rings

Lord of the Rings fanfiction sequel to be destroyed after court order

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A judge in California has ordered the destruction of all electronic and physical copies of Lord of the Rings fanfiction sequel The Fellowship of the King.

The novel was described by author Demetrious Polychron as a “loving homage” to his hero JRR Tolkien and “the obvious pitch-perfect sequel” to the epic fantasy of The Lord of the Rings.

However, as the New York Times reports, US District Judge Stephen V Wilson sided

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rings

All That Glitters: Saturn’s Rings Estimated to Be “Young”

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Exaggerated color-contrast Cassini image of Saturn and its rings eclipsing the Sun. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.

First discovered by Galileo in 1610, Saturn’s rings have long fascinated scientists. Ring formation and evolution offer tantalizing clues to planetary formation processes. The first few million years after the formation of our solar system 4.57 billion years ago were tumultuous, with collisions between planetesimals becoming common. Astronomers previously assumed that Saturn’s rings came from this early period, which was supported by their orbits and predominantly water-ice processes. However, understanding of orbital mechanics and particle collisions showed that the ring material should be constantly

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rings

Shocking space! Saturn rings will disappear!

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In 1610, the visionary astronomer Galileo Galilei marveled at the celestial beauty of the Saturn rings, describing them as resembling “ears.” Fast forward to the present day, and these once-distant wonders are now observable to anyone with basic astronomical equipment. However, the clock is ticking on this cosmic spectacle, as recent findings suggest that Saturn rings are on the verge of disappearing from view within the next 18 months.

Cosmic Phenomenon Unveiled

This magnificent display, composed of seven distinct rings, is a cosmic phenomenon thought to be formed from the remnants of comets, asteroids, and moons torn apart by Saturn’s

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Physicists create bizarre quantum Alice rings for the first time

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Artistic illustration of an Alice ring, which has been observed for the first time

Heikka Valja/Aalto University

Physicists have peered through the proverbial looking glass, and the atoms on the other side belong to a world of opposites. For the first time, researchers have made an exotic quantum object called an Alice ring, which changes the properties of other quantum objects when they pass through it – or when they are simply viewed through it.

Quantum systems – such as collections of very cold atoms, or even our whole universe – should theoretically contain strange objects called topological defects. Some

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