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Jupiter Was Once 2.5 Times Its Current Size

5/27/2025

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Summary

Story summary

New research from Caltech and the University of Michigan uncovers that Jupiter might have once been a colossal 2.5 times its current size, potentially housing 2,000 Earths within its vastness. This groundbreaking study, featured in Nature Astronomy, sheds light on the Solar System's formative years and Jupiter's pivotal influence on planetary orbits, derived from detailed measurements of its moons and magnetic field.

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Story summary

New research from Caltech and the University of Michigan uncovers that Jupiter might have once been a colossal 2.5 times its current size, potentially housing 2,000 Earths within its vastness. This groundbreaking study, featured in Nature Astronomy, sheds light on the Solar System's formative years and Jupiter's pivotal influence on planetary orbits, derived from detailed measurements of its moons and magnetic field.