by the Habitable-zone Planet Finder spectrograph and offers a unique opportunity to study the properties of warm Jupiters.
Researchers found three large, misaligned dust rings around the young triple star system GW Ori, with sufficient dust for planet formation. A computer simulation suggests that a hidden planet may have carved out a dust gap and broken the disk at the location of the current inner and outer rings.
A team of astronomers identified the first direct evidence that groups of stars can tear apart their planet-forming discs, leaving them warped and with tilted rings. This discovery suggests exotic planets may form in inclined rings around multiple stars.
A team of experts identified a stellar system where planet formation might take place in inclined dust and gas rings within a warped circumstellar disc around multiple stars. The discovery reveals that the inner ring contains 30 Earth masses of dust, which could be enough to form planets.
Two teams of astronomers used ALMA to discover a misaligned ring system in the planet-forming disk of GW Orionis, a triple star system. The findings suggest that either gravitational pull from the stars or a newborn planet caused the misalignment, highlighting the complex processes involved in planetary formation.
New study finds enstatite chondrite meteorites contain sufficient hydrogen to deliver at least three times the mass of Earth's oceans, contradicting assumptions that the planet is dry. The findings support the idea that Earth's water originated from the nebular material from which the planet accreted.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that precipitation must have been between 13-520 feet to fill ancient lake beds and river valleys on Mars. This study helps scientists understand the planet's climate and provides a crucial reference for future Mars missions.
Scientists are using a High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) and iSHELL/IRTF to observe the newly discovered planet AU Mic, aiming to disentangle its radial velocity signal from stellar activity. This will allow for precise calculations of the planet's orbital parameters and mass.
Astronomers have discovered a Saturn-sized planet orbiting a small, cool star 35 light-years from Earth using the astrometric technique. The planet has a mass comparable to Saturn and orbits its star every 221 days. This discovery is significant as it reveals that smaller planets can exist around cooler stars.
The latest Hubble image of Saturn reveals small atmospheric storms in the planet's northern hemisphere, with pronounced banding visible. The ringed planet's atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium, with seasonal changes due to increased sunlight also producing a reddish haze.
Astronomers have discovered a lost planet, NGTS-11b, which orbits a star 620 light years away and is located five times closer to its sun than Earth. The discovery brings astronomers closer to finding cooler planets in the habitable 'Goldilocks zone' that can support liquid water.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have discovered 37 recently active volcanic structures on Venus, suggesting the planet's interior is still churning. The study provides evidence that Venus is no longer a dormant planet and may hold clues to its geological development.
Astronomers at the University of Warwick have discovered a Neptune-sized gas giant with an exposed core, allowing for the first time to peer inside a planet. The core is believed to be 'failed' or stripped of its gaseous atmosphere, offering insights into planet formation and composition.
Scientists have discovered an exoplanet with an exposed core, similar in size to Neptune, orbiting a star about 730 light years away. The researchers believe the planet may be a gas giant that lost its atmosphere or failed to form one due to special circumstances.
KELT-9 b experiences two summers and two winters every year due to its unique polar orbit around an extremely hot star. The planet's atmosphere streams away into space as it receives 44,000 times more energy from its star than Earth does from the Sun.
Researchers successfully measured the spin-orbit alignment for the first time in a directly-imaged planetary system. The study reveals that the Beta Pictoris system is as well-aligned as our own solar system, favoring planet-planet scattering as the cause of orbit obliquities.
The Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of a young star surrounded by a disk that casts a huge, 200-light-year-long shadow. The shadow's movement was initially thought to be caused by planet warping the disk, but further observation revealed it was actually flapping like wings.
Astronomers using TESS and Spitzer data report the discovery of AU Mic b, a Neptune-like planet that orbits its young star in under 10 days. The system offers a unique laboratory for studying planetary atmospheres and interactions with stars.
Scientists have discovered a planet about as large as Neptune that orbits the young star AU Mic in just over a week, providing valuable insights into planetary formation and evolution. The planet, named AU Mic b, was detected using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and retired Spitzer Space Telescope.
Astronomers have discovered an infant planet, AU Mic b, orbiting a 25-million-year-old star in the solar system. The planet, about the size of Neptune, takes only eight and a half days to complete one orbit around its host star, AU Microscopii.
Astronomers have discovered a Neptune-sized planet, AU Mic b, orbiting a young and nearby star, AU Microscopii. The discovery provides an opportunity to study the early days of planetary formation and migration in a solar system's early stages.
Researchers estimate that there may be as many as one Earth-like planet for every five Sun-like stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. This number could lead to new insights into planet formation and evolution theories, optimizing future exoplanet missions.
Scientists analyzed mineral data from glaciers to determine Earth's climate before the Neoproterozoic glaciation. They found that the planet may have experienced a gradual cool-off into a Snowball Earth state, rather than an abrupt transition.
The study found that airborne dust can cool down the hotter dayside but also warm the night side, effectively widening the planet's habitable zone. This process is a negative climate feedback, postponing the loss of water and making the planet more habitable.
Astronomers found that stars in the cluster's periphery have planet-forming dust clouds, while those near the center lack them. The observations suggest that location plays a crucial role in planet formation, and massive stars may alter disk properties, making it harder for planets to form.
Cornell University astronomers have developed a practical model to tease out climate clues for potentially habitable exoplanets. By analyzing the effects of planetary surface color and light from its host star, they can calculate a climate, providing valuable insights into the detectable spectra of Earth-like planets.
The Cassini spacecraft captured high-resolution images of Saturn's Hexagon, revealing a multilayered haze system with particles as small as 1 micron. The team discovered that the hazes are organized by gravity waves and may be responsible for the hexagon's formation.
The collaboration provides new insights into Jupiter's turbulent weather, including the association of lightning outbreaks with specific cloud structures. The team maps lightning flashes onto optical images, revealing a three-way combination of clouds and clear regions that facilitate convection and energy release.
Researchers from UBC have discovered a new timeline for the ancient magnetic field on Mars, with evidence of dynamo activity at 4.5 billion and 3.7 billion years ago. The findings suggest that the Martian dynamo was active earlier than previously thought, providing insights into the planet's thermal history and evolution.
Researchers tracked Venus' atmospheric clouds and winds using Akatsuki data to estimate forces sustaining super-rotation. Thermal tides from solar heating near the equator are found to provide required angular momentum
Researchers found that atmospheric tidal waves formed from solar heating on the planet's dayside and cooling on its nightside maintain Venus' super-rotation. The study also reveals a dual circulation system that transports heat across the globe.
Researchers used a new geochemical tool to analyze volatile elements in Earth's interior, revealing that nitrogen has been present since the planet's formation. The method, which identifies air contamination, provides valuable insights into the evolution of our planet and may also be used to monitor volcanic activity.
Researchers have successfully measured wind speed on a brown dwarf, an object intermediate in mass between a planet and a star. The study found that the brown dwarf's atmosphere is rotating faster than its interior, with a calculated wind speed of about 1425 miles per hour.
A team led by Professor Shigeru Ida from Tokyo Institute of Technology suggests that Uranus was struck by a small icy planet, which tipped the young planet over and left behind its unique moon system. This model reproduces the current configuration of Uranus' satellites and may help explain other icy planets' configurations.
Scientists discovered that more carbon than expected stayed in the mantle, suggesting it was sequestered into lighter elements like silicon and oxygen in the core. Despite this, the majority of Earth's total carbon inventory still likely exists in the core.
New studies propose that Earth's mantle, rather than its core, was responsible for generating the planet's early magnetic field. This concept is supported by estimates of thermodynamics of magnetic field generation within the liquid portion of the early Earth's mantle.
Researchers propose that Mercury's surface chemistry lab, fueled by solar winds and hot temperatures, can produce ice over a period of 3 million years. This process could account for up to 10% of Mercury's total ice reserves.
Researchers detected chemical variations between day and night on the planet, revealing the presence of iron vapour condensing into drops on the dark side. This discovery provides insights into the extreme climate conditions on ultra-hot giant exoplanets.
Numerical simulations reveal a 'safety zone' where warmer gas pushes satellites away from their parent planets, explaining the presence of single large moons like Titan. The findings support the idea that many large moons formed along with their parent planets.
Astronomers have discovered a rare opportunity to study the evolution of a planetary system, with the DS Tuc binary system providing insights into how planets form without being heavily impacted by external forces. The findings suggest that the planet DS Tuc Ab formed through relatively calm processes.
The SEIS seismometer has measured over 174 probable 'Mars quakes', providing valuable data on the planet's composition. The analysis indicates a layer of rock 10 kilometres thick, with waves spreading at relatively slow speeds, suggesting fissured or chemically altered rock.
Astronomers at the University of Cambridge discovered a potentially habitable exoplanet, K2-18b, which is 2.6 times the radius and 8.6 times the mass of Earth. The planet's hydrogen-rich atmosphere may allow for liquid water to exist beneath its surface.
The InSight lander has detected gravity waves, surface swirling dust devils and the steady rumble of infrasound on Mars. The team also found daily pressure and temperature fluctuations stronger than on Earth, and convective vortices known as dust devils.
Researchers analyzed Marsquakes from InSight mission, finding moderate seismic activity intermediate between Earth and the Moon. The data revealed geological layers within the planet and identified areas of high geological activity, guiding future missions searching for potential life.
The NASA InSight lander has recorded over 450 marsquakes on Mars, providing insights into the planet's internal structure and tectonic activity. The data reveals a stronger attenuation in the upper mantle compared to the lower mantle, indicating a more fractured crust.
Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet orbiting a star in just over 18 hours, the shortest orbital period ever recorded. The hot Jupiter, NGTS-10b, is perilously close to its sun and may be spiralling towards destruction.
A sub-Neptune sized planet, G 9-40b, has been validated as an exoplanet using the HPF at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The discovery confirms the planet's mass and orbits its low-mass host star 100 light years from Earth.
Scientists Takashi Yoshizaki and Bill McDonough developed a new compositional model for Mars, predicting the depth to its core-mantle boundary at around 1,800 km. The model suggests moderate amounts of sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen in Mars' core, with the core accounting for only about one-sixth of the planet's mass.
A team of scientists using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope has detected radio waves from exoplanets interacting with their star's magnetic field, which can heat and erode a planet's atmosphere. The discovery paves the way for novel ways to probe exoplanet environments and determine habitability.
Scientists modeled early impact events on Mars, revealing a heterogeneous mantle and challenging previous estimates of the planet's formation time. The new research provides insight into the Red Planet's evolution and composition.
Researchers analyze cyclical changes in light spectrum emitted by Proxima Centauri and suggest the presence of a second planet. The candidate planet orbits every 5.2 years and may be a 'super-Earth', challenging current models of low-mass planet formation.
A 'cold Neptune' and two temperate super-Earths, GJ180d and GJ229Ac, have been discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf stars, offering a chance to study potentially habitable worlds. The planets were found using the radial velocity method and offer insights into exoplanet formation and evolution.
Scientists studied Martian atmospheric water vapor using ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter data, finding seasonal changes were the dominant regulator. The study suggests that warm seasons can lead to increased water loss into space, impacting Mars' continued desiccation.