Scientists probe the weird, alien water inside of Uranus and Neptune

In a new study, scientists have devised a theoretical computer model and used it to peer inside the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. With this tool, the team studied the thermal and electrical conductivity of the unusual water inside of these planets. In simulating these physical processes on the teeny-tiny atomic scale, the researchers hope that this new model will reveal information about the icy bodies' internal structure, magnetic fields, how they evolved and exactly how old they are.

In studying Uranus and Neptune with this model, the researchers, who stem from the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste, Italy and the University of California at Los Angeles, estimated that the two planets are likely primarily composed of water in some form and Uranus might even have a frozen core, according to a SISSA statement.

The team looked at three different phases of water that could exist in these planets interiors: ice, liquid and superionic (superionic water exists at extremely high temperatures and pressures.) But, as the researchers explained in the statement, water on (and inside of) an alien planet is far different from water on Earth.

The researchers hypothesize, they explained in the statement, that Uranus might actually have a frozen core. This would explain why the planet isn't very luminous, as a frozen core would mean that very little heat would move towards the planet's surface, according to the statement.

The scientists also found that superionic water in Uranus and Neptune is more electrically conductive than water on Earth, and they think that superionic water could compose a large portion of the dense inner layers of these gas giants. These results further our understanding of exactly how the two bodies are composed and how they came to be, the study suggests.

I was abducted yesterday by a UFO, I woke up in a
lighted room when the attendants stuffed a balloon
up my butt then inflated it and me. Then I was put
through some kind of ray machine and then the aliens
said it wasn’t covered by the VA and I would have to
pay for it myself!!!

Plenty of water in my Uranus too!!!

the teeny-tiny atomic scale

I wondered which scale it was...

Is Dr. Flim-Flam Fauci involved with this endeavor? If so, and he recommends wearing a mask during the probing, I think for once he might actually be right about that.

...ice, liquid and superionic (superionic water exists at extremely high temperatures and pressures.)

Ice & liquid, OK, but why can't they just say "steam" instead of superionic?

Sometimes ya just *know* what's already happened in the topic before ever visiting the topic. :^)

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Here's most of the rest of the Uranus keyword, with some obviously frivolous topics removed, won't promise I didn't miss some:

I finally get to invoke my strict policy of not reading stories about “weird” or “alien” things inside Uranus.

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