JWST Data Reveals Planet Formation as a Race Against Protoplanetary Disk Decay
Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze 72 young, sun-like stars, revealing that planet formation is a time-sensitive process dictated by the rapid loss of material from protoplanetary disks. By tracking molecular hydrogen, the study shows that gas giants must assemble their atmospheres before stellar winds and radiation strip the disk of its raw ingredients.