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Montana lawmakers passed a bill on Friday banning TikTok from operating in the state amid growing concerns about the app’s suspected ties to the Chinese government.

The bill was passed by the state House in a 5443 vote and now heads to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk. If Gianforte signs it into law, Montana will become the first state to ban the app outright. (Both the federal government and many states, including Montana, have already forbidden the app on government devices.)

The legislation, which would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, prohibits mobile app stores from offering TikTok to users and enacts penalties of $10,000 for each violation and an additional $10,000 fee for each day the violation continues.

Coming as some members of Congress call for a complete nationwide ban on the app, the move by lawmakers in Montana will likely lead to legal challenges and expose the technological difficulties of barring access to the platform, which has 150 million active users in the US.

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Spider-Like Scar on Jupiter’s Moon Europa Could Indicate Subsurface Salty Water

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A spider-like scar on Jupiter’s moon Europa may indicate briny water beneath its icy crust. Researchers suggest impact-driven flows of salty liquid created starburst patterns resembling Earth’s lake stars. Future observations by NASA’s Europa Clipper mission could confirm these features, offering new insights into Europa’s subsurface oceans and potential habit…

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Scientists Study Ancient Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, Seeking Clues to Early Star System Formation

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Comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar visitor from beyond the solar system, is putting on a striking celestial show as it nears Earth. After passing perihelion in October, the comet brightened nearly tenfold and shifted from red to green due to glowing carbon molecules. Tracked closely by astronomers worldwide, this ancient object offers a unique opportunity to study th…

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JWST Detects Thick Atmosphere on Ultra-Hot Rocky Exoplanet TOI-561 b

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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered compelling evidence of a thick atmosphere surrounding TOI-561 b, an ultra-hot rocky exoplanet orbiting its star every 11 hours. Despite extreme radiation and molten surface conditions, the planet appears cooler than expected, suggesting heat-redistributing atmospheric winds and volatile gases. The findin…

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