Astronomy
The Likelihood of Plate Tectonics on Super-Earth Exoplanets
Quick fact
Many super-Earths may have a 'stagnant lid'—a single, immobile rocky crust—because their powerful gravity and thick lithosphere suppress plate movement, potentially leaving the planet volcano-poor and less habitable.
Why this is interesting
Picture Earth's surface breaking into puzzle pieces that drift and collide. Now imagine a planet twice the size, with crushing gravity and searing heat—would its surface behave the same way, or might it crack apart?