This molten "lava ball" planet should be barren, yet it breathes...
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has unveiled surprising evidence: exoplanet LP 791-18 d, a scorching "wet lava ball" 90 light-years away, hosts a thick atmosphere. What they found challenges assumptions about hostile worlds.
Scientists believe intense volcanic activity constantly replenishes this atmosphere. Björn Benneke from the University of Montreal noted it's "really like a wet lava ball." This tidally locked world has a perpetually hot day side.
Imagine an entire world forged in fire, yet whispering hints of water!
Despite its molten surface, researchers suggest water ice or even liquid water could exist on its cooler night side. This planet, roughly 1.2 times Earth's radius and seven times its mass, defies easy categorization.
This incredible discovery of an atmosphere on a lava planet reshapes our understanding of exoplanet evolution and diverse cosmic environments. Share your thoughts on this extraordinary find below!
