Hidden “Bad Fat” Threat, Dwarf Planet Discovery, and Warp Drive Breakthrough – Science Roundup (Sept 6–7, 2025)
Key Facts Space & Astronomy Distant Dwarf Planet Candidate Discovered: Astronomers announced the discovery of a “hidden world” beyond Neptune – a trans-Neptunian object called 2017 OF201. With an estimated 700 km diameter and an extreme 25,000-year orbit, this object could qualify as a dwarf planet sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. It ventures from ~44 AU at closest approach to an aphelion ~1,600 AU (over 0.25 light-years) – far beyond Pluto. Its existence suggests the outer Kuiper Belt isn’t as empty as once thought sciencedaily.com sciencedaily.com. Interestingly, 2017 OF201’s orbit doesn’t line up with the clustering of other distant bodies that hinted at “Planet