Puffy young exoplanets reveal origin of super Earths

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 08, 2026

Astronomers have identified a young planetary system that links newborn giant worlds to the compact super Earths and sub Neptunes that dominate the Milky Way. V1298 Tau, a star about 20 million years old, hosts four planets between the sizes of Neptune and Jupiter in close-in orbits, offering a snapshot of planets during a brief and dynamic stage of evolution.

Over ten years, researchers c