NASAOn a glance, LP 791-18 d probably seems like a violent place to live. If new findings from NASA researchers hold up, the Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting a star 90 light-years away from us is teeming with active volcanoes, all over its surface. Interesting geology, sure—but clearly this is no place suitable for life to thrive, right? LP 791-18 d was found by NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and the recently retired Spitzer Space Telescope, in combination with data acquired by ground-based observatories around the world. The new paper shows that the planet is probably undergoing the same kind of volcanic outbursts that dot Jupiter’s moon Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system.

Source: The Nation May 18, 2023 23:04 UTC