Oftentimes we see the terms comets, meteoroids, and asteroids being confused with one another. So what are they, and what is actually the difference between these objects?
A young solar system does not just build planets from dust and gas. It can also be shaped by what happens nearby, including the death of a massive star. New research suggests that a supernova at the right distance could quietly change a planet’s ingredients from the start, and that this setup may be more common than scientists once assumed.