Month: May 2024

Science and Technology

[Fox News] Scientists discover thick atmosphere enveloping rocky so-called ‘super Earth’ planet

A thick atmosphere has been detected around a planet that’s twice as big as Earth in a nearby solar system, researchers reported Wednesday.

The so-called super Earth — known as 55 Cancri e — is among the few rocky planets outside our solar system with a significant atmosphere, wrapped a blanket of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The exact amounts are unclear. Earth’s atmosphere is a blend of nitrogen, oxygen, argon and other gases.

“It’s probably the firmest evidence yet that this planet has an atmosphere,” said Ian Crossfield, an astronomer at the University of Kansas who studies exoplanets and was not involved with the research.

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER SOLAR SYSTEM WITH 6 PLANETS IN PERFECT SYNC

The research was published in the journal Nature.

Super Earth refers to a planet’s size — bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. The boiling temperatures on this planet — which can reach as hot as 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit – mean that it is unlikely to host life.

Instead, scientists say the discovery is a promising sign that other such rocky planets with thick atmospheres could exist that may be more hospitable.

The exoplanet 41 light years away is eight times heavier than Earth and circles its star Copernicus so closely that it has permanent day and night sides. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles. Its surface is encrusted with magma oceans.

To identify the makeup of its atmosphere, researchers studied Webb Space Telescope observations before and after the planet passed behind its star.

They separated the light emitted from the planet versus its star and used the data to calculate the planet’s temperature. There’s evidence the planet’s heat was being distributed more evenly across its surface – a party trick atmospheres are known for.

Gases from its magma oceans may play a key role in holding its atmosphere steady. Exploring this super Earth may also yield clues to how Earth and Mars might have evolved first with magma oceans that have since cooled, scientists say.

“It’s a rare window,” said Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who was part of the research. “We can look into this early phase of planet evolution.”

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Business

[Fox Business] City in Florida considered America’s best spot to live: where do other cities stack up?

The Sunshine State is home to the city that just nabbed the title of the best spot to live in the U.S.

That development comes as U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday identified Naples, which sits on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, as the top city for people to reside in its “2024-2025 Best Places to Live” report.  

Scoring well in the job market and quality of life categories helped Naples achieve that feat and beat out 149 other major U.S. cities that also appeared on the list, the outlet said. In last year’s rankings, Naples was No. 6.

There were some changes to how U.S. News & World Report went about creating its “Best Places to Live” list compared to previous years that resulted in some shake-ups. 

THE BEST PLACES FOR RECENT COLLEGE GRADS TO MOVE

The outlet said it started looking at “city-based data” instead of “metropolitan area-based data.” The value and job market measures, two of the four main categories it uses for its analysis, received more emphasis as well.

The value, job market and quality of life metrics played a big role in Idaho’s capital city, Boise, landing in second-place for 2024-2025, U.S. News & World Report said.

Colorado Springs, Colorado; Greenville, South Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina also appeared among the report’s five highest-ranking cities, according to the report. 

In sixth place was Raleigh, North Carolina, the outlet said.

BEST STATES TO WORK FROM HOME, RANKED: SEE WHERE YOUR REMOTE SET-UP IS LISTED

Huntsville, the biggest city in Alabama, scored the No. 7 placement for best locales to live in. U.S. News and World Report also found it was the second-most affordable of the cities it looked at.

The outlet put Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Austin, Texas, in eighth and ninth place, respectively. The latter city, which performed well in terms of desirability and job market, previously held the top spot from 2017 to 2019.

While the South had a major presence in the top 10, the state of Colorado did have a second city that completed the portion of the rankings: Boulder, according to the report. 

“Rising concerns about career prospects, housing affordability and increased cost of goods and services are reflected in this year’s rankings. While quality of life remains the top priority for many Americans, a city’s value and job market are becoming increasingly important for those looking for a place to live,” U.S. News & World Report loans expert and reporter Erika Giovanetti said in a statement. 

NO COLLEGE DEGREE? SEE THE BEST AND WORST PLACES IN THE US FOR A JOB

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently said the U.S. as a whole had a 3.9% unemployment rate in April. 

Meanwhile, Americans faced a median monthly housing payment of $2,894 for the four weeks ending May 5, according to Redfin. That marked an “all-time high,” the company said.

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