A depiction of a gas giant planet with rings orbiting a distant star.Credit: NASA / Goddard Space Flight Center / ESA / G. Bacon (STScI) illustration
We're six months in, but where are we at? Join Mashable as we look back at all the viral moments, memes, and more that have delighted and amazed us so far in 2024.
Astronomers continue to discover worlds beyond Earth's solar system, detecting hundreds of new ones each year in the vastness of space.
The number of confirmed exoplanets — planets that don't orbit the sun — has currently risen to 5,638, according to NASA, with thousands more under review. These worlds exist in our galactic neighborhood, though scientists using the Chandra X-ray Observatory think they detected a planet outside the Milky Way for the first time.
This growing tally is only a tiny sampling of planets. With hundreds of billions of galaxies, the universe probably teems with many trillions of stars. And if most stars have at least one orbiting planet — well, don't let your heads explode.
The more scientists find, the more they learn that no two alien planets are alike, each harboring its own distinct chemistry and conditions. There are water worlds, planets with multiple sunsets, volcanic worlds, and planets with clouds unlike anything found in Earth's skies.
With the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, getting to know these worlds should become easier. The leading infrared space observatory, run by NASA in partnership with the European and Canadian space agencies, spends about a quarter of its time studying exoplanets. Knowing what's in another planet's atmosphere can tell scientists a great deal about a world, including whether it could be hospitable to life.
SEE ALSO:
NASA thinks space is teeming with planets that have gone rogueSuper-Earth world with a mysterious sibling
A world somewhat larger than our own, known as a "super-Earth," orbits a star not far (relatively speaking) from this solar system — about 137 light-years away. What has astronomers intrigued with the exoplanet, dubbed TOI-715 b, is its location in the habitable zone around its small reddish star. The habitable zone, sometimes referred to as the Goldilocks zone, is the region around a host star thought to provide the right surface temperature for liquid water to exist.
But perhaps even more exciting than TOI-715 b, which orbits its star every 19 days, is its potential sibling: a smaller, more Earth-size planet.Scientists can't wait to learn more about it.
Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Tweet may have been deleted
Cooler, less-horrifying Venus-like planet
Scientists estimate the average surface temperature on Gliese 12 b could be about 107 degrees Fahrenheit.Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC) illustration
Scientists say they've found the nearest temperate Earth-size world to date: Gliese 12 b, a so-called exo-Venus, meaning a rocky planet outside the solar system about the size of Venus.
"Temperate" and "Venus" may seem contradictory to those who know about Earth's neighbor. It's a hot, toxic planet, with sulfuric acid rain and volcanoes. But Venus might once have looked a lot more like Earth, with oceans and less oppressive heat. Unlike the real Venus, which is about 900 degrees Fahrenheit because of a runaway greenhouse effect, researchers think Gliese 12 b's surface could be an average of 107 degrees.
Two-faced world, half-swimming in lava
Astronomers discovered a third exoplanet in a solar system 73 light-years away.Credit: NASA / JPL-CALTECH illustration
Scientists found an exoplanet just a little larger than Earth, with a star much like the sun. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. The planet, HD 63433 d, is one-tenth Earth's age, exponentially hotter, and likely molten lava on one side. A year on this world would fly by in just four Earth days.
It's the smallest and closest "young" exoplanet known so far, at only 73 light-years away. Astronomers estimate it's about 400 million years old, which is ancient on a human timescale, but a mere whippersnapper compared to our 4.5 billion-year-old home planet.
Related Stories
- The curious new planets astronomers discovered in 2023
- NASA puzzles over why some exoplanets are shrinking
- Could two planets share an orbit? This may be a first.
- Water worlds in the galaxy could be 100 times more common than once thought
- Sorry Trekkies: Bad news about the 'real-life Planet Vulcan'
Terrestrial planet glowing like campfire embers
A rocky planet covered in molten lava orbits close to its star.Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Dani Player (STScI) illustration
In a star system 66 light-years away, scientists spotted a world riddled with so many volcanoes, it would glow red-hot. A researcher even described the finding, HD 104067, as "Io on steroids," referring to the most volcanic world in our solar system, one of Jupiter's moons, Io.
HD 104067's robust volcanic activity is caused by two other nearby exoplanets exerting strong gravitational forces and distorting its orbit into an egg shape. All that squeezing and tugging generates heat and inner geological activity.
Rocky exoplanet with some atmosphere?
Super-Earth 55 Cancri e might have an atmosphere. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech illustration
When astronomers say they are on a quest to find a rocky planet with an atmosphere, they're not talking about mood lighting and soft jazz. They're looking for a world that resembles our own in a crucial way, and scientists say super-Earth 55 Cancri e might be the best bet: Temperature readings have revealed it's not as scorching hot as expected, perhaps because energy is being redistributed by an atmosphere.
NASA has called Earth's own atmosphere its security blanket. Without it, the type of life flourishing here wouldn't exist. It holds oxygen in the air, filters out ultraviolet radiation, and allows liquid water to exist on the surface.
But this finding wouldn't mean 55 Cancri e, about 41 light-years away, is an exit plan for Earth — far from it. Its orbit is so tight around its star, the world is probably covered in lava, with one side in constant darkness. Still, with more observations, 55 Cancri e could turn out to be the first rocky planet with an atmosphere scientists find outside our solar system.
TopicsNASA
Elisha Sauers
Elisha Sauers writes about space for Mashable, taking deep dives into NASA's moon and Mars missions, chatting up astronauts and history-making discoverers, and jetting above the clouds. Through 17 years of reporting, she's covered a variety of topics, including health, business, and government, with a penchant for public records requests. She previously worked for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has earned numerous state awards, including the Virginia Press Association's top honor, Best in Show,and national recognition for narrative storytelling. For each year she has covered space, Sauers has won National Headliner Awards, including first place for her Sex in Space series. Send space tips and story ideas to [emailprotected] or text 443-684-2489. Follow her on X at @elishasauers.
More from Best of the Year ... So Far (2024)
Dating predictions for the rest of 2024
For one, it's time to drop the dating icks.
By Anna Iovine
From 'End of Beginning' to 'Nasty,' here are TikTok's most viral songs of 2024 (so far)
TikTok bounced back from its UMG woes just in time for an 'Espresso' summer.
By Elena Cavender
The 10 best movies of 2024 (so far!)
Did your favorite Zendaya movie make the cut?
By Kristy Puchko
From yap to pookie, 2024's most viral internet slang defined
Yapping all about this year's catchphrases.
By Elena Cavender
The best memes of 2024 (so far)
Good memes from this year!
By Tim Marcin
Recommended For You
Webb found its strongest case yet of a rocky exoplanet with an atmosphere
The telescope is getting closer to analyzing rocky planets in other solar systems.
By Elisha Sauers
Scientists found an incandescent planet. It's 'constantly exploding.'
Watch out for lava.
By Mark Kaufman
Scientists just found a really strange super-Earth
And it's in a solar system nothing like ours.
By Mark Kaufman
NASA reveals why it's so hard to spot alien life — even with Webb
It's both "exciting" and "extraordinarily difficult."
By Mark Kaufman
Scientists discovered a Venus-like world that might not be a hellhole
Cooler than Venus, but hotter than Earth.
By Elisha Sauers
More in Science
A Pentagon-approved bot attack attempted to thwart global COVID-19 vaccinations, report finds
Social media bots sought to discredit China-made vaccines in the Philippines.
By Chase DiBenedetto
Walmart+ Week is coming: What to know about the members-only event
Walmart's big summer sale is coming next week.
By Samantha Mangino
Get ready to feel all the feels: New Uber teen account riders can get a free ride to see 'Inside Out 2'
Plus, parents who add their teen to their Uber account will get two free movie tickets.
By Tabitha Britt
$100 Doordash gift cards are only $85 at Best Buy again
Get one for yourself, or for the dad or grad in your life.
By Leah Stodart
Attention REI members: Get a free $20 gift card when you buy a $100 gift card
Free is the best price.
By Lauren Allain
Trending on Mashable
NASA rover discovers mysterious Mars boulder unlike any others
Could this be a sample of Mars' original crust?
By Elisha Sauers
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for June 16
Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #371.
By Mashable Team
'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for June 16
Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #1093.
By Mashable Team
How to watch Euro 2024 online for free
Bypass geo-restrictions to watch every Euro 2024 fixture for free from anywhere in the world.
By Joseph Green
How to watch Serbia vs. England online for free
Watch England's first Euro 2024 fixture from anywhere in the world.
By Joseph Green
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!