VLT finds fastest rotating star

Monday, December 5, 2011

An international team of astronomers has been using ESO's Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, to make a survey of the heaviest and brightest stars in the Tarantula Nebula, in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Among the many brilliant stars in this stellar nursery the team has spotted one, called VFTS 102, that is rotating at more than two million kilometres per hour ? more than three hundred times faster than the Sun and very close to the point at which it would be torn apart due to centrifugal forces. VFTS 102 is the fastest rotating star known to date.

The astronomers also found that the star, which is around 25 times the mass of the Sun and about one hundred thousand times brighter, was moving through space at a significantly different speed from its neighbours.

"The remarkable rotation speed and the unusual motion compared to the surrounding stars led us to wonder if this star had had an unusual early life. We were suspicious." explains Philip Dufton (Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK), lead author of the paper presenting the results.

This difference in speed could imply that VFTS 102 is a runaway star -- a star that has been ejected from a double star system after its companion exploded as a supernova. This idea is supported by two further clues: a pulsar and an associated supernova remnant in its vicinity.

The team has developed a possible back story for this very unusual star. It could have started life as one component of a binary star system. If the two stars were close, gas from the companion could have streamed over and in the process the star would have spun faster and faster. This would explain one unusual fact ? why it is rotating so fast. After a short lifetime of about ten million years, the massive companion would have exploded as a supernova ? which could explain the characteristic gas cloud known as a supernova remnant found nearby. The explosion would also have led to the ejection of the star and could explain the third anomaly ? the difference between its speed and that of other stars in the region. As it collapsed, the massive companion would have turned into the pulsar that is observed today, and which completes the solution to the puzzle.

Although the astronomers cannot yet be sure that this is exactly what happened, Dufton concludes "This is a compelling story because it explains each of the unusual features that we've seen. This star is certainly showing us unexpected sides of the short, but dramatic lives of the heaviest stars."

###

ESO: http://www.eso.org

Thanks to ESO for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 87 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115721/VLT_finds_fastest_rotating_star

giants patriots yolo steelers vs ravens keystone xl pipeline jack dempsey lake malawi hines ward

GBI: Body found in search for missing Ga. girl

This handout photo provided Monday Dec. 5, 2011, by the Cherokee County Sheriff?s Department, shows Jorelys Rivera, 7, of Canton, Ga. A team of state law enforcement officials specially trained in child abductions has been brought in to join the search for the 7-year-old Georgia girl missing since Friday. (AP Photo/Cherokee County Sheriff?s Department)

This handout photo provided Monday Dec. 5, 2011, by the Cherokee County Sheriff?s Department, shows Jorelys Rivera, 7, of Canton, Ga. A team of state law enforcement officials specially trained in child abductions has been brought in to join the search for the 7-year-old Georgia girl missing since Friday. (AP Photo/Cherokee County Sheriff?s Department)

CANTON, Ga. (AP) ? A body found in a trash container is believed to be that of a 7-year-old girl who went missing last week from an apartment complex playground north of Atlanta, authorities said Monday.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said that "everything points to it being" Jorelys Rivera of Canton. Bankhead said officials were awaiting results of an autopsy to confirm the identity and a cause of death.

Bankhead told The Associated Press the body appeared to have been severely beaten and sexually assaulted. He said the girl's mother had been notified.

No suspects were in custody, Canton emergency management director Jeff Hall said Monday afternoon.

Hall said authorities had not searched the trash container until Monday because it was a large garbage compacting bin that needed to be moved offsite so they could go through it.

Counselors were on hand at the girl's school, Canton Elementary, for students and staff. School officials were cooperating with investigators, Cherokee County School District spokeswoman Barbara P. Jacoby said in an email.

The child was last seen around 5 p.m. Friday at the River Ridge apartments in Canton, about 40 miles north of Atlanta, Canton police Detective Candy Worthy said. The girl was at the playground with a teenage baby sitter. The girl had gone back to her apartment to get sodas for friends when she disappeared, authorities said.

Authorities brought in a specialized team of law officers trained to handle child abductions.

Bankhead said investigators believe the girl was killed at the apartment complex and her body left in the trash bin. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off the wooded area behind the girl's apartment building.

Maria Rodriguez works with Rivera's mother at a nearby poultry plant and used to live in the same complex.

"She was a very sweet girl," Rodriguez said, crying as she held her 4-year-old daughter. "She was the type of little girl who likes her presence to be known. It's just so sad."

Maria Faustino, who also used to live in the apartment complex, said she always felt safe there.

"This place is small and everybody knows everybody," said Faustino, who has a young son. "You wouldn't have thought something like this would have happened there."

A schoolmate who lived in a neighboring complex, 8-year-old Ashley Rosalez, said Rivera was very talkative and that she would play on all the playgrounds in nearby apartment complexes.

Another neighbor, Nancy Hudgins, who lives next to the trash bin where the body was found, said the little girl liked to swim at the pool in the complex with her siblings and loved to pet animals that lived in the area.

She said the Rivera family was "mostly quiet" and kept to itself.

No one answered the door Monday at the Riveras' apartment.

Officers were checking with sex offenders in the area, an effort that will possibly broaden as the investigation continues, Bankhead said.

There are 73 registered sex offenders living in Canton, according to state records online.

Authorities did not issue a Levi's Call ? the state's version of an Amber Alert ? because officers didn't have any information about the girl's abductor, which is a requirement for issuing such an alert.

Michelle Mercier, who lives across the street from the complex, brought a bouquet of yellow, pink and purple flowers to the playground where Jorelys was last seen. Soon after, neighbors and community members flocked to the playground Monday to leave flowers and stuffed animals.

"I wanted everybody to know I'm thinking of her, this precious little girl who is no longer with us," Mercier said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-05-Missing%20Girl-Georgia/id-52cc5dc9b8264a34a7ded87b468edbf0

jacqueline laurita mcfadden mcfadden ponder ponder loretta lynn extract

Uncertainty Looms Over Kyoto Protocol Recommitment Talks (ContributorNetwork)

According to CBC News, several days into the Kyoto Protocol talks in Durban, South Africa, and there is still a large amount uncertainty over countries the renewing the commitments to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. A top UN climate official expressed confidence that the countries would recommit to the international treaty but other experts, including a member of Canada's original delegation, has expressed doubt.

With the meetings set to wrap up on Dec. 9, here are some facts about the stances of some of the largest players and emitters at the Durban talks:

Canada

Heading into the talks on Nov. 28, Canada had expressed possible withdrawal from the extension on the agreements and is still holding that position, according to the Atlantic Wire. Adding to the problem is the fact that Canada's carbon emissions have increased sharply and the country has the third-biggest oil reserves in the world. Bloomberg added that a major incentive is that the country may save up to $6.7 billion by withdrawing completely. Similarly, AFP noted that a Canadian pull out could dramatically hurt the climate talks by setting the stage for other big emitters to not comply either.

China

The Montreal Gazette reported China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases and initially refused to adopt new targets, arguing that it wanted to see other big emitters act first and commit to the treaty. However, China has relaxed its opposition, noted Bloomberg, and a leading member of the country's delegation stated that China may be willing to accept a carbon emissions target after 2020. An article from Worldwatch Institute added that China has continued to call on the U.S. to join Kyoto. China was not included in the original 1997 agreement since it was considered a developing country then.

European Union

The EU is willing to recommit to a second round of the protocol but EU climate leaders have said that unless major emitters like Japan, Russia, and Canada signed on, the deal would be practically meaningless, according to Times Live. The EU has taken on a leadership role at the conference and offered terms, reported China Daily, for an extension such that it would only extend targets as long as there is a timetable for including both China and the U.S. after 2020.

United States

The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. never ratified the Kyoto Treaty citing China's exemption as the reason why. Before the Durban talks began the U.S. predicted that it didn't expect any type of binding agreement to come out of the talks. Additionally the U.S. stated that it plans to adhere to the pledge it made in Copenhagen in 2009 to reduce its emissions. The U.S. is the second largest emitter.

Rachel Bogart provides an in-depth look at current environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her knowledge and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111203/pl_ac/10591731_uncertainty_looms_over_kyoto_protocol_recommitment_talks

kym johnson how old is justin bieber how old is justin bieber north dakota jobs referendum scarlett johansson glee project winner

Republican Presidential Candidates on the War in Afghanistan and Nation-Building (ContributorNetwork)

During the GOP debate on foreign policy and national security, Wolf Blitzer claimed that the United States spends as much as $2 billion per week in Afghanistan and over $100 billion per year. Given this considerable investment and the even more devastating losses inherent to any war, many in Washington and across the nation are wondering whether the costs of Operation Enduring Freedom now outweigh the benefits.

Thus, the candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination were asked about their plans for the War in Afghanistan and their views of nation-building.

Here is what they said, according to the debate transcript provided by CNN:

* Jon Huntsman: "I think we need to square with the American people about what we've achieved. We need an honest conversation in this country about the sacrifices that have been made over nearly 10 years. We have -- we have dismantled the Taliban. We've run them out of Kabul. We've had free elections in 2004. We've killed Osama bin Laden. We've upended, dismantled al Qaeda. We have achieved some very important goals for the United States of America.

Now, the fact that we have 100,000 troops nation-building in Afghanistan when this nation so desperately needs to be built, when, on the ground, we do need intelligence gathering, no doubt about that. We need a strong Special Forces presence. We need a drone presence. And we need some ongoing training of the Afghan National Army. But we haven't done a very good job defining and articulating what the end point is in Afghanistan. And I think the American people are getting very tired about where we find ourselves today."

* Mitt Romney: "We spent about $450 billion so far, 1,700 or so service men and women have lost their lives there, and many tens of thousands have been wounded. Our effort there is to keep Afghanistan from becoming a launching point for terror against the United States. We can't just write off a major part of the world ? And that means we should have a gradual transition of handing off to the Afghan security forces the responsibility for their own country."

* Newt Gingrich: "You want to keep American troops in Afghanistan, you accept hot pursuit, you say no sanctuaries, you change the rules of engagement, you put the military in charge of the military side, you overhaul the State Department and AID so they get the job done, and you do it for real and you do it intensely, and you tell the Pakistanis, help us or get out of the way, but don't complain if we kill people you're not willing to go after on your territory where you have been protecting them."

* Ron Paul: "What I'm, sort of, tired of is all the money spent and lives lost worrying about the borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan and forgetting about our borders between the United States and Mexico. We should think more about, you know, what we do at home."

* Herman Cain: "If we pull out of Afghanistan too soon, Iran is going to help to fulfill that power vacuum in Afghanistan. And so it is in our best interests, the United States of America, to prevent them from being able to help fill that power vacuum in Afghanistan."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111202/pl_ac/10584883_republican_presidential_candidates_on_the_war_in_afghanistan_and_nationbuilding

big ten championship game ultimate fighter 14 ultimate fighter 14 2011 bowl projections michigan state michigan state ndamukong suh

TSX ends lower but posts big weekly gain (Reuters)

TORONTO (Reuters) ? Toronto's main stock index closed lower on Friday as investors booked some profits after the TSX notched its biggest weekly gain in more than two years on optimism that steps were being taken to resolve Europe's debt crisis.

The mining-heavy materials sector dragged the index lower, as shares of gold miners slid despite spot gold edging higher to post its largest weekly gain in more than a month.

This was countered by strong financials, which were lifted by better than expected earnings from two of the country's largest banks.

Also helping investor sentiment was data that showed the U.S. unemployment rate fell to a 2-1/2 year low of 8.6 percent in November as companies stepped up hiring, further evidence the U.S. economic recovery was gaining momentum.

"I would have to think we've had a good week," said Fred Ketchen, director of equity trading at ScotiaMcLeod. "It's Friday and people don't want to go home without locking in some profits. I think we have seen that take place today."

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended down 38.20 points, or 0.32 percent, at 12,075.09. Four of the index's 10 sectors were in positive territory.

Goldcorp, Canada's second largest gold producer, was the biggest weight on the index, slipping 3.7 percent to C$52.33. Barrick Gold, the world's No. 1 producer, also dragged on the materials sector, falling 3 percent to C$51.88.

Technology issues also fell, as Research In Motion plunged 9.2 percent to C$17.08 after the BlackBerry maker warned it would fall short of its financial targets after taking a huge charge to write down inventories on its underwhelming PlayBook tablet.

The Bank of Nova Scotia was another big drag on the index, falling 2.49 percent to finish the session at C$48.99, despite announcing a 10.7 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit.

Other banks fared better. The Royal Bank of Canada was the most heavily weighted gainer, up 3.7 percent at C$48.77, after Canada's biggest lender reported a quarterly profit that beat expectations.

No. 2 lender, Toronto-Dominion Bank, was the second top advancer, up 1.18 percent at C$72.75, after announcing stronger than expected results on Thursday.

Despite Friday's slide, the index posted a healthy 5.3 percent gain on the week. On Wednesday, the TSX had its biggest single-day gain since March 2009, jumping more than 4 percent.

Markets also latched on to chatter that policymakers appeared to move a step closer to tackling Europe's debt crisis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her strong support for the euro, and called for a rapid European Union treaty change to remedy the root causes of the euro zone's debt crisis. She warned, however, that Europeans faced a long, hard "marathon" to restore lost market credibility.

Equity strategists and fund managers polled by Reuters predict stocks will continue to grind higher in 2012 as policymakers iron out the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis and improving economic data in Canada and the United States soothes investor concerns about global growth.

"If the next big move is an up move, hold on to your hats, because this will be a run that lasts a number of months," said Brendan Caldwell, president and chief executive of Caldwell Investment Management Ltd.

"The fact that we haven't had a big down move to follow the up move (is) a very, very positive sign."

($1=$1.02 Canadian)

(Additional reporting by Jon Cook; editing by Rob Wilson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111202/wl_canada_nm/canada_us_markets_canada_stocks

cory smoot do a barrel roll jimmy kimmel tilt do a barrel roll. florida state football florida state football

Is Newt Gingrich Just a More Bombastic Mitt Romney? (Atlantic Politics Channel)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/168664790?client_source=feed&format=rss

grace potter ryan mathews the band perry faith hill cma awards 2011 cma awards 2011 western black rhino

Senate clears way for passage of big defense bill (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Senate Democrats and Republicans are pushing for harsher sanctions against Iran's Central Bank as fears of Tehran developing a nuclear weapon outweigh concerns that any step would drive up oil prices and hit Americans at the gas pump.

The Senate on Wednesday weighed whether to add the sanctions measure to a massive, $662 billion defense bill that moved closer to passage. A vote on the sanctions was likely Thursday.

On Wednesday, lawmakers voted 88-12 to limit debate on the legislation, and looked to wrap up the bill by week's end.

The legislation would authorize funds for military personnel, weapons systems, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and national security programs in the Energy Department. The bill is $27 billion less than what President Barack Obama requested for the budget year beginning Oct. 1 and $43 billion less than what Congress provided to the Pentagon this year.

Tougher sanctions against Iran have widespread support in Congress, reflecting concerns not only for U.S. national security but ally Israel's as well. Last week, the Obama administration announced a new set of penalties against Iran, including identifying for the first time Iran's entire banking sector as a "primary money laundering concern." This requires increased monitoring by U.S. banks to ensure that they and their foreign affiliates avoid dealing with Iranian financial institutions.

But lawmakers pressed ahead with even tougher penalties despite reservations by the administration.

Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., offered an amendment to the defense bill that would target foreign financial institutions that do business with the Central Bank of Iran, barring them from opening or maintaining correspondent operations in the United States. It would apply to foreign central banks only for transactions that involve the sale or purchase of petroleum or petroleum products.

The sanctions on petroleum would only apply if the president determines there is a sufficient alternative supply and if the country with jurisdiction over the financial institution has not significantly reduced its purchases of Iranian oil.

Lawmakers cited the recent International Atomic Energy Agency report that Iran is suspected of clandestine work that is "specific to nuclear weapons," its alleged role in the plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in the United States and the attack on the British Embassy in Tehran.

"One of the greatest threats to our nation and our ally Israel is Iran," Menendez said, insisting that the United States must take steps to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

"We cannot, we must not and we will not let that happen," Menendez said, "but the clock is ticking."

Kirk said the amendment was clear: "If you do business with the Central Bank of Iran, you cannot do business with the United States."

The administration harbors concerns about the enforcement of the measure, which has more than 80 backers in the Senate. Denis McDonough, White House deputy national security adviser, held a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting with several senators on Tuesday, including Kirk and Menendez.

After the session, Kirk sought to allay concerns about rising gasoline prices.

"I've had detailed conversations with Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, who described a great willingness by Saudi Arabia to increase (oil) production," Kirk told reporters.

A vote on the amendment was expected on Thursday.

The Senate approved dozens of amendments by voice vote on Wednesday. Among them:

_Linking funds for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund to a requirement that the Obama administration certify to Congress that Pakistan is trying to counter improvised explosive devices.

_Calling on the president to devise a plan, with input from the military and NATO, for accelerating the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

_Seeking an urgent intelligence assessment of Libya's stockpile of about 20,000 portable anti-aircraft missiles and the threat they pose to the United States and its allies.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_go_co/us_congress_defense_bill

uc berkeley ohio state basketball annie annie zuccotti park leymah gbowee will rogers

Your Laptop's Wi-Fi Might Cause Male Fertility Problems (Mashable)

[brightcove video="1303335080001" /]

[More from Mashable: Personal Computers: A History of the Hardware That Changed the World]

Men beware. The Wi-Fi from your laptop could be hurting the health of your sperm.

A new study, published in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility by researchers from Argentina and the U.S., found that semen samples placed a little more than an inch under a Wi-Fi-connected laptop experienced more DNA damage and mobility issues than regular sperm. The samples were taken from 29 healthy men with an average age of 34.

[More from Mashable: Wi-Fi Day Is Here: What?s the Best Network Name You?ve Encountered?]

After just four hours sitting under a Wi-Fi-connected laptop, 25% of the sperm samples were no longer mobile and nine percent showed DNA damage. Meanwhile, only 14% of the samples stored away from the computer were inactive, and they showed minimal DNA damage.

"Our data suggest that the use of a laptop computer wirelessly connected to the Internet and positioned near the male reproductive organs may decrease human sperm quality," the report said. "At present we do not know whether this effect is induced by all laptop computers connected by Wi-Fi to the Internet, or what use conditions heighten this effect."

The study also tested the sperm next to laptops that were not connected to Wi-Fi. They showed some damage -- though less than the connected laptops. This suggests heat may also be a factor in impacting the health of your swimmers.

This is not the first time a study revealed that laptops might be harmful to sperm. A widely-reported 2010 study found that men who keep their laptops on their laps may be hurting the quality of their sperm due to scrotal hyperthermia -- that is, elevated temperatures in the testes.

The latest study noted that more research needs to be conducted to learn the true effects of electromagnetic radiation generated by a laptop's Wi-Fi connection -- since it was conducted in an artificial setting.

Male infertility is not uncommon. In fact, about one in six U.S. couples have difficulty conceiving. According to the American Urological Association, a man's fertility is a factor in 50 percent of these cases.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20111130/tc_mashable/your_laptops_wifi_might_cause_male_fertility_problems

michael jackson trial carlos the jackal pittsburgh steelers steelers namibia namibia hell on wheels