Astronomers used the JWST telescope to peer into the atmosphere of the young planet V1298 Tau c. This super-Earth is only 23 million years old — in cosmic terms, it has just formed and is still hot, like a pie fresh from the oven. As the planet passed in front of its star, starlight pierced its air, and molecules left colorful fingerprints in the spectrum. Scientists detected a clear signal of water, but no methane or carbon dioxide yet. In astronomy, all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium are called metals, like spices in cooking. The atmosphere of V1298 Tau c turned out to have 15 times more of these 'spices' than the Sun. However, that's noticeably less than in similar but more mature planets. It seems planets, like slow-cooked meals, gradually accumulate heavy elements over time. Astonishingly, at such extreme temperatures, the water didn't break apart, and the world itself is still puffed up from the heat of its birth. This hints that planetary evolution is a slow 'ripening' process, and JWST lets us glimpse the earliest recipes.