Uranus and Neptune are very far from the Sun. Scientists have always called them 'ice giants.' People believed these planets were mostly made of ice. However, a new study suggests something surprising. Their atmospheres might actually be full of rocks.
Study author Yamila Miguel works in the Netherlands. Her team used computer simulations to study both planets. They found that the outer layers contain mostly rocks. These rocks are mixed with hydrogen and helium gas. This goes against what scientists believed for decades.
The team got their idea from studying distant objects. Objects like Pluto turned out to be very rocky. So the researchers asked a simple question. If those small objects are rocky, maybe these planets are too. The study was published in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Miguel thinks we should change how we classify these planets. She suggests calling them 'minor giants' instead. This study is not the final answer on this topic. However, it raises important questions about these mysterious worlds. Scientists will need more research to be sure.