EUREKA!

EUREKA!

CAMPUS

[NEW FINDINGS AND RESEARCH]

Out of This World

Prof finds proof of DS Tuc Ab.

Assistant professor of physics and astronomy Elisabeth Newton led a team that discovered a new planet outside of our solar system. Her researchers confirmed the existence of DS Tuc Ab earlier this year, after a NASA satellite first observed the 45-million-year-old planet. It orbits a star, which dimmed every eight days as Newton’s team observed the orbiting planet pass between Earth and the star. “It took a lot of data to arrive at our conclusion that there wasn’t another star in the background,” Newton says, speaking of various false positive scenarios that had to be crossed off her list. “We were really excited.” The Astrophysical Journal Letters announced the breakthrough in its August issue.

Water Woes

Coming soon: chronic scarcity.

The world’s longest river isn’t going to run forever. “The Nile Basin is one of several fast-growing, predominantly agricultural regions that are on the brink of severe water scarcity,” says Ethan Coffel, a fellow at the Neukom Institute for Computational Science. His research, conducted with assistant professor of geography Justin Mankin, predicts a tripling of hot, dry years in the region, adding trouble to already water-stressed countries such as Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. Although the researchers forecast increased precipitation for the area, it will be offset by increased evaporation caused by higher temperatures. Additionally, with the area’s population expected to double during the next 60 years, demand for water will greatly outpace supply. That means even more trouble. “Environmental stresses could easily contribute to migration—and even conflict,” says Coffel.