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Out There

Uranus smells like rotten eggs

It turns out sulphur compounds in its clouds are the smelly culprits

By Smartasaurus· 1 min read Cosmic
Knowledge check

What would the upper atmosphere of Uranus smell like to a human observer?

Imagine taking a deep breath at the top of a giant ice planet

The short version
  • It turns out sulphur compounds in its clouds are the smelly culprits
  • This chemical composition suggests the gas giants formed at different temperatures and locations in the early solar system.
  • Curiously, deep within the planet, the pressure is so intense that carbon atoms may crush together to form literal diamonds that rain through the m…

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We can make diamonds rain on Neptune
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