Uranus and Neptune may have different origin stories, study finds

An international team probing the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune found a significant contrast in chemical composition, with Neptune more enriched in oxygen than Uranus. The results suggest the ice giants formed in different regions of the primitive solar system, challenging the idea of a common origin.

• Neptune's atmosphere is more enriched in oxygen than Uranus's
• Differences point to formation in different regions of the early solar system
• Findings challenge the common-origin hypothesis for the ice giants