Technologies

The James Webb Telescope Just Zoomed In on A Hot, Haze-Free Exoplanet

Planet TOI-421b lacks the haze of other exoplanets, which means we’re able to get a surprisingly clear understanding of it.

The James Webb Space Telescope just zoomed in on the atmosphere of a planet discovered in 2020 — and now we have the clearest data ever about an exoplanet.

The awkwardly named Planet TOI-421b’s exoplanet status means that it doesn’t orbit our sun. (Exoplanets are defined as any planet beyond our solar system.)

Don’t expect to travel there any time soon. It’s 244 light-years away from the Earth — for comparison, the dwarf planet Pluto is only five and a half light-hours from us. The planet orbits a star that is similar to our sun. It is considered a sub-Neptune planet because it’s larger than Earth, but smaller than Neptune, which is four times larger than Earth.

The planet was discovered through astronomical transit, which means astronomers noticed that a star dimmed as TOI-421b passed it in orbit. This isn’t a heavenly body that a hobbyist can spot, but the best cameras out there can get you started with astrophotography.

The exoplanet was mapped by a team of astronomers from NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, who worked together to analyze the planet’s atmosphere using a form of study called spectroscopy. By parsing out light frequencies in a planet’s atmosphere, scientists can figure out what elements are present — and which ones are missing.

TOI-421b’s atmosphere is rich in hydrogen and contains signs of water vapor. But it doesn’t contain signs of methane, which leads to hazy atmospheric conditions.

Most sub-Neptune exoplanets have atmospheres shrouded in haze, which makes them difficult to image. TOI-421b was chosen for the project because the initial analysis led scientists to believe that the planet could be accurately and clearly pictured through spectroscopic imaging.

Is this planet a ‘unique snowflake’?

The team of astronomers published their findings in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, where all of the key data for the project is collected in one paper. You can read the full write-up here.

The spectroscopic images of TOI-421b are accessible in the results section of the paper, and they paint a picture of many of the exoplanet’s strange and exciting properties.

Other sub-Neptune worlds had atmospheres filled with heavy gases that indicated they were potentially mostly composed of water, but TOI-421b is composed of lightweight gases — much like the star it orbits.

This has raised questions about how different types of stars could potentially affect the atmospheres of their orbiting planets. In a statement to Mashable, Eliza Kempton, the lead investigator on the study, said it was something the astronomers would need to further explore.

«We can see if this planet just turned out to be kind of a unique snowflake, or is it emblematic of a class of planets that all have similar properties,» she said.

Technologies

Live-Action ‘Call of Duty’ Movie Reportedly Being Co-Written by Taylor Sheridan

The Yellowstone co-creator will reportedly team up with Peter Berg on the Paramount film.

Yellowstone, Landman and, now, Call of Duty. Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of the aforementioned hit shows, will co-write Paramount and Activision’s upcoming live-action video game adaptation, according to a report from Variety on Thursday.

Peter Berg will also co-write and direct the movie, which was announced last month. Berg previously directed films including 2018’s Mile 22, 2012’s Battleship and 2013’s Lone Survivor, while Sheridan’s movie credits include 2016’s Hell or High Water and 2017’s Wind River. Berg, Sheridan and David Glasser will produce the Call of Duty film.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Call of Duty is a first-person shooter military video game series that debuted in 2003. CNET senior writer David Lumb calls it «arguably the biggest shooter franchise in gaming, with millions of players picking up every year’s new entry to the series.»

Lumb said the franchise is known for its bombastic single-player campaigns, which feature globe-spanning plots that rival those of the Mission Impossible films. «A Call of Duty movie has a lot of material to draw from,» Lumb said.

He also noted that Berg’s direction of Lone Survivor would fit the grim military heroism of Call of Duty, while Taylor Sheridan’s spate of neo-Western films and shows could lend a frontier adventurism to the film.

«Their collective works seemingly harmonize with the jingoistic pro-military tune of Activision’s shooter franchise — which is probably a good thing for Call of Duty fans,» Lumb concluded.

A release announcing Paramount and Activision’s film deal teased that it’ll be «designed to thrill its massive global fan base by delivering on the hallmarks of what fans love about the iconic series, while boldly expanding the franchise to entirely new audiences.» It didn’t include cast or plot information.

The update follows recent news that Sheridan is leaving Paramount for NBCUniversal. Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

US Government Urges Total Ban of Our Most Popular Wi-Fi Router

Technologies

Animal Crossing Update Adds Lego Furniture, With a Switch 2 Version Arriving the Same Day

Fans of Animal Crossing will have a reason to go back to their island.

Animal Crossing fans just received a big surprise, and it’s not just a new content update. A Switch 2 version is on its way.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons will receive its first big update in three years, according to a post from Nintendo on Thursday. The update, labeled 3.0, will roll out on Jan. 15, the same day the Switch 2 version of the game will be available for purchase.

Released for the original Switch back in 2020, New Horizons was the first Animal Crossing game to come to a Nintendo console since 2008’s Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Nintendo Wii.

Nintendo regularly updated New Horizons for two years after its release, but stopped at update 2.0.6 released in November 2022. Two updates were added earlier in the year to prepare the game for playability on the Switch 2.

Animal Crossing 3.0 Update

In the 3.0 update coming on Jan. 15, a new hotel is opening. Players can help bring in guests to stay at the hotel by decorating guest rooms and dressing up mannequins to sell resort clothing.

For those who haven’t touched New Horizons in years, a Reset Service will be available. Players can have their island cleaned up, and items can be stored away or trashed for those who want a clean slate.

Players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership will have access to up to three islands, where they can explore and do as they please. These new areas are available on Slumber Island. It’s up to the player to decide how the island will look, what items or plants are on it and even which characters will be found on the island. Players can also invite friends to build it together.

New Horizons will feature special collaborations and Nintendo retro gear. Lego items will be available in the update for players to decorate their homes with or clothing to dress up their villagers with. Retro Nintendo consoles, such as the NES and Game Boy, can also be used as decorative items.

If the player has a Switch Online subscription, some classic titles such as Ice Climbers and Dr. Mario can be played via these in-game devices. There are also special items based on The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series when players tap their amiibo from those games onto the Switch while playing.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch 2

Switch 2 owners can get in on the digital life game with Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. Not only will this new version come with updated graphics, including 4K resolution in TV mode, but it will also add special features that can only be done on the newest console.

One of the features is mouse controls for the Joy-Con 2. Players will be able to use the controller as a mouse to decorate indoors, create custom designs and write handwritten messages for the bulletin board.

Residents in the game can now be found by saying their name into the Switch 2’s built-in microphone while using the megaphone in the game. Multiplayer has also improved dramatically, with 12-player sessions available for those playing on the new edition, and CameraPlay is supported to allow players to see one another.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for purchase on Jan. 15 for $65. Owners of the original Switch version of New Horizons can upgrade to the Switch 2 version for $5.