Planets with masses that fall between Earth’s and Neptune’s, as shown in the illustration above, might be common around distant stars and are targets for scientists searching for Earthlike worlds. But just how common is up for debate, and the results of two exoplanet surveys disagree. Now, astronomers suggest the super-Earths and sub-Neptunes might fall into two different density classes — and that some searches more easily detect one class than the other, explaining the differing results.
Credit: Aldaron/Wikimedia Commons
Eruption early in human prehistory may have been more whimper than bang
Greed may breed financial fitness, but evolution allows unselfishness to survive
Fine-tuning of technique used in other animals could enable personalized medicine
Simulation suggests long-term effect on sea level not as dire as some predictions
Coverage of the 2013 American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting
The Year in Science 2012
Three-part series on the scientific struggle to explain the conscious self
Tables of contents, columns and FAQs on SN Prime for iPad
Please alert Science News to any inappropriate posts by clicking the REPORT SPAM link within the post. Comments will be reviewed before posting.
You must register with Science News to add a comment. To log-in click here. To register as a new user, follow this link.