*Astronomers have discovered how long-lived Peter Pan discs evolve.*

Peter Pan discs are rare, dusty discs that surround young stars. They are thought to be the birthplaces of planets, and they are named after the fictional character who never grows up.

The new study, published in the journal Nature, found that Peter Pan discs can last for much longer than previously thought. This means that they have more time to form planets.

The study also found that Peter Pan discs evolve as they age. They become less dusty and more compact, and they eventually turn into protoplanetary discs, which are the discs from which planets form.

The astronomers made their discovery using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a radio telescope located in the Atacama Desert of Chile. ALMA is the most powerful telescope in the world for observing objects in the millimeter and submillimeter wavelength range.

The astronomers observed 16 Peter Pan discs with ALMA. They found that the discs ranged in age from 1 million years to 10 million years. This is much older than the previously known age limit for Peter Pan discs.

The astronomers also found that the discs became less dusty and more compact as they aged. This is consistent with the idea that the discs are evolving into protoplanetary discs.

The new study is an important step forward in our understanding of how planets form. It shows that Peter Pan discs can last for much longer than previously thought, and that they evolve as they age. This means that they have more time to form planets.

The study also has implications for understanding the early history of the solar system. The solar system is thought to have formed from a protoplanetary disc, and the new study provides new insights into how these discs form and evolve.