Most stars in our galaxy have planets, study suggests

Rocky, roughly earth-like planets orbiting stars seem to be the rule, rather than the exception, an new study reveals.?

Alien planets are incredibly common in our Milky Way galaxy, outnumbering stars by a large margin, a new study suggests.

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On average, each of the 100 billion or so stars in our galaxy hosts at least 1.6 planets, according to the study, bringing the number of likely?alien worlds?to more than 160 billion. And large numbers of these exoplanets are likely to be small and rocky ? roughly Earth-like ? since low-mass planets appear to be much more abundant than large ones.

"This statistical study tells us that planets around stars are the rule, rather than the exception," said study lead author Arnaud Cassan of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics. "From now on, we should see our galaxy populated not only with billions of bright stars, but imagine them surrounded by as many?hidden extrasolar worlds."

Using a cosmic gravity lens

To date, astronomers have discovered?more than 700 planets?beyond our own solar system, with 2,300 additional "candidates" found by NASA's Kepler space telescope awaiting confirmation.

The vast majority of these exoplanet detections have been made using two different techniques: transit photometry and radial velocity. [Gallery: The Strangest Alien Planets]

Kepler employs the transit method, which watches for the tiny, telltale dips in a star's brightness caused when a planet crosses the star's face, blocking some of its light. Radial velocity looks for minuscule wobbles in a star's movement caused by the gravitational tugs of orbiting planets.

While these two methods have been highly productive, they're biased toward finding planets that orbit relatively close to their parent stars. In the new study, Cassan and his colleagues employed a different technique, known as gravitational microlensing, that feels this bias less strongly.

In gravitational microlensing, scientists watch what happens when a massive object passes in front of a star from our perspective on Earth. The nearby object's gravitational field bends and magnifies the light from the distant star, acting like a lens.

This produces a light curve ? a brightening and fading of the faraway star's light over time ? whose characteristics tell astronomers a lot about the foreground object.

In many cases, this nearby body is a star. If it has any planets, even ones in relatively far-flung orbits, these can generate secondary light curves, alerting researchers to their presence.

Studying millions of stars

In the new study, the researchers looked at data gathered by a variety of Earth-based telescopes, which scanned millions of stars from 2002 to 2007 for microlensing events.

The team closely analyzed about 40 of these events and discovered that three betrayed the presence of an alien planet around a star. One of these planets is a bit more massive than Jupiter, one is comparable to Neptune and the third is a so-called "super-Earth" with a mass about five times that of our home planet. [Gallery: Smallest Alien Planets Ever Seen]

Considering how perfectly aligned multiple bodies must be to yield an explanet detection via microlensing, that's a pretty impressive haul, researchers said.

The astronomers used all of this data, as well as information about seven additional planets detected by other microlensing efforts, to put a number on their planet-detection efficiency ? and, by extension, the number of alien worlds that may populate?the Milky Way.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/EY-PNpOR4g8/Most-stars-in-our-galaxy-have-planets-study-suggests

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Angelina Jolie: I Had a "Meltdown" Making My New Film

Angelina Jolie has received many accolades for directing the Bosnian War-set drama In the Land of Blood and Honey, but the actress admits that she wasn't always sure she could go through with making the film.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/angelina-jolie-had-meltdown-making-land-blood-and-honey/1-a-418533?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aangelina-jolie-had-meltdown-making-land-blood-and-honey-418533

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Deal of the Day ? VIPRE Internet Security 2012

Today’s LogicBUY Deal is a free trial of VIPRE Internet Security 2012.? The trial is download-only.? VIPRE is high-performance security software that is designed to be light on resources.? There’s also special pricing on purchases now;? you’ll receive a second year of coverage for free when you purchase any version, with Anti-Virus starting at $39.95 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/01/14/deal-of-the-day-vipre-internet-security-2012/

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Acer Aspire S5 hands-on, revisited (now with video)

The last time we reported on the Aspire S5, Acer's sophomore Ultrabook, your favorite reviews editor was throwing elbows to get a first look. The company's press conference here at CES was packed to the gills with journalists and industry analysts, dozens of whom were jostling for some hands-on time after the event wrapped. It didn't help that there were two S5s on display, and that the demo area was tricked out with green mood lighting.

So when we had a chance to play with the S5 again, this time in a quiet, sunny room, we knew a second look was in order. For the most part, our early impressions haven't changed. Its all-metal chassis still feels solid, and we continue to be wary of that shallow keyboard. That 15mm-thick chassis is as impressive as ever -- maybe even more so, now that we know half of this year's Ultrabooks are likely to be larger. But man, is this thing even more beautiful in the light. We already concluded it had a more uniformly premium design than the older Aspire S3, but in a brightly lit room it's easier to appreciate the slightly brushed texture on the lid and palm rest, the seamless, spartan design and how well that black paint job complements the thin chassis. Below, find a few extra hands-on shots added in with the old, and continue on past the break for a video tour, complete with a demo of that motorized drop-down port cover -- something we didn't get to show you the first time around.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

Continue reading Acer Aspire S5 hands-on, revisited (now with video)

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/7ODFRwthOh0/

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The Downside of E-Textbooks (ContributorNetwork)

Technology has changed many aspects of education as teachers have incorporated various tools into research, presentations and assignment creation. In a world that has shown an increased demand for digital content, it was only a matter of time before e-textbooks came onto the scene. There are certainly schools that have embraced the convenience and multimedia depth of these new learning devices. However, there are also problems and according to one article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, they aren't saving the students any money.

Not a money saver

According to the article, students involved in the study saved less than a dollar on e-textbook purchases. Rentals were more affordable than buying the new digital resources, but overall the cost savings was not immense. I hope this conclusion is not a shock to anyone. As an educator who has seen the slow emergence of e-textbooks, I would be very surprised if students saved any money on e-textbooks.

Unfortunately for students, there are no dog-eared, used versions of e-textbooks that can be purchased at a discount. When I was in college, students would literally camp out and wait for the used-book sale to start so that they could save a few dollars. Prices are varied; for this Barnes and Noble textbook, the paperback textbook is almost $30 cheaper than the "eTextbook." For this business textbook, buying or renting the Amazon Nook version is cheaper than the standard hardcover textbook. However, used hard copies of that textbook and rentals are cheaper still.

A business perspective

Educators have to remember that textbook companies are going to hang onto their business for dear life. Textbooks represent a clash between traditional learning and the modern student who is used to getting their material for free on the Internet. I am certain that publishers realize the world is changing quickly, and they need to make adjustments if they are going to survive. It will be interesting to see if educational institutions and publishers can find a financial compromise that is palatable to both sides.

Adjusting to a new style

It should also be noted that e-textbooks represent a shift in teaching style. I have seen some educators embrace the e-textbook, but others do not feel it is a better tool for learning. Unfortunately, the assumption can be that the technological solution is automatically superior, and this is not always the case. Even students have had issues with accessing and navigating e-textbooks, or dealing with short-term access to material. Technology is certainly helpful in some environments, but grabbing a book and turning to a certain page is still faster in some situations than logging onto an e-textbook.

It will be interesting to see whether e-textbooks eventually become the standard in higher education or if the human need for the tactile will keep that dusty dog-eared tome around for a few more years.

The author teaches at the college level and prior to entering the classroom he spent many years in higher education administration. On occasion he also enjoys the pure entertainment of substitute teaching at the high school and middle school levels.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120113/cm_ac/10803321_the_downside_of_etextbooks

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Investing In Precious Metals, From Suze Orman

Finance expert Suze Orman offers advice on investing in precious metals.

Get Suze's FREE download to The Money Navigator enter the gift code MARLO at www.SuzeOrman.com.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/investing-in-precious-met_n_1205402.html

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Euro, stocks up ahead of Italian debt sale (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? European shares and the euro rose on Friday on expectations debt-scarred Italy's first bond sale of the year would go well, but unease over Greece's debt swap deal and prospects for the broader euro zone economy capped gains.

The market mood was lifted on Thursday by a strong debt auction from Spain, tapping a flood of three-year loans to banks from the European Central Bank, which was cautiously optimistic on the region's outlook after leaving the door open to further interest rate cuts.

"The euro has risen after (Thursday's) auctions were much better than expected,," said Manuel Oliveri, currency strategist at UBS in Zurich.

"But it's only a correction so far and there's no serious fresh buying."

The euro rose 0.3 percent to $1.2824, having climbed to as high as $1.2879 in Asian trading, and pulling further away from a 16-month low near $1.2662 hit earlier in the week.

The FTSEurofirst 300 (.FTEU3) index of top European shares rose sharply at the open before easing back to a gain of 0.3 percent at 1,022.06 points by 0940 GMT. It reached a five-month high of 1,031.08 on Thursday before closing 0.3 percent lower.

Banks were the main gainers, with the STOXX Europe 600 Bank index (.SX7P) up 1.6 percent.

The MSCI global index (.MIWD00000PUS) rose 0.4 percent.

In a second key test in two days of market appetite for debt from the countries at the frontline of the euro zone crisis, Italy sells three-year bonds along with 2018 paper in an auction due at 1000 GMT.

The difference between the rates it pays compared with benchmark German bonds - a key measure of investor confidence -narrowed early on Thursday, and a successful sale could see the spread shrink further.

Italy's 10-year government bond was yielding around 6.5 percent on Friday compared to levels of around 7.0 percent before the Spanish debt auction.

Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Bloxham Stockbrokers, said he expected the auction to draw strong demand.

"It wouldn't surprise me if peripherals continue to do well, especially with another three-year (ECB funding injection) coming up in February.

"But the critical point is the end of the month to see what the (euro zone) policymakers come up with to improve sentiment further. Sentiment is still fragile. It has been encouraged by the actions of the ECB, but politicians have to deliver as well."

The outcome of make-or-break debt swap talks to prevent the euro zone's weakest link, Greece, from slipping into default remained in the balance.

Private sector bondholders said time was running out to seal a deal on a voluntary debt exchange, though Greek officials sounded more optimistic and French bank Societe Generale said agreement was close on a writedown of at least half the value of the debt.

Whatever the outcome, "an agreement on the Greek debt swap is unlikely to be enough to bring Greece back to a sustainable path," said Oliveri at UBS.

RISK APPETITE

Another key yardstick of investor sentiment, the Euro STOXX 50 volatility index (.V2TX), dropped 4.3 percent to touch a five-month low in early trade. At 0935 GMT it was down 3.2 percent at 0935 GMT.

Greater appetite for risk also weighed on safe haven gold, pushing it down 0.6 percent to $1,642 an ounce after it hit a one-month high on Thursday, but oil recovered from a sell-off in the previous session on a report that a proposed European Union embargo on Iranian crude imports would be delayed.

"If more people become bullish, prices, particularly in equities and commodities, will rise. It's now just a matter of when you make the switch." said Tetsu Emori, a fund manager with Astramax Co. in Tokyo.

Brent crude rose close to $112 a barrel, boosted by worries over supply disruption from Nigeria, but gains capped by a report that a proposed European Union embargo on imports of Iranian crude would be phased in over six months.

On Thursday the ECB left official interest rates unchanged and did not offer to take any further action to tackle the euro-zone's debt crisis, saying there were tentative signs the economy was stabilizing.

The bank said its cheap three-year loans were helping banks and supporting morale across the euro zone.

The outcome came as little surprise to investors given the slightly firmer tone of some of the recent data and recent back-to-back rate cuts.

Italy will hope to match the success of Thursday's Spanish auction when it sells up to 4.75 billion euros of bonds on Friday.

On the data front, British factory gate inflation fell more than expected in December, official data showed on Friday, boosting expectations that the Bank of England will inject more stimulus into the struggling economy soon.

Sterling fell to a two-week low against the euro following the data.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Asset performance in 2012: http://link.reuters.com/nyw85s

ECB bank borrowing, deposits: http://link.reuters.com/nyd85s

ECB in graphics: http://link.reuters.com/neg32s

Europe earnings expectations: http://link.reuters.com/duc95s

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

(Additional reporting by Richard Hubbard and Neal Armstrong,; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120113/bs_nm/us_markets_global

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MTV Movie Brawl 2012: 'Hunger Games' Vs. 'Prometheus'

The MTV Movie Brawl 2012 is officially on! After the initial play-in and wild card rounds, 16 films have been selected to compete in a series of head-to-head single elimination matches in our March Madness-style bracket. In the end, only one of these flicks can be crowned the can't-miss movie of the year, and the [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/10/hunger-games-prometheus-brawl/

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Rogen once peed in Tom Cruise's driveway

Meeting Tom Cruise is almost pee-in-your-pants exciting! For Seth Rogen, anyway.

"I once peed in a Snapple bottle in my car while parked in Tom Cruise's driveway," the "50/50" star, 29, tweeted last week.

PHOTOS: Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's romance

He then explained the incident Monday while chatting with Howard Stern on his Sirius XM radio show.

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"It's true," Rogen confirmed. "He was meeting with people like me and ['Knocked Up' director] Judd Apatow, to kind of, I think, get a sense of the comedic landscape at the time, so me and Judd had a few meetings at his house."

PHOTOS: Star slipups

(The meeting was before Cruise, 49, tweaked his persona with a landmark comedic performance in 2008's "Tropic Thunder," in which which he played crass, bald, overweight studio executive Les Grossman.)

"I showed up [at Cruise's house] early," Rogen explained of his need to relieve himself in an empty Snapple bottle. "He had a very long driveway and I didn't want to go in."

PHOTOS: Suri Cruise's fabulous life

"I was so uncomfortable, I had never met him before," the starstruck Rogen said. "It was so weird!"

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45959274/ns/today-entertainment/

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Happy 22nd Birthday, Liam Hemsworth!


He's no longer simply known as Miley Cyrus' Boyfriend. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Liam Hemsworth has established his own identity, having landed one of the lead roles in this spring's The Hunger Games. And, now, the man behind Gale Hawthorne is 22 years old. Today is his birthday!

Liam Hemsworth with Miley Cyrus

Look for the Australian's stock to positively sky-rocket following the March 23 release of this blockbuster. It should be fun to watch.

Also celebrating a birthday today is: Orlando Bloom (35), Patrick Dempsey (46) and Julia-Louis Dreyfus (51).

[Photo: WENN.com]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/happy-22nd-birthday-liam-hemsworth/

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