"Pressure Play: Exoplanets May Create Water Closer to Their Stars"

New findings suggest that some exoplanet atmospheres may contain water created from hydrogen closer to their stars, challenging existing planetary formation theories.

• Surveys indicate that many exoplanet types orbit their stars closer than Mercury does to the Sun, complicating our understanding of waters formation on these planets.
• The atmospheres of certain sub-Neptune exoplanets show evidence of water, despite their proximity to their host stars, where oxygen and hydrogen would typically prevent condensation.
• Research published in Nature (journal) reveals that high-pressure environments may allow diamond formation and water creation in the atmospheres of these distant exoplanets.