Planetary Scientists Discover Tenth Planet
A planet larger than Pluto-and more distant than any known object in our solar system-has been discovered in the outlying regions of the solar system with the Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Release/PR12724.html.
And ... The Tenth Planet Has a Moon
The newly discovered 10th planet, 2003 UB313-nicknamed "Xena"-has a moon. The moon, dubbed "Gabrielle," is 100 times fainter and at least one-tenth the size of Xena. Precise measurements of the moon's orbit will help scientists finally determine the mass of Xena-and exactly how much bigger than Pluto it is. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases12744.html.
Survey of Early Universe Uncovers Mature Galaxy Eight Times More Massive Than Milky Way
A surprisingly massive and mature galaxy, seen when the universe was only 800 million years old, has been discovered by astronomers using NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12739.html.
Alice Hits the Road
Alice, a tricked-out, driverless Ford E-350 van, spent a week racing down straight-aways and dodging obstacles at the National Qualification Event of the Grand Challenge, DARPA's take-no-prisoners field test of autonomously driven robotic vehicles. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12738.html.
Scientists Uncover Rules That Govern the Rate of Protein Evolution
For reasons that hitherto have been a mystery, some proteins evolve quickly, while others take their sweet time. Now researchers applying novel data-mining methods on the genome sequence of the lowly yeast have figured out why: The evolution of proteins is governed by their ability to tolerate mistakes during their production. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12737.html.
Most Distant Explosion in Universe Detected; Smashes Previous Record
The 60-inch telescope at Palomar Observatory has detected a gamma-ray burst from the edge of the visible universe. The burst, which likely marks the death of a massive star as it collapsed into a black hole, is the most distant explosion ever measured. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12735.html.
Evolutionary Accident Probably Caused the Worst Snowball Earth Episode, Study Shows
Some 2.3 billion years ago, the planet was thrown into a deep freeze and covered from equator to poles with an icy blanket. Scientists have uncovered the culprit behind this "Snowball Earth": lowly bacteria. By releasing oxygen, they destroyed the greenhouse gas methane, a key gas in keeping the planet warm. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12723.html.
Caltech Scientists Create Tiny Photon Clock
In a new development that could be useful for future electronic devices, applied physicists have created a tiny disk that vibrates steadily like a tuning fork while it is pumped with light. This is the first micro-mechanical device that has been operated at a steady frequency by the action of photons alone. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12726.html.
KamLAND Detector Provides New Way to Study Heat from Radioactive Materials within Earth
Using a novel way to measure the heat within our planet caused by the radioactive decay of the elements uranium and thorium, physicists have determined that the earth itself generates about 20 billion kilowatts of power through those decays. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12722.html.
Mars Has Been in the Deep Freeze for the Past Four Billion Years, Study Shows
Scientists have long thought that the Red Planet was once temperate enough for water to have existed on the surface, and for life to possibly have evolved. But new studies of Martian meteorites now suggest that for at least the last four billion years Mars was inhospitable to the evolution of life. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12718.html.
Deep Impact: During and After Impact
Uniquely detailed observations of the Deep Impact space probe's impact with comet Tempel 1 by the Palomar Observatory's 200-inch Hale Telescope have shed new light on the comet's long-term reaction to the collision. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12721.html.
First Planet Under Three Suns Is Discovered
An extrasolar planet under three suns has been discovered in the constellation Cygnus. The planet is slightly larger than Jupiter and, given that it has to contend with the gravitational pull of three bodies, promises to seriously challenge our current understanding of how planets are formed. http://pr.caltech.edu/media/Press_Releases/PR12716.html.
###
Contact: Kathy Svitil (626) 395-8022 [email protected]
Visit the Caltech Media Relations Web site at: http://pr.caltech.edu/media
