“Water Worlds” are a recently discovered type of exoplanet where water contributes to 50% of the planet’s mass. For comparison, the Earth’s water only contributes 0.02% to our planet’s mass. A research team discovered these Water Worlds after an analysis of exoplanets revealed discrepancies between their size and their density; they were too light for how big they were. A significant number of the exoplanets they analysed—which all revolved around the universe’s most common type of star, M stars—were Water Worlds, suggesting they could be as common as Earth-like planets. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here
Merv
January 27, 2023
