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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Death of a star leaves a legacy for exoplanets

The elements formed from a star’s demise shape the structure of the planets that rise from the ashes.
An illustration showing a sun-like star in the middle of a starry galaxy and five exoplanets in the foreground varying in size and colour

Exoplanets (artist’s impression) that take shape from heavier elements tend to be denser and have larger cores than those formed from lighter elements. Credit: European Space Agency/Science Photo Library

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What kinds of planet does a solar system cook up? It depends on the ingredients you throw in. Astronomers report that the planets that arise around a star can have a vast array of structures that depend on the elements swimming around that star1.

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Nature 646, 262 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03114-4

References

  1. Steffen, J. H., Shakespeare, C., Royer, R., Rice, D. & Vazan, A. Astrophys. J. 991, L33 (2025).

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