New Water World Exoplanet Discovery

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Astronomers have discovered the exoplanet TOI-1452 b, about 100 light-years away, that appears to be a strong candidate for a global “water world.” Roughly 70% larger than Earth and orbiting a red dwarf within a binary star system, the planet shows physical characteristics that differ markedly from rocky terrestrial planets. Observations from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), supported by ground-based follow-ups, indicate a density and atmospheric profile consistent with an extensive, planet-wide ocean rather than exposed continents.

If confirmed, this scenario implies a world where water could extend hundreds of kilometers beneath the surface, reshaping assumptions about planetary diversity and habitability. Such environments are of particular interest because liquid water is central to astrobiology, offering parallels to conditions thought to exist on early Earth. Findings like these expand the scope of the search for life, highlighting that potentially habitable environments may arise in forms far different from familiar terrestrial analogues.

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