promoearn: It looks like Earth, is shaped like Earth, is it a ‘Super Earth’?

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

It looks like Earth, is shaped like Earth, is it a ‘Super Earth’?

Wednesday, November 14

An artist's impression of the surface of the planet that's orbiting Barnard's Star, the nearest single star to the sun. Data from a worldwide array of telescopes have revealed this frozen, dimly lit world.

It looks like Earth, is shaped like Earth, is it a 'Super Earth'?

A 'Super Earth' is discovered, Feds find blatant disregard for veteran safety at VA nursing home—catch up. Quick. The most interesting news of the day. #TheShortList

Happy hump day, Short List friends! We're editors Brett Molina and Mabinty Quarshie with the stories making the most noise today. While you read, we're going to daydream about going to Space Camp.

A planet much bigger and colder than our world has been discovered

Scientists discovered a Super Earth in orbit around a nearby star. How big? Over three times the mass of the Earth. How cold? A chilly temperature of about 238 degrees below zero. The planet and its star are "nearby" in cosmic terms only: At 30 trillion miles from Earth, Barnard's Star is the closest single star to our solar system. The newly discovered planet is the second-closest known exoplanet to the Earth and also orbits the fastest moving star in the night sky.

Eggnog! Pumpkin! Meet the seasonal food extremists

Millions of Americans go ga-ga over seasonal flavors from the iconic coffee drink that ushered in the Age of Pumpkin Spice – think beer, Twinkies and Cheerios – to candy corn-inspired popcorn and Hershey bars to eggnog-flavored tea and Publix ice cream. These now-you-see-them-now-you-don't foods make for great bait. Few things motivate customers to buy like a limited-time offer, which is essentially what seasonally flavored foods are. It's not just an autumn move. Quick-hit products are available in blips all year round. The fear of missing out – or FOMO for short – is strong.

Must read: The story of a nursing home and its 'blatant disregard for veteran safety'

A VA nursing home in Brockton, Mass., already rated one of the worst in the country found itself in more trouble last spring, when investigators discovered workers sleeping during their shifts . "We have significant concern about the blatant disregard for veteran safety by the registered nurses and certified nurse assistants," said investigators in a report about the facility. It's part of a broad review by USA TODAY and The Boston Globe examining VA nursing home care.

Don't pack your bags for Mars just yet

NASA predicts it will take about 25 years before the agency starts sending humans to Mars. According to NASA, travel to the Red Planet requires technology capable of protecting humans from solar flares, radiation and cosmic rays. They're also fine-tuning a spacecraft that can easily deliver both humans and cargo. Then there's the actual distance to Mars: a one-way trip covering 34 million miles could take nearly a year.

Here's what else you may have missed:

•	The Justice Department isn't backing down on acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker
•	A Wisconsin company is giving all its employees a handgun for Christmas, even those who have never fired a gun
•	A family accused of murders in Ohio will spend years in court
•	The University of Michigan bans an ex-coach who was caught having sex with one of his female gymnasts
•	Fans are taking serious exception with GQ offsetting the word "woman" on its cover of Serena Williams for 2018 Woman of the Year.