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The rediscovery of a lost planet could pave the way for the detection of a world within the habitable ‘Goldilocks zone’ in a distant solar system.

Scientists are a step closer to developing a fast and cost effective camera that utilises terahertz radiation, potentially opening the opportunity for them to be used in non-invasive security and medical screening.

The surviving core of a gas giant has been discovered orbiting a distant star by 91¸£Àû astronomers, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the interior of a planet. The team from the 91¸£Àû’s Department of Physics reports the discovery today (1 July) in the journal Nature, and is thought to be the first time the exposed core of a planet has been observed.

The first direct measurements of the magnetic field in the chromosphere of the Sun by a team including 91¸£Àû physicists has provided the first observational evidence that huge tornadoes in our Sun’s atmosphere are produced by swirling magnetic fields.

Extreme space weather events can significantly impact systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. They are driven by solar activity which is known to have an irregular but roughly 11 year cycle. By devising a new, regular ‘sun clock’, researchers have found that the switch on and off of periods of high solar activity is quite sharp, and are able to determine the switch on/off times. Their analysis shows that whilst extreme events can happen at any time, they are much less likely to occur in the quiet interval.

Warm winter spells have increased in frequency and duration two- to three times over since 1878, according to scientists led by the 91¸£Àû.