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JWST Spots Unidentified 5.11-µm Absorption on Pluto, Titan

7/8/2026

34 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

JWST detected an unexplained 5.11-micrometer absorption band on Pluto and Titan.
Two JWST instruments recorded the band at 5.113 µm, eliminating calibration errors.
Pluto’s line is about three times thicker than Titan’s, implying an uneven surface distribution.
No known molecule matches; candidates such as allenes, benzene, ketene and acetylene fit poorly.
Researchers secured more JWST data and will await NASA’s Dragonfly mission in the mid-2030s.

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Story summary

JWST detected an unexplained 5.11-micrometer absorption band on Pluto and Titan.
Two JWST instruments recorded the band at 5.113 µm, eliminating calibration errors.
Pluto’s line is about three times thicker than Titan’s, implying an uneven surface distribution.
No known molecule matches; candidates such as allenes, benzene, ketene and acetylene fit poorly.
Researchers secured more JWST data and will await NASA’s Dragonfly mission in the mid-2030s.