Exotic 'lava worlds' are a hot new frontier in exoplanet science

An illustration of a lava planet, its brown and blue surface streaked by glowing hot orange spews of lava.

Astronomers may be starting to get the goods on lava planets.

These fiery worlds share a similar density to Earth but orbit so close to their host stars that their scorching daytime temperatures melt the very rocks they're made of, creating possible oceans of magma that cover their surface.