NASA’s all-sky survey mission, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), is specifically engineered to detect exoplanets that transit bright stars. Thus far, TESS has successfully identified approximately 400 transiting exoplanets, in addition to roughly 6 000 candidate exoplanets pending confirmation. In this study, we present the results of our ongoing project, the Validation of Transiting Exoplanets using Statistical Tools (VaTEST). Our dedicated effort is focused on the confirmation and characterisation of new exoplanets through the application of statistical validation tools. Through a combination of ground-based telescope data, high-resolution imaging, and the utilisation of the statistical validation tool known as TRICERATOPS, we have successfully discovered eight potential super-Earths. These planets bear the designations: TOI-238b (1.61$^{+0.09} _{-0.10}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-771b (1.42$^{+0.11} _{-0.09}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-871b (1.66$^{+0.11} _{-0.11}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-1467b (1.83$^{+0.16} _{-0.15}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-1739b (1.69$^{+0.10} _{-0.08}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-2068b (1.82$^{+0.16} _{-0.15}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-4559b (1.42$^{+0.13} _{-0.11}$ R$_\oplus$), and TOI-5799b (1.62$^{+0.19} _{-0.13}$ R$_\oplus$). Among all these planets, six of them fall within the region known as ‘keystone planets’, which makes them particularly interesting for study. Based on the location of TOI-771b and TOI-4559b below the radius valley we characterised them as likely super-Earths, though radial velocity mass measurements for these planets will provide more details about their characterisation. It is noteworthy that planets within the size range investigated herein are absent from our own solar system, making their study crucial for gaining insights into the evolutionary stages between Earth and Neptune.

Studies of early fourth-millennium BC Britain have typically focused on the Early Neolithic sites of Wessex and Orkney; what can the investigation of sites located in areas beyond these core regions add? The authors report on excavations (2011–2019) at Dorstone Hill in Herefordshire, which have revealed a remarkable complex of Early Neolithic monuments: three long barrows constructed on the footprints of three timber buildings that had been deliberately burned, plus a nearby causewayed enclosure. A Bayesian chronological model demonstrates the precocious character of many of the site's elements and strengthens the evidence for the role of tombs and houses/halls in the creation and commemoration of foundational social groups in Neolithic Britain.

K2 is the mission concept for a repurposed Kepler mission that uses two reaction wheels to maintain the satellite attitude and provide ~81 days of coverage for ten 105 deg2 fields along the ecliptic in the first 2.5 years of operation. We examine stellar populations based on the updated Besançon model of the Galaxy, comment on the general properties for the entire ecliptic plane, and provide stellar occurrence rates in the first six tentative K2 campaigns grouped by spectral type and luminosity class. For each campaign we distinguish between main the sequence stars and giants, and provide their density profile as a function of galactic latitude. We introduce the crowding metric that serves for optimized target selection across the campaigns. For all main sequence stars we compute the expected planetary occurrence rates for three planet sizes: 2–4, 4–8 and 8–32 R⊕ with orbital periods up to 50 days. In conjunction with Gaia and the upcoming Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and Plato missions, K2 will become a gold mine for stellar and planetary astrophysics.

The Kepler Guest Observer Office is dedicated to the service of the broad science community, with a charter to promote the exploitation of Kepler data and broaden the scientific impact of the Kepler mission. There are four routes by which to gain access to Kepler data: the Guest Observer programme annual call for proposals, the quarterly call for Director's Discretionary Targets, the Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium, and by accessing the Kepler public data archive. The Guest Observer Office supports all users of Kepler data no matter which route they took to access data, and to that end have developed software tools which can be used by the community in their data analyses.

Five lipids were self-assembled in aqueous dispersions into high axial ratio nanostructures. Thermal analysis was conducted on a glycolipid self-assembled into nanotubes, previously developed by Kamiya et al. [S. Kamiya, H. Minamikawa, J-H. Jung, B. Yang, M. Masuda, and T. Shimizu, Langmuir21, 743 (2005)], showing a dry melting onset of 148.2 °C and evidence of a highly ordered supramolecular structure. A novel hybrid structure of the glycolipid nanotubes decorated with silver nanoparticles was created. The self-assembly of four new amphiphiles, with serine and glutamic acid head groups attached to vaccenic acid and diacetylenic hydrophobic tails, was also investigated. The morphologies of these aggregates included high axial ratio nanostructures, such as nanotubes; and flat, twisted, and helical ribbons. The supramolecular aggregates of the five lipids reflect aspects of the molecular structure, such as chirality, providing evidence that such organized aggregates can be created by a rational approach to molecular design.

The Atiu Swiftlet Aerodramus sawtelli is endemic to the Cook Island of Atiu and has an estimated total population of less than 400, rendering it one of the world’s most globally endangered bird species. Over a series of five visits to Atiu, we collected data on the distribution of foraging swiftlets on the island, and their foraging and echolocation behaviour. The bird favours forests, agriculturally developed areas such as croplands, and populated sections of the island (e.g. gardens) but avoids the dry, upraised coral ring (makatea) of Atiu. It appears able to readily exploit new insects after they have immigrated to Atiu and may act as a natural control agent on pest species (e.g. Xyleborus perforans and Atrichopogon jacobsoni). We reanalysed the swiftlets’ echolocation calls within one of their roost caves in conjunction with new recordings. The calls do not contain ultrasonic components and are uniquely single clicks compared to the echolocation vocalisations of other swiftlet species. The minimal impact of human disturbance on the remote nesting caves of this bird suggests that its numbers, although small, represent a stable population.

An earlier note in the Review indicated the desirability of minority party activity in the interval between campaigns and appraised the organization and functioning of the publicity bureau of the Democratic national committee from June 1, 1929, until September 1,1930. During the period from September, 1930, to the convening of the Democratic national convention on June 27, 1932, the bureau continued, as a party agency, to criticise the policies of the Hoover administration and to assume, in a limited degree, the educational function of the minority party. In addition, it was necessary during the first session of the Seventy-second Congress to explain and justify the work of the Democratic House of Representatives.

Observers of the American political system have long recognized the difficult position of the opposition party as an effective critic of the legislative and executive policies of the party in power, especially in the interval between campaigns. Our constitutional practices result in the nomination of “available” men for the presidency, and in the rather complete elimination of the defeated candidate from a position of acknowledged party leadership. The methods and traditions which govern and control the procedure of Congress are hardly adapted to produce party leaders who can speak authoritatively for the minority. It is rare that the party out of power is cohesive, united, and ready to present and support an alternative program. It is decidedly difficult, under normal conditions, to arouse public interest in the minority's position, save in the period which precedes an election. On the other hand, because of the great prestige attaching to the presidential office, and because of the elaborate methods of favorable publicity so highly developed by recent chief executives, the party in power is able to direct continuous attention to its policies and program.

The question of effective minority opposition concerns chiefly the Democratic party, since it seems probable that it will remain, for the most part, in the position of an opposition party. The lack of funds adequately to finance campaigns and the relatively insignificant press support given to the Democracy are factors which accentuate the difficulty.