Chemical fingerprints of life have been found on a distant exoplanet by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It is the “most promising” evidence yet for alien life, scientists say. These chemicals were detected in the atmosphere of an exoplanet named K2-18b, which is located 124 light-years away from Earth and orbits its star in … Read more
A planet-size object that possibly once visited the solar system may have permanently changed our cosmic neighborhood by warping the orbits of the four outer planets, a new study suggests. The findings may shed light on why these planets’ paths have certain peculiar features. For decades, astronomers have debated how the solar system’s planets formed. … Read more
Every planet in our solar system is essentially round. But out in the universe, are there any planets that aren’t spherical? Technically, planets are round, by definition; they need to have enough mass to produce the gravity required to pull themselves into a spherical shape. “Actually, one of the specifications for being a planet is, … Read more
Astronomers are proposing a new definition of a planet, nearly two decades after a previous such change led to Pluto’s demotion. The new definition would add measurable criteria, including considerations of the planet’s mass — and it would still leave Pluto with its dwarf planet status. Currently, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defines a planet … Read more
About one in every 12 stars may have swallowed a planet, a new study finds. Previous research had discovered that some distant stars possess unusual levels of elements, such as iron, which one would expect to make up rocky worlds such as Earth. This and other evidence suggested that stars may sometimes ingest planets, but much remained uncertain … Read more
