That doesn't mean such a planet will be easy to find. It may be that there is an Earth-like planet just waiting to be found in α Cen B's 'habitable zone', with temperatures in just the right range to support the presence of liquid water and life as we know it. Still, the discovery has astronomers excited because low-mass planets often seem to come in groups. "If there are any inhabitants there, they're made of asbestos," SETI Institute astronomer Seth Shostak quipped in an interview with NPR. With a year lasting just 3.2 days, the planet speeds around α Cen B in a scorching orbit, one that's far too close to be considered habitable. The planet, which is at least 1.1 times the mass of the Earth, orbits Alpha Centauri B (α Cen B), one of two sun-like stars in the three-star system. Astronomers have found evidence for an Earth-mass planet in our own backyard, about 4.4 light years away in the Alpha Centauri system, the star system nearest to our own. The exoplanet zoo just got a truly spectacular addition.
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Enjoy more free content and benefits by creating an account Saving articles to read later requires an IEEE Spectrum account The Institute content is only available for members Downloading full PDF issues is exclusive for IEEE Members Access to Spectrum's Digital Edition is exclusive for IEEE Members Following topics is a feature exclusive for IEEE Members Adding your response to an article requires an IEEE Spectrum account Create an account to access more content and features on IEEE Spectrum, including the ability to save articles to read later, download Spectrum Collections, and participate in conversations with readers and editors. By collaborating on this project supermarkets are showing their continued commitment to reducing the amount of plastic on our planet.Close Stay ahead of the latest technology trends. When you throw something away, there is no “away”. The Universal Bag is designed to offer an alternative solution that saves plastic from landfill, is simple to recycle 100%, is guaranteed for 10 years, and is hopefully special enough to inspire people to use it. In line with the collaborative philosophy of this project, Anya Hindmarch and its production partner Solent Group, have committed to share the learnings from this project with all global retailers on request, with the ambition to advance progress in the use, reuse and recycling of shopping bags around the world.Īnya Hindmarch, Founder and Creative Director commented: “Everyone needs a bag to move things around. By creating a bag that customers feel excited to be seen with and are motivated to take care of, reuse is expected to increase, tackling one of the major issues still surrounding the shopping bag. In addition to being practical and durable, the Universal Bag is also designed to be desirable. You simply turn the bag into its built-in pocket which acts as a pre addressed envelope, and then post it through a letter box. The Universal Bag features an innovative, convenient freepost returns pouch built into a pocket inside the bag. The bag is made from 100% recycled plastic and each step and material used in making the bag has been fully certified under the Global Recycling Scheme (GRS), making this a truly 100% recycled product.Įach Universal Bag is guaranteed to last ten years having been extensively tested for durability. The Sainsbury’s edition will launch on Decemacross 334 stores (RRP £10), with the Waitrose edition available on January 2022 in over 90 stores initially (RRP £10).