Dead Planets Society, a podcast known for its wild cosmic experiments, takes on an ambitious idea in its latest episode: setting Uranus on fire. The show, which explores extreme scenarios about the universe’s workings and tests them against the laws of physics, is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and its official podcast page.
In this episode, hosts Chelsea Whyte and Leah Crane tackle the notion that Uranus and Neptune are so similar that we only need one of them. Their bold proposal involves burning Uranus to uncover its mysteries.
The concept is grounded in scientific methods. One way to study a planet’s composition is through a process called spectroscopy, where light from a substance is analyzed to determine its chemical makeup. Another motivation for this idea is that the deep interiors of ice giant planets like Uranus are still not well understood. Burning away the outer layers could help scientists explore what lies beneath.
However, according to planetary scientist Paul Byrne from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, this plan is not straightforward. In a guest appearance on the podcast, Byrne explains that the outer atmosphere of Uranus lacks oxygen, which is essential for combustion. Even introducing more oxygen from outside the solar system might not make a difference.
But the challenges don’t stop there. Uranus’s interior might contain massive chunks of diamond, similar to icebergs. This possibility shifts the focus from simply burning the planet to an elaborate heist. Instead of a dramatic fire, the new goal is to figure out how to remove the outer layers to access these valuable resources.
The hosts propose that the best way to achieve this is by crashing another planet into Uranus. This collision would create a spectacular display from Earth, including a flash of light and a glowing vapor cloud. Careful planning would be essential to ensure that the impact reveals the planet’s secrets without destroying its diamond-rich core.
