Super‑puff Planets as Formation Snapshots

Young, very low‑density 'super‑puff' planets (densities likened to Styrofoam) are likely transient stages in planet assembly that reveal how quickly cores accrete gas and how pebble‑accretion or envelope inflation operate. Observing such systems around very young stars gives direct constraints on the timing and physical processes of early planetary envelope growth. — If confirmed, these snapshots force a rethink of exoplanet demographics, telescope target selection, and the timelines used in models that feed into space policy and mission funding decisions.