Technologies
Webb Finds Potentially Habitable Exoplanet Might Be an Ocean World
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope paints an enthralling picture of a planet that could be a prime place to look for evidence of life.
The next time you gaze at the Leo constellation, take a moment to contemplate K2-18 b, a fascinating planet there that has scientists wondering if it could harbor life. New data from the James Webb Space Telescope gives us a scintillating vision of an exoplanet that may be covered in a liquid water ocean.
K2-18 b gets its name from host star K2-18, which is located about 120 light-years from us. That’s not terribly far in space terms, but we won’t be popping over there for an in-person visit anytime soon. K2-18 b orbits in the habitable zone of its star, a region where liquid water could be present on the planet. The exoplanet may be what’s known as a Hycean world, one that is covered in water with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The name is a combination of «hydrogen» and «ocean.»
Astronomers from the University of Cambridge identified Hycean planets as a new class of habitable planet in 2021. The researchers encouraged investigating these worlds for biosignatures — evidence of life — as we continue our search for life beyond Earth.
«Traditionally, the search for life on exoplanets has focused primarily on smaller rocky planets, but the larger Hycean worlds are significantly more conducive to atmospheric observations,» said University of Cambridge astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan, lead author of a paper on the Webb results (PDF). This is where Webb’s powerful instruments come in.
Webb is building off observations made by the venerable Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble already discovered water vapor in the atmosphere of K2-18 b. Webb has now detected carbon-bearing molecules methane and carbon dioxide in K2-18 b’s atmosphere. NASA said the detection of those molecules combined with a shortage of ammonia supports the idea the planet is hiding an ocean under its atmosphere.
Methane and carbon dioxide aren’t the only molecules worth getting excited about. The telescope may also have detected dimethyl sulfide, but follow-up work from Webb will be needed to confirm it. «On Earth, this is only produced by life. The bulk of the DMS in Earth’s atmosphere is emitted from phytoplankton in marine environments,» said NASA.
K2-18 bis 8.6 times as massive as Earth, but it’s less massive than Neptune. We have nothing quite like it in our own solar system. «This lack of equivalent nearby planets means that these ‘sub-Neptunes’ are poorly understood, and the nature of their atmospheres is a matter of active debate among astronomers,» said NASA.
Webb’s data so far is a reason for excitement about K2-18 b and its potential to host life, but it’s too soon to celebrate. NASA cautions that an ocean on a planet like this might be too hot to be habitable.
Webb is a joint project from NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. It launched in 2021 and has already reshaped our understanding of the universe in the short time it’s been in service. The early Webb data on K2-18 b is just the beginning. Researchers will use Webb to scrutinize the planet to better understand its atmosphere and potential for habitability.
«Our ultimate goal is the identification of life on a habitable exoplanet, which would transform our understanding of our place in the universe,» said Madhusudhan.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, July 3
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 3.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword stumped me in a few spots. 8-Across had me thinking of a couple different words, but I landed on it eventually. Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Glaswegian or Edinburgher
Answer: SCOT
5A clue: 2025 Pixar film about a boy who gets abducted by aliens
Answer: ELIO
6A clue: Strong string
Answer: TWINE
7A clue: Religious devotee with a shaved head, maybe
Answer: MONK
8A clue: Calligrapher’s assortment
Answer: INKS
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Attach, as a button
Answer: SEWON
2D clue: Sound of two glasses being «cheers-ed»
Answer: CLINK
3D clue: Noises from a pig
Answer: OINKS
4D clue: «Little piggy»
Answer: TOE
6D clue: «Did I overshare?»
Answer: TMI
Technologies
Starlink Plans to Send 42K Satellites Into Space. That Could Be Bad News for the Ozone
Technologies
Scary Survey Results: Teen Drivers Are Often Looking at Their Phones
New troubling research found that entertainment is the most common reason teens use their phones behind the wheel, followed by texting and navigation.
A new study reveals that teen drivers in the US are spending more than one-fifth of their driving time distracted by their phones, with many glances lasting long enough to significantly raise the risk of a crash. Published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention and released on Thursday, the research found that, on average, teens reported looking at their phones during 21.1% of every driving trip. More than a quarter of those distractions lasted two seconds or longer, which is an amount of time widely recognized as dangerous at highway speeds.
Most distractions tied to entertainment, not emergencies
The top reason teens said they reached for their phones behind the wheel was for entertainment, cited by 65% of respondents. Texting (40%) and navigation (30%) were also common. Researchers emphasized that these distractions weren’t typically urgent, but rather habitual or social.
Teens know the risks
The study includes survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four US regions, along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. Most participants recognized that distracted driving is unsafe and believed their parents and peers disapproved of the behavior.
But many teens also assumed that their friends were doing it anyway, pointing to a disconnect between personal values and perceived social norms.
Teens think they can resist distractions
Interestingly, most teens expressed confidence in their ability to resist distractions. That belief, researchers suggest, could make it harder to change behavior unless future safety campaigns specifically target these attitudes.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said interventions should aim to shift social norms while also emphasizing practical steps, such as enabling «Do Not Disturb» mode and physically separating drivers from their devices.
«Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers,» Robbins said. «Driving distracted doesn’t just put the driver at risk of injury or death, it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident.»
What this means for parents and educators
The researchers say their findings can help guide educators and parents in developing more persuasive messaging about the dangers of distracted driving. One of the recommendations is that adults need to counter teens’ beliefs that phone use while driving is productive or harmless.
While the study’s qualitative component was limited by a small and non-urban sample, the authors believe the 38-question survey they developed can be used more broadly to assess beliefs, behaviors and the effectiveness of future safety efforts.
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