Daily English Article — October 29, 2026

Astronomers at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have detected a celestial object that could become the solar system's newest recognized dwarf planet. Provisionally designated 2026 ED138, the object measures between 600 and 1,500 kilometers in diameter and orbits approximately 46 astronomical units from the sun — slightly farther out than Pluto, which circles at around 40 astronomical units. Based on its location, ED138 is classified as a trans-Neptunian object, and its discoverers suggest it may rank among the brightest and largest of its kind.

The object was first identified on October 13 by Matthew Holman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics while he was analyzing data collected by the Rubin Observatory. A subsequent search of archived astronomical records traced additional observations of ED138 all the way back to 2016, providing researchers with over a decade of trajectory data. This extended record allowed the team to reconstruct the object's orbital path with considerable precision, lending credibility to the discovery and enabling more reliable predictions about its behavior.

One reason ED138 had eluded detection for so long is its position in the night sky. The object sits against the dense backdrop of the Milky Way's galactic disk, a region packed with millions of stars whose combined brightness makes it exceptionally difficult to identify faint, distant objects. The Rubin Observatory's capacity to process enormous volumes of imaging data proved decisive, enabling astronomers to pick out ED138 from that overwhelming sea of light — a feat that would have been virtually impossible with older, less powerful instruments.

The distinction between a planet and a dwarf planet hinges on a key criterion: whether the body has gravitationally cleared its orbital neighborhood of other comparably sized objects. Planets meet this standard; dwarf planets do not. Pluto was famously stripped of its full planetary status in 2006 on these grounds. Like Pluto, ED138's orbit is tilted relative to the flat plane on which the major planets travel. Astronomers must still confirm that ED138's gravity is strong enough to pull it into a nearly spherical shape before it can be officially classified.

If ED138 is confirmed as a dwarf planet, it would join five bodies already recognized by the International Astronomical Union: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. It would not be alone in line for that designation — dozens of outer solar system objects, including Gonggong, Quaoar, Sedna, and Orcus, are awaiting formal classification. Scientists acknowledge that the true number of dwarf planets in our solar system could ultimately run into the hundreds, suggesting that our understanding of the solar system's distant reaches remains far from complete.

The New York Times is piloting an artificial intelligence feature within its popular Cooking app that allows users to modify recipes in real time. Announced by senior editor Genevieve Ko, the tool can suggest ingredient substitutions, recommend adjustments for different cooking equipment, and scale recipes to any desired number of servings. The feature is framed as a way to make NYT Cooking's extensive recipe library more flexible and responsive to individual users' needs and circumstances at any given moment.

One illustrative example provided by Ko demonstrates the AI advising a user who wants to replace kale with baby spinach. Because baby spinach wilts considerably faster than kale, the tool recommends adding it at a later stage in the cooking process to preserve its texture. The feature can also adapt recipes to suit whatever pans or tools a cook has on hand. Importantly, any customized recipe generated through the feature remains private and cannot be published or shared with other users through the platform.

The rollout is being conducted gradually while the NYT monitors the feature's performance. As of the announcement, it is available to all Cooking subscribers on the iOS app, with broader availability expected soon. The move represents part of a wider trend of media companies integrating generative AI into their consumer-facing products. However, the feature's debut has not been entirely without controversy, as it has attracted pointed criticism from a segment of the publication's readership.

Some NYT Cooking subscribers have voiced strong objections in the article's comments section, citing concerns about the environmental costs associated with widespread AI adoption and potential degradation of the user experience. When one commenter asked whether there would be an option to disable the feature, Ko replied that no such option currently exists, while clarifying that use of the tool is entirely voluntary. One subscriber lamented that what had once been 'a wonderful and simple collection of recipes' was being diminished by what they called 'the AI mandate.'

This is not the NYT Cooking app's first foray into AI-assisted functionality. The technology was previously used to convert imperial volume measurements into metric weight equivalents two years ago, and a serving-size adjustment feature was added last year. After the comments section on Ko's announcement post was closed, an NYT spokesperson explained to The Verge that this reflects standard editorial practice. The company said it was encouraged by positive early feedback from subscribers who were already experimenting with the new tool on iOS.