The exoplanets discovered by astronomers, distant worlds, are often sought by their biosignatures (hints of life) or the presence of liquid water. But almost no one asks whether local life could ever break free from its cradle. And that's a mistake: gravity (gravity), discovered by Newton, turns massive planets into bottomless traps.

The trap's key is fuel: rockets running on hydrogen and oxygen become their own deadweight. Each fuel tank adds mass, demanding even more propellant to lift off. Once a planet's mass exceeds 11.5 Earths, this vicious circle becomes unbreakable — the atmosphere and protoplanetary disk from which the planet formed are irrelevant here. The gravity well proves insurmountable.