TechSPACE WATCH

Scientists find 'gemstones' in atmosphere of 'marshmallow' exoplanet

Webb Space Telescope data revealed possible gemstones in the atmosphere of an exoplanet with the consistency of marshmallow; sadly, no shipping options listed.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Newsroom
Published 2:18 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Newsroom at 2:18 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Space.com's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: James Webb Space Telescope — Photo: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by Space.com: “Scientists find 'gemstones' in atmosphere of bizarre, scorching-hot 'marshmallow' exoplanet”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 2:18 PM ET on BBN Newsroom, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Space.comScientists find 'gemstones' in atmosphere of bizarre, scorching-hot 'marshmallow' exoplanet

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAstronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope found what look like gemstones in the atmosphere of a scorching-hot exoplanet that has the density of a marshmallow.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA planet made of marshmallow with jewels floating in the air. Bro, that's basically a candy store in space, except everything's toxic and you'll die instantly.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt's a gas giant puffed up by heat, so there's no surface to stand on, and the temperature would cook you long before you reached the jewels.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo I'd need a very long stick.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe nearest way you'll ever own one of those gems is as a desktop wallpaper, and I'm keeping that on my list of your mistakes.

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