Big questions about space, answered in plain words
These guides explain how we find planets around other stars, what those faraway worlds are made of, and which ones might be a little like home — no science degree required. Each one is short and friendly, and comes paired with a hands-on tool so you can explore the real data yourself. Start anywhere — and remember the rule we keep coming back to: space is stranger, bigger, and more wonderful than the headlines let on.
Don’t just read about space – explore it
Extremetica isn’t only articles. It’s full of hands-on tools built on real NASA data. Pick a planet, build a star system, or see how far away the stars really are.
September 11, 2026
GJ 1061 b: A World 12 Light-Years From Earth
GJ 1061 b is a rocky world almost exactly Earth’s size, circling a cool red star just 12 light-years away. Scientists found it by watching the star wobble — and what they learned is pretty amazing.
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September 10, 2026
What Is TOI-5788 b? A Super-Earth
TOI-5788 b is a super-Earth more than three times heavier than our planet, orbiting so close to its star that its surface reaches scorching temperatures hot enough to melt lead. Scientists discovered it in 2026, and it’s already raising big questions about what rocky worlds can look like.
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September 9, 2026
Inside L 98-59: A Family of 5 Planets
About 35 light-years away, a small cool star called L 98-59 has five planets packed tightly around it. One of them, L 98-59 d, is giving scientists real clues about what it might be made of — and there is still so much more to discover.
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September 8, 2026
TOI-697 b: A Planet We Cannot See Directly
TOI-697 b is a planet so far away that no telescope can photograph it — yet scientists still figured out its size, mass, and temperature just by watching starlight. Find out how two clever tricks turn tiny signals into big discoveries!
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September 7, 2026
Is Kepler-1636 b in the Goldilocks Zone?
Kepler-1636 b is a faraway planet sitting in the Goldilocks Zone — the region around a star where liquid water might exist. Scientists think it could be a mysterious world bigger than Earth, but there’s still so much we don’t know about it.
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September 6, 2026
TOI-5532 b: A New World Around TOI-5532
Astronomers have confirmed a new planet called TOI-5532 b, located 297 light-years away. It’s bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, orbits its star in just 5.65 days, and is hot enough to melt lead. What else makes this distant world so interesting?
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