ALMA Reveals Most Protoplanetary Disks Are Surprisingly Small
2025-04-05
A high-resolution ALMA survey of the Lupus star-forming region has overturned our understanding of protoplanetary disks. The study reveals that most disks are far smaller than previously thought, some even smaller than Earth's orbit, and lack the large-scale gaps and rings previously associated with planet formation. This suggests that many stellar systems may favor the formation of super-Earths rather than gas giants, consistent with previous exoplanet observations. The research highlights observational bias in astronomy and reveals much remains unknown about planet formation.