# A Modest Proposal for the Non-existence of Exoplanets: The Expansion of Stellar Physics to Include Squars

**Authors:** Charity Woodrum, Raphael E. Hviding, Rachael C. Amaro, Katie Chamberlain  
**arXiv:** [2303.16915](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.16915)  
**Date:** 2023-03-29  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2303.16915v1/

## Key points

- Exoplanet observation has been a major focus of astronomical research
- Rush to confirm their existence has often led to overlooking potential alternative explanations
- Scientific consensus is overly reliant on untested assumptions and limited data
- Evidence in support of exoplanet observation is not necessarily definitive and alternative interpretations are necessary
- Squellar model can reconstruct the light curve of WASP-12b without invoking ad-hoc planetary bodies
- Current "exoplanetary" efforts have largely ignored the potential role of squars and blindly accepted the exoplanet hypothesis without sufficient critical scrutiny
- Authors urge astronomical community to take their model proposal seriously and treat its severe ramifications with utmost urgency to restore rationality to astronomy
- Current efforts being undertaken by their group to expand understanding of squars and advance squellar research
- Paper challenges widely accepted assumptions about exoplanets and presents an alternative explanation for observed phenomena
- Calls for greater critical scrutiny in scientific inquiry
- Highlights how societal factors can influence scientific research
- Provides valuable insight into how existing theories can be questioned and reevaluated in order to further progress in science.

## Summary

The search for exoplanets has been a major focus of astronomical research. However, the rush to confirm their existence has often led to overlooking potential alternative explanations and resulted in a scientific consensus that is overly reliant on untested assumptions and limited data. In this paper, the authors argue that the evidence in support of exoplanet observation is not necessarily definitive and that alternative interpretations are not only possible but necessary. They illustrate the power of the squellar model by showing that the light curve of the well-studied "exoplanet" WASP-12b can be reconstructed simply from a rotating squar with proportions $1:1/8:1$, without invoking ad-hoc planetary bodies. The findings cast serious doubt on the validity of current "exoplanetary" efforts which have largely ignored the potential role of squars and have instead blindly accepted the exoplanet hypothesis without sufficient critical scrutiny. The authors urge the astronomical community to take their model proposal seriously and treat its severe ramifications with utmost urgency to restore rationality to astronomy. They also enumerate current efforts being undertaken by their group to expand understanding of squars and advance squellar research. Overall, this paper challenges widely accepted assumptions about exoplanets and presents an alternative explanation for observed phenomena. It calls for greater critical scrutiny in scientific inquiry and highlights how societal factors can influence scientific research. This paper provides valuable insight into how existing theories can be questioned and reevaluated in order to further progress in science.