The study suggests that at least one super-Earth orbits around every third star, similar to the distance of Jupiter from the Sun, highlighting their prevalence.

The Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet), equipped with specialized telescopes in South Africa, Chile, and Australia, played a crucial role in detecting these exoplanets.

Co-author Richard Pogge emphasized the challenges of finding microlensing events, which require extensive data collection due to their rarity.

Current theories on gas giant formation include runaway gas accretion and gravitational instability, but researchers have yet to determine which applies to super-Earths.

This research, published in the journal Science, received support from various institutions, including the National Science Foundation and Tsinghua University, highlighting a global collaborative effort.

An international research team, led by Andrew Gould from Ohio State University, has identified a new super-Earth, OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, using microlensing effects that reveal how mass warps space-time.

Co-author Andrew Gould noted the discovery of excesses and deficits among small and large planets, contributing to the understanding of planetary system formation.

This discovery indicates that super-Earths, which are more massive than Earth but lighter than ice giants like Neptune, are more common in the universe than previously believed.

Cameras designed by Ohio State's Imaging Sciences Laboratory significantly contributed to the capabilities of KMTNet, enhancing the search for exoplanets.

The study compared observational results with theoretical simulations, revealing complexities in distinguishing between different planet formation mechanisms.

Out of over 5,000 known exoplanets, only 237 have been identified through microlensing, underscoring the difficulty of these observations.

The findings suggest that super-Earths and gas giants form through different processes, although further research is needed to clarify these mechanisms.