The newly discovered exoplanet LP 791-18 d orbits a small red dwarf star in the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist on its surface. Volcanic activity on this planet may sustain an atmosphere and potentially lead to the formation of life.
Astronomers have discovered a new temperate exoplanet, LP 791-18 d, with properties similar to those of Earth. The planet is believed to be covered in volcanoes due to tidal heating, which causes heat to build up in its interior.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized planet, LP 791-18d, with active volcanoes that could sustain an atmosphere, potentially allowing for liquid water and life. The planet's unique tidal locking creates a permanent day and night side, with the night side possibly experiencing condensation of water vapor.
The discovery of two shadow puppets in the disk of young star TW Hydrae suggests that planets may be forming in a complex system. The shadows are thought to be caused by the gravitational pull of two planets in slightly different orbital planes, with one planet likely to be Jupiter-mass.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a second shadow sweeping across the face of TW Hydrae's vast pancake-shaped gas-and-dust disk, suggesting the presence of two planets in slightly different orbital planes. The disks are likely proxies for these planets, which could be lapping each other as they whirl around the star.
A team of scientists at MIT and elsewhere have observed a star engulfing a nearby planet, a phenomenon that will also befall Earth in 5 billion years. The star's outburst was followed by a colder, longer-lasting signal, indicating the presence of gas from the star condensing into dust.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have confirmed evidence of a previously unknown planet outside our solar system using machine learning tools. The discovery highlights the potential for artificial intelligence to enhance scientists' work and speed up analysis, with the potential to dramatically expand exoplanet discoveries.
A UTSA-led research team has discovered a new exoplanet using indirect methods. The exoplanet, HIP 99770 b, is about 14 to 16 times the mass of Jupiter and orbits a nearly twice-as-massive star. This breakthrough opens a new avenue for scientists to discover and characterize exoplanets.
An international team of astronomers has discovered an exoplanet using a combined approach of direct imaging and precision measurements of a star's motion on the sky. The newly found planet, HIP 99770 b, is 14-16 times more massive than Jupiter and orbits just over three times further from its star.
Researchers propose that early interactions between the magma ocean and a molecular hydrogen proto-atmosphere could have given rise to Earth's signature features, including its abundant water. The study suggests that even dry rocky material collisions would generate large quantities of water through these atmospheric-magma interactions.
Researchers used zircon crystals to unlock information about early Earth's magmas and plate tectonic activity, suggesting that the process was occurring more than 4.2 billion years ago. This finding could be beneficial in the search for life on other planets.
Astronomers observe repeating radio signal from star YZ Ceti, indicating potential magnetic field of nearby Earth-sized planet YZ Ceti b. The detection provides new insights into the environment around stars and has implications for the search for habitable exoplanets.
Astronomers using JWST discovered that the atmosphere of exoplanet HD149026b, a 'hot Jupiter,' is super-abundant in carbon and oxygen, far above expectations. This finding provides insight into planet formation and suggests that giant planets may have varied atmospheric compositions.
Researchers have pinpointed silicate cloud features and detected water, methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of VHS 1256 b. The team's findings provide the largest number of molecules identified all at once on a planet outside our solar system.
Scientists have identified clouds made from silicate particles on a distant planet using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The team discovered an atmosphere constantly rising and mixing, bringing hotter material up and pushing colder material down.
Astronomers at UC Irvine have found that terminator zones on distant exoplanets could be prime sites for liquid water and potentially harbor life. The study suggests that these regions offer a unique climate stability, making them more promising than previously thought.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed a model to predict a planet's interior water capacity based on its size and host star chemistry. The results suggest that larger planets may have drier rocky mantles, while smaller ones could hold more water-rich minerals.
A recent experiment by UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane demonstrates that a terrestrial planet in this location would have disastrous effects on the solar system. The simulation found that such a planet could destabilize Earth's orbit, making it far less habitable and potentially ejecting Mercury and Venus from the solar system.
Researchers argue that Earth System Justice is necessary to identify and live within biophysical boundaries. The framework aims to reduce harm to people and nature while ensuring access to resources and minimizing tradeoffs.
The discovery of TOI-5205b, a Jupiter-sized gas giant, contradicts the current understanding of planet formation. The planet's existence raises questions about the role of rocky material in forming massive cores and its potential to form gas giants despite these guardrails.
A new study by Oxford University Press USA found that watching nature documentaries, such as BBC's Green Planet, increases public awareness of plants and their importance. The researchers measured online behavior and found a significant effect on viewers' interest in portrayed plant species.
A new ring system has been found around the Pluto-sized dwarf planet Quaoar, which orbits beyond Neptune. The discovery is remarkable because it lies at a distance of over seven planetary radii from its parent body, posing a challenge to existing theories of ring formation.
Scientists have identified a new Earth-size world, TOI 700 e, orbiting within the habitable zone of its star, making it an exciting prospect for further study. The planet is likely rocky and might be tidally locked, offering insights into our solar system's history.
A new study from the University of Michigan suggests that ultraviolet rays, not cosmic rays or X-rays, fuel chemistry in late-stage planet development. This discovery provides a chemical signature to trace exoplanets back to their cosmic nurseries.
Researchers discovered that 55 Cnc e orbits its star along the equator, unlike other planets in the system. This unique orbit likely formed when the planet fell toward its star over time, resulting in a scorching surface and interior with possible diamond formation.
Scientists from the University of Arizona have discovered a giant active mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The finding suggests that Mars' deceptively quiet surface may hide a more tumultuous interior than previously thought.
A recent study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that Mars was once covered in a 300-metre-deep ocean, filled with water and icy asteroids carrying biologically important molecules. This finding suggests that conditions allowing the emergence of life were present on Mars long before Earth.
Researchers analyzed data from two meteorite impacts recorded by NASA's InSight spacecraft, revealing a very uniform structure and high density of the Martian crust. The findings provide new insights into the planet's core, mantle, and crust, shedding light on the formation and evolution of Mars.
Researchers from Australian National University confirmed the existence of a large core at Mars' center, measuring approximately 3,620 kilometers in diameter. This discovery sheds light on the Red Planet's magnetic field and its significance for sustaining life.
Researchers have discovered that two seismic events detected by NASA's InSight lander were caused by meteor impacts, sending surface waves across the planet. These collisions provide valuable information about Mars' interior structure, with one study finding a denser crust than previously inferred.
Scientists have detected seismic surface waves on Mars for the first time, providing new insights into the planet's crust and structure. The study estimates the average properties of the Martian crust between 3 to 18.6 miles below the surface, revealing faster seismic velocities that suggest compositional differences or reduced porosity.
A new Harvard-led study has found evidence of early plate tectonics and the flipping of Earth's magnetic poles, which may have created a more conducive environment for life. The research suggests that the planet's surface was moving at a rate of 6.1 centimeters per year, consistent with modern plate tectonics.
Astronomers found that a planet like GJ 1252b, orbiting an M dwarf star, would likely lose its atmosphere due to intense heat and radiation. The discovery narrows the search for habitable planets around these stars, but leaves room for possibilities further away from the star.
A new study suggests that Saturn's tilted axis is due to the loss of an ancient moon, Chrysalis, which collided with the planet around 160 million years ago. The collision caused the satellite to break apart, releasing fragments that formed the planet's rings and leaving Saturn out of Neptune's gravitational resonance.
Astronomers have discovered a small Neptune-like planet in the protoplanetary disk LkCa 15, using high-resolution ALMA observations. The planet is estimated to be around one to three million years old and has accumulated material at the Lagrange points, providing strong evidence for its presence.
A new study suggests that Earth's habitability could increase if Jupiter's orbit becomes more eccentric, leading to parts of the surface warming up and becoming habitable for multiple life forms. The researchers also found that this change in Jupiter's orbit could have implications for the search for habitable planets around other stars.
Astronomers used the VLBA to trace a wobble in a nearby star's motion and discovered a Jupiter-like planet orbiting one of its stars. The planet has twice the mass of Jupiter and orbits every 284 days, with an inclined orbit of 148 degrees from the stars.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured clear evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a gas giant planet outside the solar system. The detection, made using the telescope's Near-Infrared Spectrograph, provides insights into planetary composition and formation.
Astronomers using JWST have detected unambiguous evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-39b, a Saturn-mass exoplanet. The discovery provides valuable insights into giant planet composition and heavy element abundance, with implications for understanding how planets form.
Researchers discovered a Neptune-sized planet around a bright blue star, shedding light on the dearth of Hot Neptunes. The planet's proximity to its star makes it susceptible to stripping of its gas, but it may survive for a billion years.
Scientists using ALMA have detected gas in a circumplanetary disk around a potential Jupiter-mass planet, about 395 light-years from Earth. The discovery sheds light on planetary formation and moon creation processes.
A super-Earth planet, Ross 508 b, has been discovered near the habitable zone of a red dwarf star 37 light-years from Earth. The planet's orbit is elliptical, potentially placing it in the habitable zone for part of its orbit.
Researchers found that a Martian meteorite shows evidence of delivering chondritic volatiles to the forming planet before nebular gases, contradicting current thinking. This suggests that Mars' growth was completed before the solar nebula was dissipated, and raises questions about the origin and composition of Mars' early atmosphere.
Astronomers use Gemini South Telescope to study how planet formation differs in low-mass star systems, discovering large rings composed of tiny dust grains around some stars. The team also finds a potential new exoplanet candidate orbiting a young star with a mass similar to Jupiter.
Researchers found that Mars' extreme energy budget imbalance can contribute to dust storms. The team analyzed four years of data from NASA missions and found a correlation between the planet's orbits and temperatures, suggesting that the energy excess may be one of the generating mechanisms of Mars' dust storms.
A team of researchers from Brigham Young University has solved the mystery of Haumea's origin by re-evaluating assumptions about its formation. By considering the dwarf planet in the context of the broader solar system creation, they proposed a new explanation that explains why Haumea is one of the fastest spinning objects and covered ...
Researchers found that around 3.8 billion years ago, a major transition in the geochemistry of zircons occurred, suggesting the onset of plate tectonics. This discovery provides hints about how the planet became habitable and under which conditions the earliest forms of life developed.
Scientists are working on balloon-borne instruments that can detect seismoacoustic signals in Venus' atmosphere, helping to learn more about the planet's interior structure and formation history. The instruments aim to detect strong signals from ground motion on Venus due to the planet's thick atmosphere.
The study suggests that Venus' atmosphere plays a crucial role in determining its rotation speed, with fast winds dragging along the surface and slowing it down. This has significant consequences for the sweltering Venusian climate, with average temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
Astronomers have directly photographed evidence of a Jupiter-like protoplanet forming through the disk instability process, supported by long-debated theory. The new world under construction is embedded in a protoplanetary disk with distinct spiral structure and orbits a young star estimated to be around 2 million years old.
A team of researchers has discovered a young protoplanet forming in the disk of a nearby star, providing new evidence for an alternative planet formation mechanism. The study's findings challenge traditional models of planet formation and offer insights into the evolution of exoplanets.
A new study on Mars' ice deposits provides insight into the planet's past climate, matching layers to Martian orbital dynamics with unprecedented resolution. The findings help scientists understand Mars' climate history and identify potential periods of habitability.
Three exoplanets mistakenly identified as planets are actually small stars, according to a new MIT study. The discovery was made using updated measurements of planet-hosting stars from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.
Researchers detected dimethyl ether, the largest molecule identified in a planet-forming disc, using ALMA in Chile. The discovery suggests that complex molecules like dimethyl ether are available to feed forming planets, shedding light on the origin of life.
Scientists have successfully identified a real-life Tatooine, the gas giant planet Kepler-16b, orbiting two stars using a new ground-based telescope technique called radial velocity method. This discovery opens the door for applying this method to find other systems with planets that could be habitable.
A team of astronomers led by the University of Birmingham detected a rare circumbinary planet, Kepler-16b, using radial velocity method. The discovery provides clues on planetary accretion and demonstrates that ground-based telescopes can be used for modern exoplanet research.
The study provides the first detailed view of an exoplanet's global atmosphere, revealing a water cycle that dwarfs Earth's jetstream. The planet's night side is home to iron clouds, titanium rain, and winds that whip around at speeds of up to 5 kilometers per second.
Researchers propose that cognitive activity operating on a planetary scale is necessary to tackle global issues. A mature technosphere involves integrating technological systems with Earth through feedback loops, making it self-maintaining and exhibiting emergent behavior.
A team of researchers detected a ring of planetary debris surrounding the white dwarf WD1054–226, suggesting a nearby planet may be present in its habitable zone. The study found that the debris is kept in a precise arrangement by a nearby planet's gravitational influence.
Researchers have discovered a ring of planetary debris orbiting close to a white dwarf star, suggesting the presence of a nearby planet in the habitable zone. The planet is thought to be similar in size to terrestrial planets in our solar system and could support liquid water, making it potentially habitable.