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Tidal locking is such a common phenomenon in the universe that we only need to look at the Moon to notice it. Our satellite only shows us its near side face as its rotation on its axis and revolution around the Earth are synchronized. Planets too can get in this state of behavior if they orbit their star too closely – and researchers believe they have confirmed the first super-Earth tidally locked to its star.The planet is known as LHS 3844b but it is also called Kua'kua‚ the word for butterfly in the language spoken by the Bribri people – an Indigenous people located in Costa Rica. In the NameExoWorld project‚ the star was named Bats and Kua'kua orbits it in slightly less than 12 hours.Unlike the Moon‚ whose far side gets sunlight every month‚ Kua'kua is believed to have one hemisphere always in daylight and one always in nighttime. But proving this for Kua'kua‚ or other similarly positioned planets‚ is easier said than done.One possibility they consider is surface heating. If the planet was rotating‚ the tidal forces exerted by the star at such proximity would cause the planet to be hot. Instead‚ observations from Spitzer were modeled to understand the surface temperature of the planet and it appears to be cool.Kua'kua would be much hotter if the planet orbited like Mercury‚ in a 3:2 resonance between the spin and the orbit – every two orbits of Mercury around the Sun‚ it spins on its axis three times. While the researchers are not 100 percent sure that it is tidally locked‚ the most likely hypothesis is that they are seeing a super-Earth that is tidally locked.“This thing that has been theoretical now feels real. This is actually what these planets look like‚” Nicolas Cowan‚ an astronomer at McGill University in Montreal‚ Canada‚ and a co-author of the study‚ told Nature.An important assumption is that the world‚ which is about 2.3 times the volume of Earth‚ has no atmosphere – which is uncertain as it might have a very thin one. The modeled observations could indicate that another planet is present‚ creating modest tidal heating‚ burnishing the surface‚ or the color of the planet is exclusively from space weathering like other bodies in the Solar System.“Our results thus suggest that LHS 3844b is a potential exoplanet analog to the Moon and Mercury in our own solar system‚ with a similarly darkened and space-weathered surface. Future observations will be able to test and refine this interpretation in a number of ways‚” the authors wrote in the paper.The planet is already a target with telescopes such as JWST and others that would provide more insight into this work.The paper is published in The Astrophysical Journal.[H/T: Nature]

After the record-breaking summer of revealed dead bodies in 2022‚ and historically low waters that have seen the Colorado River’s connection with the sea severed‚ Lake Mead seems to still be suffering the effects of climate change and population growth which has seen its water levels rapidly decrease over the past few years.Lake Mead is the largest reservoir by volume in the United States and supplies water for roughly 25 million people in the surrounding area between Nevada and Arizona. At full pool‚ Mead stretches for 104.6 kilometers (65 miles) beginning at the Hoover Dam‚ and is as wide as 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) in some places‚ enabling it to hold around 1‚233‚480 liters (325‚851 gallons) of water.However‚ the effects of a changing climate and increased water demands have seen the lake’s size rapidly decrease‚ with the area experiencing the lowest water level on record in July 2022 at 317 meters (1‚040 feet). The following year‚ 2023‚ was not much better‚ ending the year with water levels around 324 meters (just under 1‚065 feet) – a marked reduction in the steady 365 meters (1‚200 feet) seen in the 1980s and '90s.Entering 2024‚ the lake’s water levels have started on a high‚ showing significant improvements on the preceding year's levels. Starting the year with 325.5 meters (1‚068 feet) of water and climbing to a peak of 328 meters (1‚076 feet)‚ lake conditions began the year looking hopeful in comparison to 2023’s water level during the same time."The combined storage of Lakes Powell and Mead‚ the two large reservoirs on the Colorado River‚ has declined somewhat since the beginning of the year‚" Jennifer Pitt‚ the National Audubon Society’s Colorado River program director‚ told Newsweek. However‚ "Lake Mead‚ which receives water released from Lake Powell‚ and makes releases to water users downstream‚ has since January 1 increased by about 7 percent or around 600‚000 acre-feet."         Despite water levels beginning to decrease throughout March‚ an expected seasonal change entering into summer‚ it is thought that this year’s reassuringly high waters may continue into the summer as a result of above-average snowpack levels.Snowpack refers to settled snow that lays on the ground of mountainous regions that‚ when melted‚ provides an important source of water for many lakes and rivers. High snowpack levels in the surrounding mountains will mean increased water supplies as they melt throughout the warmer months and flow into the Colorado River‚ which provides 97 percent of the inflow into Lake Mead.For Lake Mead‚ sadly‚ this is just a temporary fix for a much larger issue. Despite a reassuring start to the year‚ estimates suggest the water levels at the end of the year will be even lower than 2023‚ which also had figures skewed by above-average snowpack levels. A recent 24-month operation plan from the US Bureau of Reclamation estimates the reservoir's water levels will steadily drop for the rest of this year‚ ending in December 5 meters (17 feet) lower. In 2025‚ December could be looking at water levels of just 318 meters (1‚044 feet)‚ just over 1 meter higher than 2022's record-breaking low. If they ever dipped to what is known as the "dead pool" level of 273 meters (895 feet)‚ it would be unable to release water to the states that depend on it: Nevada‚ California‚ and Arizona‚ as well as parts of Mexico.   Increased supply demands from the area's growing population‚ climate change affecting rainfall‚ causing long-term droughts‚ and increasing evaporation are all having major impacts on the health of this vital water source. And with lower water levels impacting the quality of the remaining water‚ conditions in the area are not likely to improve without drastic action.As Pitt pointed out‚ the supply-demand imbalance will grow as climate change continues shrinking the Colorado River‚ with the reservoirs emptying faster. "Colorado River decision-makers are currently trying to negotiate new rules for these reservoirs‚" she told Newsweek. "Their success at balancing supply and demand will be essential to provide a secure water supply for every living thing that depends on this river."While management demands are complex due to the lake’s size‚ as one of the most important reservoirs in the United States millions of people stand to be affected by the depletion of its resources.

We could soon be catching criminals using an entirely different kind of DNA sampling approach that tests for evidence in the air. Forensic-savvy criminals may know to wipe down the scene if they want to get rid of damning DNA evidence – but both the air itself and air conditioner units can still hold incriminating clues.Forensic technology capitalizes on the fact that we leave a trail of DNA everywhere we go‚ from saliva when we speak and cough‚ to dead skin cells‚ and even rootless hair can yield DNA‚ something that was previously thought to be impossible. Criminals have been identified using DNA‚ such as from discarded napkins and semen samples‚ for decades‚ helping solve countless cases. Wearing gloves and cleaning surfaces can get rid of some of this precious evidence‚ however‚ so finding environmental DNA (eDNA) through other means can be pivotal in cases involving forensic-savvy criminals.A new small-scale investigation looked to two key places to find eDNA; air conditioners that were recycling air in four offices and four houses‚ and the air of rooms themselves. The spaces were tested at different intervals after cleaning and with different numbers of people having occupied the space for different amounts of time.The results showed that human DNA can be found in both settings. The DNA collected from the air was representative of more recent occupation‚ while that taken from the surfaces of air-conditioner units was typically a bit older. This means the place where the eDNA is found can tell us about how that person was using the space.“This study showed that human DNA can be collected from air and on surfaces that move air‚ such as air conditioner units‚ and can identify the usual users of the space as well as frequent visitors‚” wrote the authors. “Sampling of air conditioner units may be used to identify usual or long-term occupiers of a space‚ and air sampling may assist in the identification of short-term or recent users of a room. Such sampling may be considered‚ for example‚ if it is suspected‚ gloves were worn or that the crime scene has been cleaned post incident.” While a promising step towards thwarting criminals’ attempts to evade forensic detection‚ the authors say further research is needed to establish the best places to test for air collection within different spaces as‚ if DNA is present‚ it’s not always going to crop up in the same places. So gloved criminals‚ beware. The science isn’t going to make it easy for you.“It is very unlikely that an average offender‚ even with forensic awareness‚ could totally prevent their DNA from being released into the environment‚” said Flinders University Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science Dr Mariya Goray in a statement. “We now know that eDNA (environmental DNA) and eRNA shed from sources such as skin or saliva can be detected in the environment‚ including soil‚ ice‚ air and water.”The study is published in the journal Electrophoresis.

Prisoners held in New York are attempting to sue the state's corrections department over a decision to lock all inmates indoors during the total solar eclipse on April 8.Ahead of the eclipse‚ Jeremy Zielinski‚ a prisoner held at Woodbourne Correctional Facility‚ was granted permission to view the eclipse‚ after he argued that the event was significant to atheists like himself. As well as this‚ the state would provide him with glasses to safely witness the eclipse.When others discovered this‚ they too wanted to witness it. But that hope was quashed after the state corrections department ordered a system-wide lockdown for the three hours surrounding the total solar eclipse. From 2-5 pm‚ prisoners will remain locked in their housing units‚ rather than being allowed outdoors for their usual recreation time‚ with the  New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) citing safety concerns for staff‚ visitors‚ and prisoners.Now‚ several prisoners – including an atheist‚ a Muslim‚ and a Baptist – are suing the department‚ arguing that the decision violates their constitutionally-protected rights to practice their faith. The complaint‚ filed on Friday‚ argues that eclipses are significant religious events‚ citing Bible passages that describe similar phenomena to an eclipse at the crucifixion of Jesus."It will be 20 years before another opportunity like this exists‚" Seventh-Day Adventist David Haigh told Hell Gate NYC. "I don't believe that just because I am incarcerated that I should be denied this opportunity‚ especially when this eclipse is scheduled to happen during normal outside recreation time.""Even for a non-religious person‚ this eclipse could hold some sort of special meaning‚" he added.Daniel Martuscello III‚ acting head of DOCCS‚ told NPR that prisoners and staff would be provided with safety glasses‚ allowing them to view the event from their housing or work assignments. During the eclipse‚ however‚ prisoners will not be allowed out for their usual recreation time‚ nor allowed visitors after 2 pm.[H/T: NPR]

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