Are Mega-Earths Real? Scientists Discover a Possible Cosmic Illusion

Are mega-Earths, massive rocky planets without thick gas envelopes, actually real?

A new study suggests that stellar activity may be making some planets appear far heavier than they are. By analyzing 333 planets, researchers found that eight unusually dense worlds orbit magnetically active stars, raising questions about how reliably astronomers measure planetary masses. Could some of the universe’s strangest planets be measurement illusions?

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This episode includes AI-generated content.