Gaël Chauvin

Far beyond the Solar System, a world called VHS 1256B wanders — a giant planet without a star. For a long time, astronomers couldn’t figure out why its brightness jumped by nearly 40% in just a few days. The answer came with the James Webb telescope: it turns out, colossal storms of silicate dust engulf the entire planet.

In the attic, you find an old, worn suitcase. From the stickers and scratches, you can guess where it's been. Astronomers have long searched for a similar 'sticker' for planets, and thought they found it in carbon monoxide molecules. Ordinary carbon monoxide consists of a carbon-12 atom and an oxygen atom.