Latest news with #Cheops
News18
04-07-2025
- Science
- News18
Astronomers Discover 'Suicidal' Alien Planet Triggering Explosions In Its Star
Last Updated: HIP 67522 b, a Jupiter-sized planet, orbits its star in just 7 days. Its closeness disturbs the star's magnetic field, triggering stellar flares that scorch the planet's atmosphere A rare and astonishing sight has emerged in the universe, one that has left even scientists baffled. Astronomers have, for the first time, observed an alien planet seemingly inviting its own destruction. The planet, named HIP 67522 b, orbits so dangerously close to its host star that it is gradually being scorched and torn apart. Roughly the size of Jupiter, HIP 67522 b behaves like a suicidal world. It completes an orbit around its star in just seven days, and its proximity causes it to disturb the star's magnetic field. This disturbance results in massive stellar flares—explosions that strike the planet's atmosphere. A Self-Destructive Cosmic Duo According to researchers, this is the first time a planet has been seen influencing the activity of its own star. Typically, stars affect the planets orbiting them, but in this case, the planet appears to be fuelling stellar eruptions, creating a destructive loop never witnessed before. Astrophysicist Ekaterina Ilin from the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy explains, 'As it orbits, the planet whips the magnetic field lines of the star like a rope. When the energy reaches the star's surface, it explodes with far more power than expected." Stars already possess intense magnetic fields, and when these get tangled, they trigger solar flares and coronal mass ejections. But this is the first instance of a planet being the catalyst. Unveiled by TESS and Cheops The discovery was made possible by NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and the European Space Agency's Cheops telescope. Initially, TESS detected unusual flare activity in the HIP 67522 system. Later, Cheops confirmed that whenever the planet passed in front of the star, 15 flares erupted—most of them directed towards Earth. A Planet Burning Itself Away These continuous blasts are stripping away the planet's atmosphere, layer by layer. While the planet is currently as large as Jupiter, scientists believe it could shrink to the size of Neptune over the next 100 million years. It's a cosmic spectacle that feels straight out of a sci-fi film—a giant alien world accelerating its own demise. Scientists now aim to study this rare system more closely using future telescopes, especially ESA's PLATO mission, set to launch in 2026. Researchers want to analyse the exact nature of the flares—particularly the UV and X-ray radiation, which can be the most destructive to planetary atmospheres. Ekaterina Ilin adds, 'This is such a new and unique case that I have millions of questions in my mind. We need to find more planetary systems like this to truly understand the pattern." First Published: July 04, 2025, 14:13 IST
Gizmodo
02-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
‘Death Wish' Planet Actively Triggers Destructive Flares From Its Host Star
A young, energetic star has had just about enough of its clingy planet. The pair are mired in a toxic relationship, with the planet sending waves of energy toward the star—and the host star is responding with violent explosions that are destroying its planet over time. Using the European Space Agency's (ESA) Cheops mission, a team of astronomers from the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy gathered evidence for the first known exoplanet with an apparent death wish. In a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the team describes the planet, similar in size to Jupiter, which may be triggering flares of radiation from the star it orbits. Although astronomers have theorized about this type of interaction before, the flares recorded in this star system are around 100 times more energetic than expected, according to the study. The planet, named HIP 67522 b, is one of the wispiest exoplanets ever found, with density similar to candy floss. It takes just seven days to orbit its star, which is slightly larger and cooler than the Sun. And while our host star is a middle-aged 4.5-billion-year-old, this young star has only been around for 17 million years. Compared to the Sun, this star is more energetic and has a more powerful magnetic field. The team behind the study first spotted the young star system using TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). 'We hadn't seen any systems like HIP 67522 before,' Ekaterina Ilin, lead author of the study, said in a statement. 'When the planet was found it was the youngest planet known to be orbiting its host star in less than 10 days.' The astronomers were on the hunt for stars releasing flares due to interactions with their orbiting planets, and they believed they found the perfect pair. To be sure of their findings, the team of astronomers wanted a closer look using ESA's sensitive CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS). 'With Cheops we saw more flares, taking the total count to 15, almost all coming in our direction as the planet transited in front of the star as seen from Earth,' Ilin said. Our own Sun releases solar flares, intense bursts of energy that explode from its atmosphere when a build-up of magnetic energy is suddenly released. Solar flares are sometimes directed toward Earth through no fault of our own. For the unlucky exoplanet, however, the strong flares from its host star are likely its own doing. Since HIP 67522 b orbits so close to its star, it may be exerting its own magnetic influence on the host star. The planet may be gathering energy as it orbits, then redirecting that energy as waves along the star's magnetic field line. When those waves meet the end of the magnetic field line at the star's surface, it triggers a massive flare. 'The planet seems to be triggering particularly energetic flares,' Ilin said. 'The waves it sends along the star's magnetic field lines kick off flares at specific moments. But the energy of the flares is much higher than the energy of the waves. We think that the waves are setting off explosions that are waiting to happen.' The radiation carried by the flares is eroding the planet's wispy atmosphere and causing it to lose mass at a much faster rate. In the next 100 million years, HIP 67522 b could go from a Jupiter-sized planet to a much smaller Neptune-sized planet, according to the study. The team behind the study wants to carry out follow-up observations of the unique star system using different wavelengths to find out what kind of energy is being released by the star. 'I have a million questions because this is a completely new phenomenon, so the details are still not clear,' Ilin said.
IOL News
24-06-2025
- IOL News
BRICS+ Series: Safeguarding Egyptian Sites with Sustainable Tourism
Camels rest in front of the pyramids of Khafre or Chephren (R) and Khufu (Cheops) on the Giza plateau, on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. Tourism's Power and Perception Tourism is a rapidly growing industry and a major employer in Egypt, making it vital for the nation's economy as it is one of the top employers and a significant source of foreign currency. By opening its doors to international visitors, Egypt showcases its rich culture, history, cuisine and visiting the ancient great Egyptian marvels. This naturally expands the state's sphere of influence through soft power. Often, perceptions of countries, especially for the Middle Eastern and Arab, are skewed by Western media, which frequently portrays them through lenses of gender inequality, Islamophobia, or terrorism. This portrayal is inaccurate. Tourism often highlights a lack of global geographical and social knowledge, exemplified by the common jest of many Americans that Africa is a single country rather than a continent. Why Sustainable Tourism Matters Despite the glory and shiny beautiful aspects that tourism brings to a country, one must not forget that darker aspects do come along with it such as negative effects on the environment and society at large. This is why sustainable tourism practices should be known and promoted by people working within the industry, and by tourists too. The World Tourism Organisation defines sustainable tourism as 'tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impact, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities'. This approach minimises negative effects through measures like proper waste disposal and reduction, energy efficiency, and water conservation. It also fosters a respectful interaction with the host nation. Examples include EcoTourism, which focuses on nature-based experiences and environmental conservation, and Ethno Tourism, which explores rural lifestyles and local ethnic communities. While this form of travel can enrich a visitor's knowledge, if done carelessly, it can disrupt local lives or resources. Egypt's Strategy in Action The Egyptian Government is implementing a National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2030. The aim of the strategy is to increase tourism to 30 million people by 2028, and this agenda is part of the broader Egypt Vision for Sustainable Development 2030. Within this strategy, there are six axes. The first is 'Institutional and Legislative Reform', which is about amending laws and legislative procedures related to the tourism and antiquities sector, like an increase to penalties for theft and smuggling antiquities under the Antiquities Protection Law. The second axis is 'Raising the Competitiveness of the Egyptian Tourist Destination', this aims to optimise the exploitation of tourism, natural, human and archaeological resources. Other elements include ensuring the provision and sustainability of advanced infrastructure and services to increase competitiveness and attract tourists, especially high-spending tourists. Further elements include encouraging domestic tourism with increased archaeological awareness and implementing projects that secure, restore and maintain antiquities. A third axis is 'Maintaining Environmental Balance and Sustaining Tourism and Archaeological Activity'. This includes supporting responsible and sustainable ecotourism aimed at preserving the environment for a green transformation, aligned with the ministry's sustainable development strategy and Egypt's Vision 2030. There is also a focus on transforming the Egyptian tourism sector into an environmentally friendly sector. Recent developments on the ground are giving life to these strategies. In 2025, the government launched a $30 million makeover of the Giza Plateau home to Egypt's most famous pyramids. This includes walkways, signage, visitor centres, and dining areas designed to manage crowds and protect heritage while improving the overall experience. In parallel, inbound tourism to Egypt surged by 26% in early 2025 compared to last year, reflecting growing international interest. These are promising signs that the strategy is strongly in motion. A BRICS+ Opportunity But what makes this more exciting is Egypt's growing partnership with the BRICS bloc. As a new BRICS+ member, Egypt's tourism strategy is not just a national ambition but an opportunity for collaboration, investment, and knowledge-sharing within the BRICS community. Fellow BRICS countries, like China, Brazil, and South Africa, have deep expertise in eco-tourism, digital transformation, and heritage conservation. These are tools Egypt can draw from to help meet its goals more efficiently. BRICS, in turn, gains an increased African audience with iconic cultural capital, a geostrategic location, and a tourism sector on the rise. Through collaborative tourism programs, green finance partnerships, and joint marketing strategies, Egypt and BRICS can build a more interconnected Global South tourism network. A focus on sustainable tourism doesn't just protect the past, it secures a future where cultural pride, environmental balance, and economic benefit can be shared across borders. Written by: *Dr Iqbal Survé Past chairman of the BRICS Business Council and co-chairman of the BRICS Media Forum and the BRNN *Banthati Sekwala Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group Egyptian & South African Specialist **The Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL. ** MORE ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE ** Follow @brics_daily on X/Twitter & @brics_daily on Instagram for daily BRICS+ updates
