🔬 Science Mar 16, 2026 · Stuart Clark

Molten lava world points to new class of planet

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Molten lava world points to new class of planet
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An artist’s impression of lava world L 98-59 d in orbit around its parent star. The interior of the planet could possess a vast magma ocean. Credit: Mark A. Garlick.
Astronomers may have discovered a completely new kind of planet, one where a vast ocean of molten rock lies beneath a sulphur-rich atmosphere. The object, known as L 98-59 d, does not fit into any of the categories astronomers normally use to classify small exoplanets.
Located about 35 light-years from Earth and roughly 1.6 times th

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