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The depths of Neptune and Uranus may be “superionic”

Researchers discover quasi-one-dimensional superionic state of carbon hydride under extreme pressures and temperatures found deep inside ice giant planets. This finding has implications for heat and electricity movement through planetary interiors and could influence magnetic-field generation.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 3, 2026

Spacecraft data reveals surprising detail about Saturn's magnetic "shield"

Researchers have confirmed that giant planets like Saturn operate under a unique magnetospheric regime, with a shifted cusp location due to its rapid rotation. This discovery alters models of magnetic reconnection and high-energy particle acceleration, revealing new insights into Saturn's auroral activity.

SourceLancaster University·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 1, 2026

Webb telescope captures its first direct images of carbon dioxide outside solar system

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured its first direct images of carbon dioxide in a planet outside the solar system. The observations suggest that four giant planets formed like Jupiter and Saturn by slowly building solid cores, providing strong evidence for core accretion as their formation model.

SourceJohns Hopkins University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateMar 17, 2025
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Uranus’s swaying moons will help spacecraft seek out hidden oceans

Researchers at UTIG develop a computer model to detect oceans in Uranus' moons by analyzing small oscillations in their spin. The technique could reveal liquid water worlds throughout the galaxy, potentially harboring life.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 25, 2024

Giant planets cast a deadly pall

New studies show that giant gas planets in nearby star systems can prevent life on smaller, rocky planet neighbors by kicking them out of orbit and wreaking havoc on their climates. Researchers found that four giant planets in the HD 141399 system are likely to destroy the chances for life on Earth-like planets.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·DateOct 31, 2023

The planet that could end life on Earth

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.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Planetary Science Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 7, 2023

SwRI scientists map sulfur residue on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa

A Southwest Research Institute-led team used the Hubble Space Telescope to create near-global UV maps of Europa, revealing concentrations of sulfur dioxide on the moon's trailing side. The results provide insights into the composition of Europa's subsurface ocean and its potential for life.

SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalThe Planetary Science Journal·TypeObservational study·DateJun 22, 2022
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Unusual team finds gigantic planet hidden in plain sight

Researchers have discovered a giant gas planet, TOI-2180 b, with a diameter comparable to Jupiter's and a mass nearly three times that of Earth. The planet is also believed to contain 105 times the mass of elements heavier than helium and hydrogen.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·DateJan 13, 2022