UK: Why The Living Wage Won’t Compensate For Tax Credit Cuts

Will government cuts to tax credits hit Britain’s poorest the hardest? (Becky Stares/shutterstock)

By Chris Grover, Lancaster University

Wage poverty is endemic in Britain because wages are thought of as a price for a job, rather than as a means of earning a living.

The introduction of the so called “national living wage” – what really should just be viewed as an increase in the national minimum wage for the over 25s – will raise wages for the lowest-paid workers by 50p an hour. This should be good news for those receiving the increase, but it seems some businesses are using the national living wage as an excuse to cut overall pay and rewards for staff.

#GnFnR - Guns N' Roses Return For Historic North American Summer Stadium Tour

Founder Axl Rose and Former Members, Slash and Duff McKagan, Regroup For The 'Not In This Lifetime Tour' Produced by Live Nation 

Following months of intense rumor, speculation and feverish excitement from rock music fans around the world, Guns N' Roses confirmed today they will embark on a massive North American summer stadium tour as founder Axl Rose and former members, Slash and Duff McKagan regroup for what will be one of the century's most anticipated musical events. 

Eight Myths About Women On The Military Frontline – And Why We Shouldn't Believe Them

US Army First Lieutenant Kirsten Griest (centre) and fellow soldiers in combat training, 2015. REUTERS

By Leanne K Simpson, Bangor University

Although women have proven themselves capable in frontline combat situations – most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan – sceptics argue that this does not demonstrate they are capable of the dirty, exhausting, terrifying and chaotic job that is offensive close combat.

Many myths, based on stereotype and perpetuated by a minority of “old and bold” military personnel, are historically unfounded. However, the findings do not seem to be filtering though – and popular opinion still believes that women are incapable of serving in ground close combat roles. It is time to put these myths to bed once and for all:

1. "Women are physically inferior to men"
We have known since the 1980s that direct measures of strength are a more valid qualification criteria than sex and that women are capable of the same level of physical fitness as men of the same size and build. Now, putting that aside, advances in military equipment such as exoskeleton suits are being developed to reduce the effort spent by soldiers while increasing the amount of weight they can carry and the distance they can cover. This will soon make physical inferiority regardless of sex a moot point.

High-tech research developing exoskeletons that would help reduce injury and fatigue. DARPA

2. "Women lack violent tendencies"
In truth, women are just as capable of violence as men. Although studies have consistently found that males are more aggressive than females, very little of the research considers the sex of the victim in comparison to the sex of the aggressor. When controlling for this, the sex difference isn’t as clear-cut – women are equal to, if not more aggressive than, men in some contexts.

One former female warrant officer in the British Army to whom I spoke for this article said:

“Military training ensures that all personnel regardless of sex are capable of aggressive behaviour that is appropriate and proportionate even in high-risk hostile enviroments”.

3. "Women lack the mental discipline required"
Women have proven themselves to be mentally formidable, performing highly stressful jobs – for example, as doctors, police officers and pilots – alongside their male counterparts. Research has quashed the sexually dimorphic view of the human brain, instead demonstrating that our brains are highly individualised and mental discipline cannot be discriminated by sex.

It’s impossible to tell the sex of an individual based solely on MRI images of the brain. Dr Leah T Johnstone

4. "Women are not as emotionally stable as men"
Men and women suffer from depression at similar rates, however there is a suicide paradox in which men are more likely to succeed in taking their own lives than women are. Men are also more likely to have substance abuse and addiction problems. Not quite the picture of emotional stability one might assume is needed for comparison.

5. "Women will be sexually assaulted by male peers"
Military sexual trauma is a concern particularly in the US, where an estimated 20,000 assaults occurred in 2014, against 40% of active-duty female soldiers and 13% of active-duty male soldiers. Based on these percentages it is estimated that 11,400 male and 8,600 female personnel were sexually assaulted in 2014; so, while the proportion of women assaulted is higher, more men were actually victimised – dispelling this misconception that this is a woman’s issue.

The US figures include assaults by “other service members, civilians, spouses or others”. In the UK, the military police received 225 allegations of rape and sexual assault between 2011 and 2013 from active-duty soldiers against their colleagues.

6. "Women will jeopardise unit cohesion"
A 2009 literature review on women in ground close combat roles for the UK’s Ministry of Defence found a positive relationship between team cohesion and performance. However, it was unable to make a clear recommendation due to a lack of scientific data examining the effects of women in close combat teams particularly within the UK Armed Forces.

Consequently, the decision was left to “a military judgement that under conditions of high intensity close quarter battle, team cohesion is of such significance that the employment of women in this environment would represent a risk to combat effectiveness with no gain in terms of combat effectiveness to offset it.” A disappointing conclusion for equality campaigners considering the review stated there was no scientific evidence to show that women would or would not impact unit cohesion.

A more recent review that aimed to update the 2009 work came up with a different conclusion, finding that gender was not a significant factor in team cohesion. It went on to note that any negative issues related to the integration of women and unit cohesion were short-lived, and could be offset by collective experience and strong leadership – a major factor in how well units perform, rather than the presence or absence of women.

7. "Female military units won’t work"
There are already examples of many battle-proven all-female units, including the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units (YPJ)in Rojava, Kurdistan – the most recent female military unit to capture media attention. The YPJ has been extraordinarily successful, playing a key role during the liberation of Kobani in Syria.

The YPJ have also assisted the Yazidi community, who were trapped on Mount Sinjar in Iraq in 2014. The rescue operation saved thousands of Yazidis who had taken refuge on the mountain and fought thirst and hunger for months, including a large population of women and children who were at risk of being captured and enslaved by Islamic State (IS). For IS, who believe that death at the hands of a woman disqualifies them from Paradise, these women are a formidable threat.

8. "Women can’t perform as well as men in the Special Forces"
Many countries have made significant progress towards full gender integration in the military, accepting that women should have the same opportunity to serve their country as their male counterparts. However, there seems to be an unequal application of gender equality when it comes to some Special Forces (SF) units.

The 707th Special Mission Battalion, a special forces unit in the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command. Wikimedia/Republic of Korea Armed Forces, CC BY

In December last year, the US military said that all combat jobs will be open to women with no exceptions – but by January it was announced that this “gender-neutral” policy wouldn’t include SF units.

SF selection processes are largely a physical aptitude test that is optimised for a male cohort. Arguably this isn’t appropriate for current operational requirements. Considering the irregular nature of current operating environments – where frontlines are rarer and enemies don’t wear uniform – it seems that SF units must continually evolve to deal with modern threats. A retired UK Special Forces major told me that: “[21st-century] threats will require a greater reliance on specialists embedded and working within ‘traditional’ SF structures.” 

They added:

More effective recruitment and retention of women is likely to be an important part of that evolution. In many respects this is back to the future, creating something that looks more like a special operations executive.

There is no shortage of female talent in the military and it is time to use it fully. While not every woman will be capable of serving in ground close combat roles, neither is every man. Access to such roles should be based on competence and qualifications, not determined by a Y chromosome.


About Today's Contributor
Leanne K Simpson, PhD Student, School of Psychology | Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance, Bangor University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Funimation Entertainment to Host Live Stream Premiere of the Next Big Thing in #Anime "My Hero Academia" on Sunday, April 3

Adaptation of Smash Hit Manga Series Debuts on FunimationNow with All-Night Launch Party

Funimation Entertainment will host an exclusive live stream launch party on Sunday, April 3, 2016 leading into the premiere of the most highly anticipated, new anime series of the year – My Hero Academia, available on FunimationNow. 

Join Dubbletalk's Justin Rojas,Lauren Moore and surprise celebrity guests for an all-night premiere launch party featuring interviews, contests and giveaways, show clips and much more, followed by the premiere of "My Hero Academia" and an episode recap discussion!  

Celebrity guests include: 

• Colleen Clinkenbeard ("One Piece") 
• Clifford Chapain ("Attack on Titan") 
• Apphia Yu ("Assassination Classroom") 
• Felecia Angelle ("Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign") 
• Michelle Rojas ("Date A Live")

"This five-hour event is a first for Funimation, and we are so excited to share this experience with fans -- not only the premiere of 'My Hero Academia', but also all of the interviews and extras surrounding the show," said Gen Fukunaga, Founder and CEO of Funimation. "I'd like to personally invite our fans to join us for this huge event as we celebrate the launch together!"

• Produced by Bones, Inc. ("Fullmetal Alchemist", "Cowboy Bebop", "Space Dandy") "My Hero Academia" will quickly join the top ranks of anime classics such as "Dragon Ball Z," "One Piece," and "Naruto." 

• Adapted from the Manga Taisho-nominated Japanese super hero series written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi ("Barrage on the Battle Star", "Oumazoo"), "My Hero Academia" is pegged to be one of the most fan-embraced anime titles of 2016.

Fans can participate in an exclusive launch party contest beginning on April 3 and running through April 16, 2016 by signing up for a free 14-day trial of FunimationNow. The more episodes fans watch on FunimationNow, the more chances they have to win. 

More details will be shared during the event.

SERIES SYNOPSIS: 

"My Hero Academia" is a superhero origin story that soars to the top of the class! Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life--a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That's right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered "quirk," Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that's not going to stop him from enrolling in one of the world's most prestigious hero academies. Now, the only thing standing between him and his first class is the academy's formidable entrance exam--nothing a little private tutoring from the world's mightiest hero can't solve.

WHEN & WHERE:

• Sunday, April 3 – 1:00 AM EDT: "My Hero Academia" live stream launch party begins. To watch, tune in live at www.funimation.com/myheroclass
• Sunday, April 3 – 5:00 AM EDT: "My Hero Academia" Episode 1 premiere. To watch, subscribe to FunimationNow and tune in live at www.funimation.com/shows/my-hero-academia/videos
• Sunday, April 3 – 5:30 AM EDT: "My Hero Academia" Episode 1 recap. To watch, tune in at www.funimation.com/myheroclass

THE TRAILER:

SOURCE: Funimation Entertainment

What Leaving The EU Would Really Mean For British Trade Deals

IR Stone / Shutterstock.com

By Paul James Cardwell, University of Sheffield

What would be the impact of staying in or leaving the EU for the UK’s global trade? This has become one of the most talked about questions of the referendum so far.

The various Leave campaigns have claimed that quitting the EU would free the UK from its “shackles”. As one of the world’s largest economies, they claim the UK would be well placed to opt out of the EU’s existing deals with non-EU countries and forge free trade deals of its own.

The Stronger In campaign and other pro-Remain bodies claim Britain has the “best of both worlds” – a full part in the single market, and a place at the EU table in negotiating trade deals.

Arguments on both sides turn on whether the UK can strike free trade agreements with non-EU countries. But “free trade” is not as straightforward as it sounds.

The current deal
Within the EU, member states enjoy largely unrestricted trade in goods and services, which is just not generally available in other trade deals. Agreements with non-EU countries often do not cover economically significant areas, such as financial services or agricultural goods.

According to Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the EU has the legal competence to run external trade policy towards the wider world. This provision has been in place since the original Treaty of Rome in 1957 (long before the UK joined).

The logic is straightforward – if there is a single market within the EU, then member states cannot set up individual deals outside the EU, as the two would be incompatible. Changing this rule was not part of the UK’s demands for a new settlement from the EU earlier this year. In fact, the UK has always supported the external commercial aspect of EU membership.

Currently, the EU operates bilateral deals with states across the globe. It has preferential trade agreements with South Korea, South Africa, Mexico, many countries around the Mediterranean, and a customs union with Turkey. A deal with Canada has been agreed, and negotiations with India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are underway. Many Commonwealth countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific are also covered by EU deals.

The unknown alone
Could the UK opt-out and go it alone? In theory, yes, but in practice, the picture would be rather different. There are three major obstacles in concluding post-Brexit deals.

The first is that much would depend on what the UK’s relationship with the EU would look like after Brexit. That would take time to resolve but would probably take priority given the UK’s current reliance on the single market. If the UK concludes an agreement to retain access to the single market, like Norway and Switzerland, it would be difficult for it to have separate deals with non-EU member states, as they may conflict. And while the UK might be able to continue to take advantage of existing EU agreements with other countries, it would not have a say in any changes or negotiations over new agreements – for example, with China.

The second is the process, both in terms of the content and the time needed. Trade agreements are complex and take time.

Although negotiating an external agreement as part of the EU means taking account of 28 national interests, there is no guarantee this would be easier as a single state – especially if trying to negotiate multiple deals at the same time within a limited timeframe.

To take an example, the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement took 14 rounds of negotiation over nine years to conclude. And as one Eurosceptic MP – who is nevertheless going to vote to remain in – recognises, markets are more global and sophisticated than they ever were, adding to this complexity.

Neither does being a relatively large economy guarantee success. Japan, the world’s fourth largest economy, has only 15 agreements. With a service-based economy, the UK would need to make the case that any agreement was not limited to goods or investment alone for it to be effective in supporting British interests. The need for comprehensive agreements would probably lengthen the process considerably.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman has warned the UK not to expect a special deal. EPA

The third, crucially, is the willingness of other countries to deal with the UK outside the EU. Although a relatively large economy, the UK’s attractiveness to outsiders is largely because of its position within the much bigger single market. Narendra Modi, prime minister of India (the largest country in the Commonwealth) has said as much.

And given the complexities and time involved in these sorts of negotiations, the US Trade Representative has explicitly said that the US is not interested in a separate US-UK deal. His comment confirms the trend for free trade agreements to be pursued collectively by blocs, including the Gulf Cooperation Council and Mercosur, where they exist. The EU has of course led the way in this respect and is still in the process of agreeing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the US.

Therefore, the choice seems to be remaining in the EU with current agreements and negotiations ongoing with other states, or leaving in the hope that states respond positively to the UK seeking an agreement. But there is no evidence yet to suggest that they would do so, and plenty of evidence to the contrary.


About Today's Contributor
Paul James Cardwell, Reader in EU External Relations Law, University of Sheffield

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Who Cares About Batman Vs Superman? Wonder Woman Finally Steals The Show

© Warner Brothers

By Amanda Potter, The Open University

Batman Vs Superman: The Dawn of Justice has received a frosty critical reception, to say the least. Despite this, I found myself coming away from the cinema filled with hope. Certainly not for either of the titular characters – who have never been less inspiring. Instead, the future finally seems bright for superwomen. Although Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is given far less screen time than her male counterparts (and is not even referred to as Wonder Woman), she steals the show when she appears in superhero costume for the finale.

Wonder Woman initially appears as a nameless beautiful woman of mystery, dressed in a succession of slinky backless dresses and gold jewellery – including what could turn out to be her signature bullet-stopping bracelets. Gadot is also known for being Miss Israel, linking her with former beauty pageant winner, Miss World Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series.

Rather than concentrating on this link, however, interviews have been keen to play up Gadot’s two years' military service as a suitable grounding for a superheroine. Gadot’s Wonder Woman is admired by Ben Affleck’s Batman, but she is not cast as his love interest.

Not-too-subtle clues are given to Wonder Woman’s identity, and they are grounded in the world of Greek mythology. She first appears at a party where villain Lex Luthor is making a speech about Prometheus and Zeus. Her second appearance is in a museum, looking at a (fake) sword used by Alexander the Great to cut the Gordian knot. We learn from a flight attendant that her name is Miss Prince, and she tells Batman that she has avoided the world of men for 100 years, but returns to help in the end. This is a Wonder Woman who likes to go her own way.

Amazon origins
The character of Wonder Woman was originally conceived by US psychologist William Moulton Marston in 1941 for what would become DC Comics. Wonder Woman, known by her alias Diana Prince, is Princess Diana of the Amazons, a tribe of women living on Paradise Island.

According to Greek mythology, the Amazons were warrior women who lived in the Black Sea area, on the edges of the ancient Greek known world. They would take local men as lovers for the purpose of procreation, but would only keep female children.

Unlike Greek women, they hunted and fought battles. In literature and art they are often used to epitomise the opposite of what it meant to be Greek and civilised. Archaeological evidence has been found in the modern Ukraine of women from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE buried with horses and weapons. It is now believed that nomadic Scythian women who lived in the Eurasian Steppes did in fact hunt and fight, leading to the origins of the myth of the Amazons.

Diana Price. © Warner Brothers

In the comics and in the Warner Bros Wonder Woman television series that aired from 1975-1979, starring Lynda Carter, Wonder Woman’s potential as a female superhero is impaired by romance. In the original story, she falls in love with US military intelligence officer Steve Trevor, whose plane crashes on the island, and returns with him to 1940s America, where she helps to fight the Nazis and other criminals. Her romantic relationship with Trevor holds her back.

This positioning in relation to a male hero is also a defining feature of the Amazons from Greek mythology. Although seen as brave warriors, skilled at fighting, they ultimately exist to be defeated, conferring heroic status on the male heroes who kill or pacify them. Heracles (Hercules) takes the belt of Hippolyte, the Queen of the Amazons, as one of his labours. Theseus abducts an Amazon Queen (either Antiope or Hippolyte). Achilles defeats Penthiselea in the Trojan War, falling in love with her at the moment she dies at his hands.

None of this for Wonder Woman. © Warner Brothers

I feared that the latest incarnation of Wonder Woman would be similarly defined in relation to men. But Wonder Woman’s latest incarnation is confident and self-sufficient. In a film where the other female characters, Lois Lane and Martha Kent, are used and cast in the roles of female victims who need to be saved, the appearance of a Wonder Woman who is more than a match for the male superheroes leaves me with hope that finally we will see a female superhero who can live up to her potential. Let’s just hope that the Wonder Woman feature (to be released in 2017) does the same.


About Today's Contributor
Amanda Potter, Visiting Research Fellow, The Open University



This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

'World of Warcraft: Traveler', A New Book Series For Children Based On The Global Bestselling Game Franchise, To Be Launched Soon

Scholastic & Blizzard Entertainment Announce World of Warcraft(R): Traveler, a New Children's Book Series Based on the Bestselling Video Game Franchise. Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment (PRNewsFoto/Scholastic)

Scholastic, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, and internationally acclaimed game developer and publisher Blizzard Entertainment have announced today a collaboration on a new book series for kids ages 8-12 based on Blizzard's popular World of Warcraft game franchise. World of Warcraft: Traveler will launch simultaneously in the U.S., the U.K.,Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, with the first hardcover book scheduled for release in November 2016, followed by the second title in November 2017. 

Set in the breathtaking land of Azeroth, this epic action-adventure series features a young cast of Warcraft characters discovering the mysteries and majesty of the world around them. 

Written by celebrated comic book author and animation writer Greg Weisman, the first book will include full-page sketches created by Blizzard artist Samwise Didier, and a full-color cover illustration by Blizzard artist Stephane Belin.

"World of Warcraft is a captivating fantasy universe that lends itself to many imaginative and innovative storytelling possibilities. When Blizzard initially approached us about creating an original series for kids, we were not only intrigued but immediately mesmerized," said Debra Dorfman, Vice President and Publisher, Global Licensing, and Media Consumer Products, Scholastic. "This has truly been a fantastic collaboration and we look forward to sharing this thrilling adventure with boys and girls everywhere."

"We're excited to be collaborating with Scholastic on a series that will bring Azeroth to life for a whole new audience," said Chris Metzen, Senior Vice President of Story and Franchise Development at Blizzard Entertainment. "And Greg Weisman is an accomplished writer who's really gotten to the heart and soul of Warcraft with the characters he's developed here—we're thrilled with the work he's done on World of Warcraft: Traveler."

The video

About World of Warcraft: Traveler 

It's been years since twelve-year-old Aramar Thorne, a clever boy who is never without his precious sketch book, has seen his father. So when Captain Greydon Thorne comes ashore and asks his son to join him at sea, it feels as if someone has redrawn Aram's entire world. Before he knows it, Aram is aboard the Wavestrider with Lakeshire fading to a distant dot on the horizon. But the thrill of adventure quickly fades, as Greydon relentlessly schools Aram on how to handle his cutlass and how to relate with the strange and diverse creatures of Azeroth. In addition, Aram struggles to get along with the Wavestrider's crew—especially second mate Makasa, a tough teenaged girl who has been reluctantly placed in charge of him. Just as Aram starts to get his head above water, a band of vicious pirates attack the Wavestrider, turning his world upside down once again. As Aram tries to find his way home with his father's compass in hand, he'll travel across Azeroth's beautiful and hostile terrain, encountering creatures both terrible and wondrous. He'll seek to understand Azeroth's denizens as he draws them in his sketchbook, forming unlikely friendships along the way. But the journey is hindered by Greydon's compass, which never points north. If the compass isn't leading Aram and Makasa home--to safety--to what destiny is it leading them?

Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment

About Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman has been a storyteller all his life. He's best known as the creator of Disney's Gargoyles and as a writer-producer on multiple animated series, including Young Justice, Star Wars Rebels, and W.I.T.C.H., and Marvel's The Spectacular Spider-Man. He's written multiple comic book series and two young adult novels, Rain of the Ghosts and Spirits of Ash and Foam. Greg lives in Los Angeles, California.

SOURCE: Scholastic

Hypnotist Richard Barker Shows How #Trumpnosis, Donald Trump's Form of Covert Hypnosis, Affects Millions Around the World

Hypnotist Richard Barker has just released research surrounding mass hypnosis and has coined the phrase "Trumpnosis"... 

Covert hypnosis means having access to people's subconscious mind and altering the way they behave and think in a disguised or somewhat hidden way. Some popular covert hypnosis techniques used to align someone's behavior and thoughts to the desired outcome of the hypnotists are displayed during mass hypnosis. 

Barker typically refers to mass hypnosis as "Trumpnosis", since he states, 

"Mr. Trump displays it so well".

The media have also made comments regarding the Hypnotizing of a nation and questioned what is happening to America. Through the words and actions of an individual, can we influence and suggest a nation to think a certain way? Richard Barker who is known as the 'Incredible Hypnotist' thinks so.

Barker said, "Everything we do and see must first start with a thought process. We don't see the world; we think it. If your thoughts are influenced by a master Hypnotist to think in a certain way on a mass level, this is 'Trumpnosis'".

Richard Barker, Incredible Hypnotist  (PRNewsFoto/Richard Barker)

Mass Hypnotism can apply to everything and be everywhere – in families, in schools and in politics. The influence and use of repetition on crowds is identified through Mr. Trump's speeches and is seen to influence even the most enlightened minds. The power is due to the fact that the repeated statements are embedded in those profound regions of our subconscious mind.

Donald Trump successfully uses techniques such as pacing and leading, anchoring, verbal confusion, repetition and so on. He successfully bypasses the critical factor in minds of some people and has the ability to turn off the rational thinking. 

By using certain words and behavior, a speaker can very quickly establish a rapport with an audience. Repeated exposure to the same speaker can result in them being viewed with admiration, bordering on worship. Every word uttered is accepted as the complete truth.

"Through the words he has used, both now and in the past, he has placed others into a hypnotic state without them knowing," says Barker. "Trump's speeches contains hypnosis techniques of hypnotic anchoring, pacing and leading, critical factor bypass and so on."

Hypnotist Richard Barker insists, "All you need to remember is that most people's needs are based on their instincts. Understanding people's instincts, especially in a mass gathering, is one of the key goals of mass hypnosis. Trumpnosis is a vehicle for enabling large groups of people to have an altered belief system."

Visit Trumpnosis.com for more info about "Trumpnosis" and a free copy of Richard Barker's report...

The Video

SOURCE: Richard Barker, Incredible Hypnotist

   Click here for more Donald Trump related stories...

How Astronomers Could Find The 'Real' Planet Krypton

Planets orbiting a red dwarf, much like Krypton’s star Rao. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

By Martin Archer, Queen Mary University of London

The search for exoplanets, worlds orbiting stars other than our own, has become a major field of research in the last decade – with nearly 2,000 such planets discovered to date. So the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice got me thinking: does Superman’s home planet of Krypton actually exist? Or at least a planet very much like it?

We don’t know a huge amount about Krypton. Since the very earliest Superman comic strips, it has been depicted as a rocky planet similar to Earth, but much older. In the film Man of Steel, it was said to be about 8.7 billion years old with intelligent life, Kryptonians, having existed for hundreds of thousands of years – comparable to the amount of time humans have existed on Earth.

Map of the planet Krypton from the Superman comics. (WP:NFCC#4/wikimedia)

Start with the red stars
In order to find Krypton, the first thing we’d need to do is identify its star, or at least its type. For a long time, all we knew was that, unlike the sun, Krypton’s star Rao is red. There are three classes of stars which are red in colour: red dwarfs, red giants and red super giants. While they are very different in size, their red colour tells us that they are some of the coolest stars in existence, with surface temperatures of only just over 3,200°C, about half that of the sun.

Batman v Superman. (Naruto full fighters/Youtube)

Red dwarfs are by far the most common stars – around 75% of the stars in the vicinity of the solar system are of this type. As the name suggests, they are quite small compared to the sun, being between 7.5% and 50% of the sun’s mass.

Meanwhile, our sun will one day become a red giant, as it runs out of its hydrogen fuel – ballooning in size so that it consumes the orbit of the Earth. But that’s nothing compared to a red supergiant – stars which would extend all the way out to the orbit of Saturn.

While depictions of Krypton’s star have varied between these three types over the years, what we see of Rao in Man of Steel points towards it being a red dwarf.

Destination LHS 2520
In 2012, it seemed that the matter was settled when astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was invited to choose Rao’s real location. He picked a star known as LHS 2520, a red dwarf star in the southern constellation of Corvus. Our searches for planets around this star have so far proved fruitless, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there.

To find an Earth-like exoplanet around a red dwarf star, a good approach would be to use the “radial velocity method” or the “doppler technique”, measuring the small movement a star makes as it responds to the gravitational tug of an orbiting planet.

How to find exoplanets such as Krypton.

So far, we only have a handful of data from this star, taken by the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS). This means that currently we can only rule out any orbiting gas giants, as those would be the only ones big enough to produce easily noticeable changes in the star’s velocity. A more detailed investigation, however, could still reveal a Krypton-like, rocky “super Earth”.

But even if that isn’t the case, our understanding of how planetary systems form out of clouds of gas, dust and rocks clumping together under gravity seems to suggest that there should always be more than one planet orbiting a star. So if we find one of Krypton’s brothers and sisters, perhaps with more observations we would be able to infer its existence.

To infinity and beyond
But if we fail to find any planets around LHS 2520, we can always look elsewhere. Luckily, searching for planets around red dwarf stars is a major area of research right now.

For instance, Pale Red Dot is an international campaign being coordinated by researchers in the UK searching for Earth-like planets around our nearest stellar neighbour – Proxima Centauri. The discovery of such a world essentially on our doorstop would be momentous, raising hopes that (with advances in space technology) we could one day visit it. The CARMENES project also will be looking at some 300 red dwarf stars over the next three years in search of Earth-like worlds.

Whether any of the worlds we find harbour life, intelligent or otherwise, is another hurdle to tackle – the conditions are likely to be very different from those on our own world. But despite the small probabilities involved, the vast number of red dwarfs out there mean that the existence of a Krypton-like planet is still a possibility.


About Today's Contributor
Martin Archer, Space Plasma Physicist, Queen Mary University of London


This article was originally published on The Conversation.