Pluto is making a comeback! After being demoted from planet to dwarf planet seventeen years ago, some scientists believe it’s time for Pluto to regain its planetary status. In this episode of Dead Planets Society, hosts Chelsea Whyte and Leah Crane discuss the possibility of officially making Pluto a planet by changing the solar system instead of the rules laid out by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). They are joined by Kathryn Volk from the University of Arizona and Konstantin Batygin from the California Institute of Technology to explore this idea.
One of the requirements for a celestial body to be classified as a planet is the ability to clear its orbital path of debris. Unfortunately, Pluto falls short in this aspect as it is not large enough to sweep away all the other rocks in its orbit. The question then arises, what if Pluto were bigger? It would require a significant increase in mass, but there would be consequences to consider if we were to “super-size” Pluto.
Alternatively, another approach suggested is to relocate Pluto to a better orbit, one that is already mostly clear of debris. However, this orbit should also be far enough from the sun to prevent Pluto from evaporating. Another option, although technically challenging, is to introduce a small black hole into Pluto or to shrink the entire solar system around it.
The Dead Planets Society podcast explores these outlandish ideas and subjects them to the laws of physics to determine their feasibility. From splitting the moon in half to causing a gravitational wave apocalypse, Chelsea and Leah examine creative ways to tinker with the cosmos.
Ultimately, the restoration of Pluto’s planetary status would require some unconventional and innovative methods. While it may be a challenging endeavor, scientists are not shying away from this task. Subscribe to the New Scientist Weekly podcast or visit their podcast page to listen to the episode and dive deeper into this fascinating topic.
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