Hubble confirms nearest known extrasolar planet

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with ground-based observatories, has provided definitive evidence for the existence of the nearest extrasolar planet to our solar system.

The Jupiter-sized world orbits the Sun-like star Epsilon Eridani, which is only 10.5 light-years away (approximately 63 trillion miles). The planet is so close it may be observable by Hubble and large ground-based telescopes in late 2007, when the planet makes its closest approach to Epsilon Eridani during its 6.9-year orbit.

The article doesn’t say if it’s been assigned a label or a name yet, they’re probably waiting until it can be seen in 2007. They need to give this planet a cool name, not just some lame P4X-639 type label. They’ve finally go around to naming the not-at-planet-really planet beyond Pluto too: Eris

THE drive for “green energy” in the developed world is having the perverse effect of encouraging the destruction of tropical rainforests. From the orang-utan reserves of Borneo to the Brazilian Amazon, virgin forest is being razed to grow palm oil and soybeans to fuel cars and power stations in Europe and North America.

Most interesting quote:

The aim is to help meet Kyoto protocol targets for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

So to meet their own Kyoto quotas, they’ll encourage the destruction of someone else’s environment

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Decaffeinated coffee may have a harmful effect on the heart by increasing the levels of a specific cholesterol in the blood, researchers say.

I always knew that stuff was poison.

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