Earth-like planets are right next door

 

Using publicly available data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) have found that six percent of red dwarf stars have habitable, Earth-sized planets. Since red dwarfs are the most common stars in our galaxy, the closest Earth-like planet could be just 13 light-years away. "We thought we would have to search vast distances to find an Earth-like planet. Now we realize another Earth is probably in our own backyard, waiting to be spotted," said Harvard astronomer and lead author Courtney Dressing (CfA).
Dressing presented her findings today in a press conference at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass.
Red dwarf stars are smaller, cooler, and fainter than our Sun. An average red dwarf is only one-third as large and one-thousandth as bright as the Sun. From Earth, no red dwarf is visible to the naked eye.
Despite their dimness, these stars are good places to look for Earth-like planets. Red dwarfs make up three out of every four stars in our galaxy for a total of at least 75 billion. The signal of a transiting planet is larger since the star itself is smaller, so an Earth-sized world blocks more of the star's disk. And since a planet has to orbit a cool star closer in order to be in the habitable zone, it's more likely to transit from our point of view.
Dressing culled the Kepler catalog of 158,000 target stars to identify all the red dwarfs. She then reanalyzed those stars to calculate more accurate sizes and temperatures. She found that almost all of those stars were smaller and cooler than previously thought.
Since the size of a transiting planet is determined relative to the star size, based on how much of the star's disk the planet covers, shrinking the star shrinks the planet. And a cooler star will have a tighter habitable zone.
Dressing identified 95 planetary candidates orbiting red dwarf stars. This implied that at least 60 percent of such stars have planets smaller than Neptune. However, most weren't quite the right size or temperature to be considered truly Earth-like. Three planetary candidates were both warm and approximately Earth-sized. Statistically, this means that six percent of all red dwarf stars should have an Earth-like planet.
"We now know the rate of occurrence of habitable planets around the most common stars in our galaxy," said co-author David Charbonneau (CfA). "That rate implies that it will be significantly easier to search for life beyond the solar system than we previously thought."
Our Sun is surrounded by a swarm of red dwarf stars. About 75 percent of the closest stars are red dwarfs. Since 6 percent of those should host habitable planets, the closest Earth-like world is likely to be just 13 light-years away.
Locating nearby, Earth-like worlds may require a dedicated small space telescope, or a large network of ground-based telescopes. Follow-up studies with instruments like the Giant Magellan Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope could tell us whether any warm, transiting planets have an atmosphere and further probe its chemistry.
Such a world would be different from our own. Orbiting so close to its star, the planet would probably be tidally locked. However, that doesn't prohibit life since a reasonably thick atmosphere or deep ocean could transport heat around the planet. And while young red dwarf stars emit strong flares of ultraviolet light, an atmosphere could protect life on the planet's surface. In fact, such stresses could help life to evolve.
"You don't need an Earth clone to have life," said Dressing.
Since red dwarf stars live much longer than Sun-like stars, this discovery raises the interesting possibility that life on such a planet would be much older and more evolved than life on Earth.
"We might find an Earth that's 10 billion years old," speculated Charbonneau.
The three habitable-zone planetary candidates identified in this study are Kepler Object of Interest (KOI) 1422.02, which is 90 percent the size of Earth in a 20-day orbit; KOI 2626.01, 1.4 times the size of Earth in a 38-day orbit; and KOI 854.01, 1.7 times the size of Earth in a 56-day orbit. All three are located about 300 to 600 light-years away and orbit stars with temperatures between 5,700 and 5,900 degrees Fahrenheit. (For comparison, our Sun's surface is 10,000 degrees F.)
These results will be published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. CfA scientists, organized into six research divisions, study the origin, evolution and ultimate fate of the universe.

Source: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

iPhone 5S To Come With NFC And Fingerprint Sensor (Rumor)

 

We are expecting the iPhone 5S to launch around the summer this year, some time between June and August, and we suspect that the iPhone 5S will share the same design as Apple’s iPhone 5.
What will be different on the iPhone 5S is the handsets internal components, we are expecting a faster processor and more RAM and the device is also rumored to come with some new features.

Before the iPhone 5 was launched we heard a number of rumors that it would come with NFC, although this never materialized, and now the rumors have started again, and the iPhone 5S will apparently feature NFC this time.
The news comes from a recent report from the China Times, who have apparently received information from one of Apple’s suppliers that the iPhone 5S will come with NFC and also a fingerprint sensor.
Of course this has yet to be confirmed, and we suspect we will have to wait a few months to find out exactly what Apple will have inside the new iPhone 5S.
Source Neowin

Ancient DNA solves 320-year-old mystery

 

University of Adelaide researchers have found the answer to one of natural history's most intriguing puzzles -- the origins of the now extinct Falkland Islands wolf and how it came to be the only land-based mammal on the isolated islands -- 460km from the nearest land, Argentina. Previous theories have suggested the wolf somehow rafted on ice or vegetation, crossed via a now-submerged land bridge or was even semi-domesticated and transported by early South American humans.
The 320-year-old mystery was first recorded by early British explorers in 1690 and raised again by Charles Darwin following his encounter with the famously tame species on his Beagle voyage in 1834.
Researchers from the University's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) extracted tiny pieces of tissue from the skull of a specimen collected personally by Darwin. They also used samples from a previously unknown specimen, which was recently re-discovered as a stuffed exhibit in the attic of Otago Museum in New Zealand.
The findings were published in Nature Communications today and concluded that, unlike earlier theories, the Falkland Islands wolf (Dusicyon australis) only became isolated about 16,000 years ago around the peak of the last glacial period.
"Previous studies used ancient DNA from museum specimens to suggest that the Falkland Islands wolf diverged genetically from its closest living relative, the South American maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) around seven million years ago. As a result, they estimated that the wolf colonised the islands about 330,000 years ago by unknown means," says Associate Professor Jeremy Austin, Deputy Director of ACAD and co-lead author with Dr Julien Soubrier.
"Critically, however, these early studies hadn't included an extinct relative from the mainland, the fox-like Dusicyon avus. We extracted ancient DNA from six specimens of D. avus collected across Argentina and Chile, and made comparisons with a wide group of extinct and living species in the same family."
ACAD's analyses showed that D. avus was the closest relative of the Falkland Islands wolf and they separated only 16,000 years ago -- but the question of how the island colonisation came about remained. The absence of other mammals argued against any land bridge connection to the mainland.
"The Eureka moment was finding evidence of submarine terraces off the coast of Argentina," says study leader Professor Alan Cooper. "They recorded the dramatically lowered sea levels during the Last Glacial Maximum (around 25-18,000 years ago)."
"At that time, there was a shallow and narrow (around 20km) strait between the islands and the mainland, allowing the Falkland Islands wolf to cross when the sea was frozen over, probably while pursuing marine prey like seals or penguins. Other small mammals like rats weren't able to cross the ice."

Source: University of Adelaide

Hidden layer of genome unveils how plants may adapt to environments throughout the world

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified patterns of epigenomic diversity that not only allow plants to adapt to various environments, but could also benefit crop production and the study of human diseases. Published March 6 in Nature, the findings show that in addition to genetic diversity found in plants throughout the world, their epigenomic makeup is as varied as the environments in which they are found. Epigenomics is the study of the pattern of chemical markers that serve as a regulatory layer on top of the DNA sequence. Depending on where they grow, the plants' epigenomic differences may allow them to rapidly adapt to their environments.
Epigenomic modifications alter gene expression without changing the letters of the DNA alphabet (A-T-C-G), providing cells with an additional tool to fine-tune how genes control the cellular machinery. These changes occur not only in plants, but in humans as well.
"We looked at plants collected from around the world and found that their epigenomes are surprisingly different," says senior author Joseph R. Ecker, a professor in Salk's Plant Biology Laboratory and holder of the Salk International Council Chair in Genetics. "This additional diversity may create a way for plants to rapidly adapt to diverse environments without any genetic change in their DNA, which takes a very long time."
By understanding epigenomic alterations in plants, scientists may be able to manipulate them for various purposes, including biofuels and creating crops that can withstand stressful events such as drought. That knowledge of epigenomic changes in crop plants could tell producers what to breed for and could have a huge impact on identifying plants that can survive certain conditions and adapt to environmental stressors, says Ecker, who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Investigator.
Using MethylC-Seq, a method for mapping epigenomic changes developed by Ecker, the researchers analyzed methylation patterns from a population of Arabidopsis thaliana, a modest mustard weed that has become to plant biology what laboratory mice are to animal biology. The plants were from a variety of climates in the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe to Asia and Sweden to the Cape Verde Islands. Ecker's team examined the genomes and methylomes of A. thaliana, the makeup of their entire genetic and epigenomic codes, respectively, which is the first step toward understanding the impact of epigenetic changes on the plants' physical characteristics and ability to adapt to their environment.
"We expected variation in methylation patterns among groups of plants from around the globe," says co-lead author Robert J. Schmitz, a postdoctoral researcher in Ecker's lab. "The amount, however, was far greater than we ever anticipated."
By analyzing these patterns, Ecker's team was able to chart their effects on the activity of genes in the plants' genome. Scientists know that methylation can inactivate genes, but in contrast to DNA mutations, methylation patterns are reversible, giving the plants the ability to temporarily activate genes. The identification of genes that are epigenetically regulated has greatly narrowed the potential candidates important for environmental adaptation.
Methylation silencing also occurs in humans -- and that has implications for treating cancer, a hallmark of which is the silencing of tumor suppressor genes. "If these genes are turned off by the epigenome, they could potentially be turned back on by removing the DNA methylation," says study co-lead author Matthew Schultz, a graduate student in Ecker's lab. Understanding how these methylation variants form in the wild will help toward better engineering of epigenomes.
Ecker's team will next study how methylation variations affect the traits of plants. They will examine stress-induced epigenomic changes and how they might provide clues as to which alterations are most important for the plants.

Source: Salk Institute

Apple’s Phil Schiller Says The Samsung Galaxy S4 Has Year Old Software

Samsung will launch its flagship Android smartphone later today, the Samsung Galaxy S4, we have already seen LG try and upstage Samsung with their advert above Samsung’s in Times Square, and now Apple’s Phil Schiller has chimed in.
According to Phil Schiller, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will come with software that is nearly a year old, he recently told Reuters in an interview, you can see his comment below.

We are hearing this week that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being rumored to ship with an OS that is nearly a year old,” says Schiller. “Customers will have to wait to get an update,” he adds, while pointing out that over 50 percent of iOS users are running the latest update. Reuters reports that Schiller also pointed to research data that claims customers with iOS devices use them more than people who own Android devices.
This is not the sort of thing Apple normally does when another company releases a new device, we wonder if Apple are worried about the competition from the new Samsung Galaxy S4.
Source The Verge

There may be a big red circle around March 22 on the calendars in BlackBerry's offices. That is when the company formerly known as "Research In Motion" will release its Z10 handset in the United States, widely regarded as a do-or-die effort.

The new touchscreen-enabled device will be available for pre-order on March 12 and will go on sale in AT&T stores and online on March 22.

BlackBerry Z10

The BlackBerry Z10 will cost US$199.99 with a two-year contract and will be the first BlackBerry handset to operate on AT&T's 4G LTE network.
"Now we can see if this product has wings and will fly," said telecommunications analyst Jeff Kagan.
A BlackBerry spokesperson was not immediately available to comment for this story.
The BlackBerry Turnaround
In the wake of BlackBerry's launch of its BB 10 OS and the first handsets running it, which came after a long buildup interspersed with multiple delays, it is now down to what could be the defining moment for the newly rebranded company.
The Z10 is already available in certain international markets, but how it does in the U.S. will be key to the company's fortunes.
"BlackBerry is quite the story -- full of good and bad decisions all along its path of the last few years," Kagan told the E-Commerce Times. "Five years ago they lead the smartphone space."
That was then. Now, Apple and Samsung dominate the U.S. market, and BlackBerry is competing with Nokia for third place.
"Last year, they finally realized there was a problem as their market share dropped like a rock," Kagan said. "They brought in a new CEO, CMO and others."
The question now is whether that new team and a new device can get the old customers -- those who have embraced iOS and Android in the ever-evolving mobile space -- to come back.
"Consumers understand iPhone and Android. They know they can get the apps and content they want," said mobile analyst Stephen A. Blum, president of Tellus Ventures Associates.
"They don't know that about BlackBerry, and it's going to take some one-on-one selling to educate them," he told the E-Commerce Times. "AT&T has the capability to do that, but it's not going to do it out of the goodness of its heart."

 

Carrier Push

A few years ago the iPhone swelled AT&T's customer ranks -- initially, it was the only carrier of the handset. It is doubtful that the BlackBerry Z10 will have anything like the iPhone's allure.
"BlackBerry needs traction in the consumer market, and it needs a lot of help from carriers to do it," Blum added. "AT&T needs to push the Z10 in its retail channels if the launch is to make a genuine difference."
AT&T might have to take a loss to lure customers to the Z10 -- and BlackBerry likely would have to ease that pain by further discounting the price to AT&T.
"BlackBerry has to discount the Z10's wholesale price so AT&T can incentivize its sales force and feature it online," Blum explained. "If BlackBerry gives AT&T enough margin to work with, then there's a chance to make the launch count. Otherwise, it's just one more phone in the display case."

Competition in the Space

BlackBerry offered a strong presentation back in January when the Z10 made its debut, including some unexpected star power from singer/songwriter Alicia Keys. Then the company practically went into a quiet period following its splashy event.
"The wave of excitement and anticipation created by the introduction a month ago has weakened considerably," said Kagan. "To make matters worse, Samsung will unveil their highly anticipated Galaxy IV this week, which will steal quite a bit of attention and ink that BlackBerry was counting on."
BlackBerry could continue to pay a high price for taking so long to come out of its cocoon, Kagan noted. The handset could still be successful for those who have waited for an upgrade, but whether others will be drawn to it is the bigger issue.
"Will BlackBerry win the No. 3 spot? That's the big question," said Kagan.

 
by the help of
techsnewsworld.com

Apple's iPhone grabbed the first place spot in U.S. smartphone sales during the holiday quarter, increasing its lead over rival handsets before Samsung, BlackBerry and other competitors launch new devices this spring.

The company took a 37.8 percent share of the domestic smartphone market during the three months ending in January, according to the latest report from comScore. Apple reported it sold a record 48 million iPhones throughout the holiday season.
Apple's top rival Samsung came in second with a 21.4 percent share, a 1.9 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. HTC fell 1.7 percentage points to take a distant third, with a 9.7 percent share in the U.S. market. Motorola and LG rounded out the top 5 spots.
Google's Android operating system still claims the top platform spot, with 52.3 percent of the U.S. market. Its share dipped 1.3 percentage points during the recent quarter, however, and Apple's crept up 3.5 percentage points. Blackberry, Microsoft and Symbian took the next three spots.

Competitors On Deck

Apple's lead in the U.S. market is a solid one. The competition, however, is learning how to better penetrate the market, and that may show results over the next quarter. said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOM Pro.
"The competition will increase in a big way in the coming months," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Windows Phone will continue to gain gradual traction and BlackBerry will move aggressively with its new operating system."
Unfortunately for Apple, the spring releases of several potential smartphone contenders, such as Samsung's Galaxy S IV and BlackBerry's Z10, coincide with a weak spot in Apple's device release schedule.
"The kink in Apple's armor is they have about an annual product refresh," Ramon Llamas,senior research analyst with IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends, told the E-Commerce Times.

Samsung's Rise

That cycle has obviously worked for Apple in the past, Llamas said. As Samsung makes a bigger dent in the smartphone market, though, the company's frequent device launches make it a much bigger challenger to Apple.
"Samsung is really a double threat to Apple, because they'll launch their Galaxy S IV pretty soon, and a few months after that they'll have the Galaxy Note III," he pointed out. "That way they're working with a scheduling pace so they can have a hit now, with Apple at a place without a new phone coming. Once the new iPhone does hit, Samsung will be able to launch its Galaxy Note III."
One of Samsung's biggest accomplishments in securing its current U.S. market position is its aggressive marketing campaign, especially the one focused toward the enterprise consumer, said Llamas. It's not just targeting a stuffy business crowd. In ads that point out some of the best enterprise features -- a larger screen with a stylus, photo and video sharing from phone to phone, NFC capabilities -- Samsung is reaching out to a new market of on-the-go entrepreneurs and mobile workers who want a smartphone with a mix of flexibility and complexity.
"Samsung is selling its usability," Llamas said. "It's targeting BlackBerry. While historically BlackBerry was seen as the smartphone workhorse that could get the job done, now Samsung is saying it can get the job done as well, but it's also going to be fun. It's branding these new services as their own."
That success for Samsung in the enterprise market is coming at the expense of other U.S. smartphone makers. It wouldn't be impossible for other established companies to move up in the market, but it won't be an easy task, Gibbs noted.
"BlackBerry is a long shot to reclaim that enterprise market," he said. "It will take flawless execution, strong carrier backing and powerful marketing. I think the next six months or so will tell us whether BlackBerry will survive. Windows Phone could still win in the enterprise, but Samsung has the potential to move the needle in a big way."

---

by the help of
technewsworld.com

Facebook has finally filled its empty chief technical officer position. The company today promoted Mike Schroepfer from vice president of engineering to CTO, according to AllThingsD.

Schroepfer joined Facebook in 2008, after leading the development of the Firefox browser at Mozilla.
As vice president of engineering, Schroepfer was in charge of engineering and infrastructure, which means he made sure Facebook worked.
With this move, he's taking the empty seat left by former Facebook CTO Bret Taylor, who quit last June.