Two habitable planets that could support life discovered

Agencies
June 19, 2019

Two exoplanets that have been discovered, which are warm similar to Earth and may have water, could be alternatives to support life, according to a study on Tuesday.

Scientists have been searching for planets close to nearby stars since 2016 using a 3.5-meter telescope.

Images captured at the Calar Alto Observatory in Almeria, southern Spain, and two other Spanish telescopes allowed researchers to analyse, in great detail, the Teegarden star—a cold red dwarf only around 12.5 light years away from our solar system, Efe news reported.

"Teegarden only has eight per cent of our sun's mass," said Ignasi Ribas, co-author of the study. "It is much smaller and much less brighter than the Sun. In fact, despite being very close to the Earth it was not discovered until 2003," Ribas said.

The temperature of the star is around 2,600C (the Sun's temperature is 5,500C) and because it is 10 times smaller, it's 1,500 times weaker and radiates mostly infrared waves.

Once the star was found, scientists used the Doppler technique, also known as the wobble method, which uses radial-velocity measurements of the parent star to detect planets around it.

The Doppler technique detected at least two signals, which have now been identified as planets Teegarden b and Teegarden c.

Teegarden b has the mass similar to Earth and orbits the star every 4.9 days. The second planet takes 11.4 days to complete the orbit, which is the length of its year.

"In other words, they are much closer to their (parent) star than the Earth is to the Sun," Ribas said.

"Teegarden, the more internal one, receives 10 per cent more light than we do from the Sun, that's why we think it may be too hot and may not have water. But this is just speculation because there are elements of its climate that we don't know and that could mean there could be liquid water," he continued.

Teegarden hovers in the midst of a habitable zone, which means the temperature on its surface is between 0 degree Celsius and 100 degree Celsius, meaning it could very well have water on surface.

What scientists are excited about is that both exoplanets are excellent candidates to support life, alongside Proxima, which to date was the planet that presented the best conditions for habitability.

Experts believe between the closest star to our solar system -- Proxima Centauri that is four light years away, and Teegarden (the 24th furthest away at 12 light years) -- there are dozens of stars, some with planets orbiting them, but "apart from Proxima, none of them present ideal conditions (for life)," Ribas said.

Researchers have not ruled out the possibility of there being more planets orbiting Teegarden, but the system would have to be observed in more detail. "These planets are of great interest in order to search for life in the mid-term," Ribas said.

Without doubt, for the scientist, the forthcoming decade will be thrilling and key in space exploration and the search for suitable terrestrial exoplanets.

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News Network
October 29,2024

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Kasargod, Oct 29: At least 154 people have been injured in a fireworks accident at the Anjootambalam Veererkavu Temple in Kerala's Kasaragod district. Among the injured, eight individuals are reported to be in serious condition, with one person in extremely critical condition. The tragic incident occurred just after midnight on Monday during the traditional Theyyam festival, which drew over 1,500 attendees to the temple.

Eyewitnesses stated that the accident was triggered when sparks from firecrackers ignited additional fireworks stored in a nearby room. As panic ensued, a stampede followed, leading to further injuries. Local authorities confirmed that 97 individuals have been admitted to various hospitals in Kasargod, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Mangalore for treatment.

A young girl present during the incident recounted, "The accident took place after sparks from crackers fell into a room where other fireworks were stored. Soon, we were all running away, and I fell down and got injured. My sister escaped unhurt."

Safety Protocols Ignored: Police Detain Temple Officials

Authorities have attributed the cause of the fire to negligence on the part of the temple officials. The police have taken two members of the temple committee into custody for questioning. According to local officials, the temple had stored low-intensity fireworks worth around Rs 25,000 for the festival, which concludes on Tuesday night.

Kasargod district Superintendent of Police (SP) D. Shilpa emphasized that the temple authorities failed to comply with safety protocols, noting that they did not secure the mandatory licenses required for the bursting of firecrackers. District Collector K. Inbasekar confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway, with forensic samples collected from the accident site.

Local CPI(M) MLA M. Rajagopal expressed his condolences, calling the incident "very unfortunate" and reinforcing that safety measures must be strictly adhered to during such celebrations. Kasargod MP Rajmohan Unnithan echoed these sentiments, pointing out the serious lapses on the part of officials responsible for ensuring safety during the festival.

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News Network
October 27,2024

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Sunday, October 27, that his party is prepared to contest the Maharashtra Assembly elections independently if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) does not include them in the alliance. 

Yadav assured that the SP would only contest in constituencies where it has a strong organizational presence and would ensure its participation does not affect the MVA’s overall prospects.

Several I.N.D.I.A. alliance members have expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress over seat-sharing arrangements in upcoming state polls. 

Both the CPI(ML)L and the RJD voiced frustration after being offered only 3-4 seats each for the Jharkhand elections by the Congress.

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News Network
October 28,2024

Mangaluru: In a chilling incident that has raised suspicions of foul play, a 35-year-old man was discovered dead inside a train coach traveling from Bengaluru to Murudeshwar. 

The deceased, identified as Mouzzan from Kumbarpete, Doddaballapur, worked as a sales representative and was differently-abled. He boarded the train on October 24 from Yesvantpur and occupied the Divyang Coach.

The incident came to light on the morning of October 25 at Udupi, where a railway guard found Mouzzan unresponsive. The railway police immediately rushed him to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead. 

With no identification documents on him, the police utilized a label, “RS Tailor Chickpete,” found on his shirt collar to trace his family through WhatsApp, helping his relatives reach Mulki by Saturday.

Upon inspection, police noticed ligature marks around Mouzzan’s neck, hinting at possible foul play. His family reported that his bag and mobile phone were missing, raising further suspicion. 

The last known location of his phone was traced to Sakleshpur, suggesting he may have been targeted during the journey. Investigators suspect robbery as a motive and are now actively pursuing leads, with searches underway in Mysuru and Bengaluru.

A case has been filed at Mulki police station, and efforts to uncover the truth behind this tragic incident are intensifying as police work to piece together the circumstances that led to Mouzzan’s untimely death.

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