The deep interiors of ice giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune may contain a previously unknown form of matter. This possibility comes from new computer simulations conducted by Carnegie scientists Cong Liu and Ronald Cohen. Their study, published in Nature Communications , suggests that carbon hydride could take on an unusual quasi-one-dimensional superionic state under the intense pressures and temperatures found far beneath the surfaces of these distant planets. Why Planetary Interiors Matter More than 6,000 exoplanets have been discovered so far, and that number continues to grow. To better understand how planets form and evolve, researchers from astronomy, planetary science, and Earth science are increasingly working together. By combining observations, experiments, and theoretical models, they aim to uncover the physical processes that shape planets, including how magnetic fields are generated. This growing interest also extends to the hidden layers within planets and moons in our own Solar System.…