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Health & Science4h 42m ago

Astronomers 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.

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1,300 light-years from Earth

Who
Brooke Kotten, Seth Jacobson, Melinda Soares-Furtado, astronomers from the U.S. and Chile
What
Astronomers 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.
When
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:04:00 GMT · 4h 42m ago
Where
1,300 light-years from Earth ·
Why
The star TOI-5882 shows a high lithium concentration, which is characteristic of planetary material, suggesting it recently engulfed a planet.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This discovery provides a method for studying planetary engulfment events after they occur, offering insights into how stars evolve and interact with their planetary systems, including predictions for our own solar system's future.

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  1. Currently Reading4h 42m ago
    Astronomers 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.
  2. Health & Science4h 42m 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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