Stellar radiation sculpts four young planets into super-Earths

Astronomers weigh four young, bloated planets around the infant star V1298 Tau and find they are extremely low density and actively losing their atmospheres to photoevaporation. Using transit timing variations, the team shows the planets are on track to shed most of their atmospheres, evolving into rocky super‑Earths or mini-Neptunes, suggesting a common outcome for such compact planetary systems.