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solar system
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- 1First direct radio signal detected from planet beyond solar system▼Reseachers detect a direct radio signal from planet beyond solar system for the first time
Researchers have reported detecting a direct radio signal from a planet outside the solar system for the first time. The announcement is being widely shared as a potential milestone in the study of exoplanets, since radio emissions have previously been observed mainly from stars and other cosmic objects rather than from planets themselves. Details about which planet was involved and how the signal was confirmed have not yet been widely reported.
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New research indicates Mercury is contracting more quickly than previously estimated. The smallest planet in the solar system has been cooling and shrinking for billions of years, causing its crust to buckle and form cliffs and ridges. The revised findings suggest this process is still active and accelerating relative to earlier models, prompting scientists to rethink how rocky planets cool over time.
- 3Spacecraft hunting for life on icy moons swings past Earth●Why a spacecraft exploring moons where life may thrive is zipping by Earth
A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.
- 4First radio waves detected from an exoplanet hint at alien auroras●First radio waves seen from an exoplanet hint at otherworldly auroras # science # astronomy https://www. sciencenews.org
Astronomers have picked up radio waves from an exoplanet for the first time, a signal that could indicate auroras similar to those seen on Earth and the solar system's giant planets. The detection opens a new way to study magnetic fields and atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars, and scientists say future observations could reveal more about potentially habitable worlds far beyond our solar system.
- 5Harvard Team Detects Radio Signal From Exoplanet▼Harvard Scientists Detect Radio Signal Coming Directly From Planet Outside the Solar System
Harvard scientists report detecting a radio signal apparently coming directly from a planet outside the solar system. If confirmed, it would be a rare example of a radio emission traced to an exoplanet, possibly generated by the planet's magnetic field interacting with its star. Astronomers say such detections could open a new way to study distant planets, though further observations are needed to verify the signal's origin.
- 6Solar Storms Pose Growing Threat to Power Grids▼Disasters from the Sun: Threats to Power-grids and Digital Infrastructure
Analysts are warning that solar storms and other space weather events could inflict serious damage on electricity grids and digital infrastructure worldwide. A powerful solar flare or coronal mass ejection could knock out transformers, communications and satellite systems, with the ORF analysis arguing that governments have underprepared for this natural hazard despite growing dependence on interconnected power and digital networks.
- 7Icy moons may keep underground oceans even after collisions▼Icy moons may hold on to their underground oceans even after being smashed apart
New research suggests icy moons in the outer solar system, such as those orbiting Jupiter and Saturn, could retain their subsurface liquid oceans even if their outer ice shells are shattered by giant impacts. If impacts like those that formed some of the moon's craters did not destroy interior oceans, this raises the chances that oceans on worlds like Europa and Enceladus are more resilient than thought, keeping interest high in future missions to icy bodies.
- 8Underwater Solar Panels Tested in South China Sea▼Underwater Solar Panels Tested at Ten Metres in the South China Sea
Researchers have tested underwater solar panels at a depth of ten metres in the South China Sea, according to an industry report. The trial explores whether photovoltaic systems can generate usable power below the surface, where light is weaker but conditions are more stable. Details on efficiency results and which institution led the test have not been released, leaving the technology's practical prospects uncertain.
- 9SunCulture Raises $10 Million To Expand Solar Irrigation Across Africa▼SunCulture Secures USD 10 M Financing To Expand Solar Irrigation In Africa
Solar irrigation company SunCulture has secured USD 10 million in financing to scale its operations in Africa. The company provides solar-powered water pumping systems that help smallholder farmers irrigate their land without reliance on rain or costly diesel. The funding is expected to support expansion of its customer base and distribution across African markets, where access to affordable irrigation remains a major constraint on agricultural productivity.
- 10Kubota unveils agrivoltaic system combining rice farming with solar power▼Kubota agrivoltaic system allows rice farming and combine harvesting beneath elevated solar panels
Kubota has introduced an agrivoltaic system that lets farmers grow rice and harvest it with standard combines beneath elevated solar panels. The setup raises photovoltaic arrays high enough for machinery to work underneath, letting the same land produce both food and electricity. Coverage in energy media is highlighting it as a practical answer to land-use conflicts between agriculture and renewable energy expansion.
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CGTN's RAZOR programme explores whether solar technology can play a role in protecting global water supplies. The report examines how solar power could be used to address water scarcity, from powering desalination plants to pumping and purification systems. As droughts and water shortages intensify worldwide, the intersection of renewable energy and water security is drawing renewed attention from researchers and policymakers.
- 12Asteroid Bennu may have formed closer to the Sun●Asteroid Bennu may have formed much closer to the Sun than scientists thought
New findings suggest asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth object studied by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, may have originated much closer to the Sun than previously believed, challenging existing models of how the solar system's early materials were distributed. Scientists say the asteroid's composition could indicate it formed in a warmer region before migrating outward.
- 13Philadelphia-area schools turn to solar power to cut utility costs▼Philadelphia-area schools are tapping the sun’s energy and saving money on utilities
School districts in the Philadelphia area are installing solar energy systems to reduce their utility bills. District officials say the move to solar power is delivering meaningful savings on energy costs, which can be redirected toward educational priorities. The shift reflects a broader trend of Pennsylvania schools adopting renewable energy as a way to manage tight budgets while cutting emissions.
- 14Copper wire theft leaves Louisville interstates dark, city launches solar light pilot▼Copper wire theft leaves Louisville interstate stretches dark, prompts solar light pilot
Thieves have stripped copper wiring from Louisville's interstate lighting system, leaving long stretches of the highway dark at night and raising safety concerns for drivers. In response, local officials are launching a pilot program to install solar-powered lights that do not depend on copper wiring, aiming to deter future theft and restore illumination along affected corridors.
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Lightstar has expanded its project pipeline in Illinois, adding battery energy storage systems and community solar developments. The move strengthens the company's position in the state's growing clean energy market, where community solar programs continue to attract developer interest under state renewable energy incentives.
- 16太陽▼
The Japanese word for the Sun is trending on Google in Japan, driven by news coverage of a study suggesting that early in its formation the Sun may have swallowed a giant Earth-sized planet. Posts share the Forbes Japan headline and discuss what this would mean for our understanding of the solar system's early history. The evidence is limited to this one headline, so wider reaction is not clear from the collected posts.