GJ 1214b: is it good for surfing?

Scientists have discovered a new type of alien planet. A steamy waterworld that is larger than Earth but smaller than Uranus. GJ 1214b was discovered in 2009 by the ground-based MEarth Project.

Described as a "Super-Earth," it is about 2.7 times Earth's diameter and weighs almost 7 times as much.

Studies in 2010 led scientists to believe that the planet, where the temperature can reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, is largely covered in water.

The high temperatures and high pressures form exotic materials like 'hot ice' and 'superfluid water.'

GJ 1214b represents a new type of planet, like nothing seen in the solar system or any other planetary system currently known.

The new waterworld planet may be the next sanctuary of surfing for future generations. For now, GJ 1214b will still be an uncrowded spot.

Top Stories

Is Planet Earth an oblate spheroid or flat like a sheet of paper? The answer to this question isn't unanimous. Meet the Flat Earthers.

Have you ever seen a cargo ship or yacht changing shape or floating in the air above the horizon line? The fascinating illusion is called Fata Morgana.

Many will recognize him for his red beanie and his regular appearances on television during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Jacques Cousteau was the guardian of the ocean.

Nature never seizes to surprise us. The Great Blue Hole in the Caribbean Sea is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the human senses.