Unveiling the Mystery: NASA Data Sheds Light on Exoplanet Shrinkage

A new study using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope suggests that some exoplanets are losing their atmospheres and shrinking due to core-powered mass loss. The study focuses on the "size gap" between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes and provides evidence that the cores of these planets are pushing away their atmospheres from the inside out. The researchers observed star clusters Praesepe and Hyades and found that nearly 100% of stars in these clusters still have sub-Neptune planets or planet candidates, indicating that core-powered mass loss is the most likely explanation for the shrinking of these planets. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind this phenomenon.