Costa Rica Leads 'Happy Planet Index' Posted: 5 months ago by kakana
Costa Rica tops the "Happy Planet Index," a ranking of ecological efficiency among the world's nations, survey officials say.
Of the 143 nations surveyed for the Happy Planet Index, the United States ranked 114.
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 154 [+].
"Billie" the turtle wins Costa Rica sea race Posted: 3 years ago by AutumnLotus
A leatherback turtle called Billie won the first Great Turtle Race from Costa Rica to the Galapagos Islands, swimming at a leisurely 5 to 6 kilometres per hour, organisers say.
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 39 [+].
Sizzling Planet Makes Some Stars Look Cool Posted: 3 years ago by AutumnLotus
The hottest planet ever discovered is charcoal black and makes even some stars seem cool. Scientists think the exoplanet absorbs nearly all the starlight that reaches its surface and then reradiates it back out into space as heat.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 72 [+].
Earth's moon could become a planet Posted: 3 years ago by Jaxomlotus
The new definition, proposed this week by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), basically says every round object orbiting the sun is a planet, unless it orbits another planet. Asteroid Ceres will become a planet. Pluto's moon Charon will become a planet, things could get really strange.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 4 [+].
Planet Unicorn Heyyy! Posted: 2 years ago by dork
A gay boy wishes for a planet full of Unicorns. This is the story of that planet
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 97 [+].
Planet-hunters find bonanza of new solar systems Posted: 3 years ago by AutumnLotus
Planet-seekers who have spotted 28 new planets orbiting other stars in the past year say Earth's solar system is far from unique and there could be billions of habitable planets.
Comments: 3 Score: [-] 55 [+].
Three students discover unique planet Posted: 12 months ago by AutumnLotus
Three undergraduate students, from Leiden University in the Netherlands, have discovered an extrasolar planet. The extraordinary find, which turned up during their research project, is about five times as massive as Jupiter. This is also the first planet discovered orbiting a fast-rotating hot star.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 351 [+].
Astronomers from Heidelberg discover planet in a dusty disk around a newborn star Posted: 2 years ago by AutumnLotus
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg have discovered the youngest known extrasolar planet. Its host star is still surrounded by the disk of gas and dust from which it was only recently born. This discovery allows scientists to draw important conclusions about the timing of planet formation.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 237 [+].
Giant Planet Orbits Backwards Posted: 4 months ago by Bingo
Astronomers have discovered a planet, WASP-17, that is twice the size of Jupiter. That makes it the largest planet ever discovered. Unlike other planets, it orbits opposite to its star’s direction.
But why is WASP-17 so big? The discovery suggests that have been subjected to intense tides as it traveled in its strange orbit, causing it to become stretched and bloated.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 301 [+].
Planet Of The Apes as a Twilight Zone Posted: 3 years ago by TheStep
Classic sci-fi film cut down to half an hour and given the feel of a Twilight Zone episode. Why? Because of the involvement of Rod Serling in both - and the whopping great twist!
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 49 [+].
Mission Could Seek Out Spock's Home Planet Posted: 3 years ago by AutumnLotus
Science fiction may soon become science fact. Astronomers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have recently concluded that the upcoming planet-finding mission, SIM PlanetQuest, would be able to detect an Earth-like planet around the star 40 Eridani, a planet familiar to "Star Trek" fans as "Vulcan."
Comments: 4 Score: [-] 164 [+].
Stay married and save the planet: Aussie lawmaker Posted: 9 months ago by AutumnLotus
Staying married is better for the planet because divorce leads the newly single to live more wasteful lifestyles, an Australian lawmaker said Tuesday.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 88 [+].
Largest transiting extrasolar planet found around a distant star Posted: 2 years ago by AutumnLotus
An international team of astronomers with the Trans-atlantic Exoplanet Survey announce today the discovery of TrES-4, a new extrasolar planet in the constellation of Hercules. The new planet was identified by astronomers looking for transiting planets – that is, planets that pass in front of their home star – using a network of small automated telescopes.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 97 [+].
Massive Transiting Planet With 31-hour Year Found Around Distant Star Posted: 2 years ago by AutumnLotus
Astronomers with the Trans-atlantic Exoplanet Survey today announce the discovery of their third planet, TrES-3 in the constellation Hercules about 10 degrees west of Vega. The new planet was identified by astronomers looking for transiting planets — that is, planets that pass in front of their home star.
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 99 [+].
Scientists discover new planet orbiting dangerously close to giant star Posted: 1 year ago by AutumnLotus
A team of astronomers from Penn State and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland has discovered a new planet that is closely orbiting a red-giant star, HD 102272, which is much older than our own Sun. The planet has a mass that is nearly six times that of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.
Comments: 1 Score: [-] 182 [+].
Scientists Discover Record Fifth Planet Orbiting Nearby Star Posted: 2 years ago by AutumnLotus
Astronomers have announced the discovery of a fifth planet circling 55 Cancri, a star beyond our solar system. The star now holds the record for number of confirmed extrasolar planets orbiting in a planetary system.
Comments: 6 Score: [-] 322 [+].
Astronomers find possible new planet Posted: 6 months ago by bingo
Astronomers may have discovered the first planet in another galaxy — thought to be six or seven times the size of Jupiter.
In order to find the celestial body, located more than two million light years away, the astronomers used a method called gravitational microlensing.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 220 [+].
Planet Of The Heston Posted: 2 years ago by latueofstiberty
Planet of the Apes cut down to Charlton Heston's dialoge only. Makes it sound like a 15 minute rant.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 94 [+].
First planet with water is spotted outside Solar System Posted: 2 years ago by deepchill
"Astronomers on Wednesday announced they had spotted the first planet beyond the Solar System that has water, the precious ingredient for life."
Comments: 8 Score: [-] 77 [+].
Astronomers find hottest planet ever discovered Posted: 1 year ago by AutumnLotus
A planet called WASP-12b is the hottest planet ever discovered (about 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2,200 degrees Celsius), and orbits its star faster and closer in than any other known world.
Comments: 2 Score: [-] 297 [+].
Yin-yang planet has phases like the moon Posted: 6 months ago by AutumnLotus
A SUPER-HOT planet 1500 light years away has been seen waxing and waning like the moon. The discovery hints that hot gas giants come in two varieties.
Comments: 0 Score: [-] 299 [+].