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Our Galaxy Is Home to Trillions of Worlds Gone Rogue
- Kaibeezy 3y agohttps://archive.li/1sB0B https://archive.li/1sB0B Would have posted the original papers (linked in the article), but on reading through both had a very difficult time actually finding where they explain the “trillions” estimate. Also, found the conclusion in the Times article very odd: The team didn’t look beyond the bounds of the Milky Way. “But we expect that other galaxies are pretty similar,” Dr. Bennett said — meaning that these outcasts might be sprinkled across our entire universe. Might be? The notion that our galaxy could be any sort of exception is mind boggling from a science writer, let alone one with a PhD in particle physics from a top university.
- pfdietz 3y agoThe papers: https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.08279 https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.08279 https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.08280 https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.08280
- pfdietz 3y agoThe second paper suggests that Mars-sized or larger free planets are ~600 times more abundant than stars. This would mean we'd expect one such planet within about half a light year of the Sun. Much more data is needed to narrow down these inferences, though.