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Health & Science3h 31m ago
Astronomers have discovered a star with an unusually high concentration of lithium, a sign that it may have recently consumed a planet.
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TOI-5882, approximately 1,300 light-years away
Who
Brooke Kotten, Seth Jacobson, Melinda Soares-Furtado, NASA, U.S. National Science Foundation, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin, University of California, Santa Cruz
What
Astronomers have discovered a star with an unusually high concentration of lithium, a sign that it may have recently consumed a planet.
When
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:04:00 GMT · 3h 31m ago
Where
TOI-5882, approximately 1,300 light-years away ·
Why
The star TOI-5882 has an unusually high lithium concentration in its chemical composition, which scientists believe indicates it recently 'ate' a planet.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This discovery helps astronomers better understand how common planetary engulfment is and the different ways it can occur, providing insights into the evolution of planetary systems including our own, as Earth could eventually be engulfed by the Sun.
Story chain
2 events in this thread- Health & Science3h 31m agoAstronomers discovered a sun-like star, TOI-5882, located 1,300 light-years away, has an unusually high concentration of lithium, indicating it likely consumed one of its planets.Open article
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