Science Frontier ·
First Exomoon Discovered, Quantum Internet Debuts on Busy Fiber
Astronomers have directly detected the first exomoon, a Jupiter-sized world orbiting a star 71 light-years away. In other breakthroughs, the James Webb Space Telescope uncovered a hidden giant planet in the Beta Pictoris system, and researchers achieved quantum entanglement over a commercial fiber-optic cable for the first time.
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First exomoon detected orbiting a planet 71 light-years away Astronomers using the VLT have found the first confirmed moon outside our solar system, a world at least as massive as Jupiter orbiting the star CD-35 2772. The discovery opens a new frontier in exoplanet science. 1
Webb reveals third giant planet in Beta Pictoris system NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope identified Beta Pictoris d through its atmospheric signature rather than direct imaging, adding to the only other system with three imaged planets. The planet has at least twice Jupiter’s mass and the widest orbit of the three known worlds. 2
Quantum entanglement demonstrated over busy telecom fiber for first time Northwestern University researchers transmitted entangled photons through a 24.4 km fiber carrying commercial internet traffic, preserving 94% fidelity. This paves the way for quantum networks without dedicated infrastructure. 34
Raspberry sugar erythrulose detected in interstellar space Astronomers identified the four-carbon sugar erythrulose in a molecular cloud near the Milky Way’s center, the first sugar found in the interstellar medium. The discovery suggests complex prebiotic molecules can form in space. 5
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