We know better than to settle there.
Midnight Snack
A new obstacle has been placed in the search for a world that could support alien life. Scientists say that a large number of stars continue to eat their planets like small snacks.
According to Nature Astronomy research, 30 to 35 percent Sun-like stars endanger several of their own planets. However, there are indicators that astronomers can use to identify which stars have indulged in a little planetary treat. Science Magazine reported that this valuable information could be used to help astronomers searching for habitable planets find out which star systems they should ignore.
Iron overload
Astronomical Observatory of Padua scientists analyzed 108 binary systems with Sunlike stars and found that certain chemical signatures can be used to indicate that their planets were consumed.
Lorenzo Spina, a Padua researcher, said that if a star is unusually rich in iron, but not other elements like carbon or oxygen, it can be taken as evidence of planetary engulfment.
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Researchers have been studying planetary engulfment for many years. However, this study used a larger number of data than any previous research to get a better understanding of the situation.
This is clearly a strong trend. Eric Mamajek (NASA astronomer), said Science Magazine that he didn't work on this study. This is likely to be one of the most important papers on the subject.
This means that scientists who are looking for possible-habitable planets in the cosmos can save time and look at the stars first. If a candidate star is mainly composed of lighter elements such as hydrogen, helium and oxygen, it likely abstained eating on its planets.
READ MORE: A third of Sun-like stars could have eaten their planets [Science Magazine]
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