Can Planets Be Different Shapes?
September 15, 2025
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8:16Now PlayingCan Planets Be Different Shapes?
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as posted by the channelThe conversation tackles whether a natural “donut” (torus) planet could exist. The hosts explain why gravity makes large worlds round, with exceptions like tidally-distorted “egg” exoplanets (e.g., WASP-12b) and odd-shaped small bodies (contact binaries). They broaden into what truly defines habitability beyond just the “habitable zone,” and how that zone migrates as stars evolve—raising thought experiments about future habitability for outer worlds (Titan, even Pluto). They close by noting how diverse exoplanet systems are (hot Jupiters, TRAPPIST, WASP surveys) yet still share themes.
From 'Answering Questions About Alien Exoplanets, with Anjali Tripathi'
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