The Object at the Center of Jupiter Is So Strange That It Defies Comprehension

Jupiter's core, once thought to form from a major planetary collision, may have developed differently according to new research. Scientists used supercomputer simulations to test the "giant impact" theory but found that collisions wouldn't create the gradual gas blends observed by NASA's Juno spacecraft. Instead, researchers propose Jupiter's unusual "dilute core" formed gradually over time as it attracted different elements, challenging our understanding of how gas giants develop.