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Definition of planet

The definition of "planet" has for some time been the subject of intense debate. Although the word dates back thousands of years, no officially decreed scientific definition of "planet" existed before the early 21st century. Until the beginning of the 1990s, there was little need for one, as astronomers had only a single sample of planets in solar system to study, and one small enough for its many irregularities to be dealt with individually.

However, after 1992 and the discovery of the myriad tiny worlds beyond the orbit of Neptune, the size of the sample rose from nine to at least several dozen. Following the discovery of the first extrasolar planet beyond our solar system in 1992, the number of samples has now reached hundreds. These revelations not only increased the number of potential planets, but, in their variety and peculiarity (some nearly large enough to be stars, others smaller than our Moon) challenged long perceived notions of what a planet could be.

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August 24, 2025

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Engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison uncovered a critical flaw in how lunar and Martian rovers are tested on Earth. Simulations revealed that test results have been misleading for decades because researchers only adjusted rover weight to ...
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AI has helped astronomers crack open some of the universe s best-kept secrets by analyzing massive datasets about black holes. Using over 12 million simulations powered by high-throughput computing, scientists discovered that the Milky Way's central ...
By using a clever quantum approach that involves two "hands" on a clock one moving quickly and invisibly in the quantum world, the other more traditionally scientists have found a way to boost timekeeping precision dramatically. Even better, this ...

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