At least 1 in 4 stars similar to our Sun have devoured one or more of their own planets.
An intriguing study recently published in Nature Astronomy examined the chemical composition of many Sun-like stars and discovered that these are aggressive stars, capable of swallowing their own planets by up to 20-35%!
Graphic depicting other “Suns” in the universe, the “monsters” that swallow planets – (Image: NASA).
The author team, led by astronomer Lozenro Spina, who is working at the Padua Astronomical Observatory (Italy) and Monash University (Australia), examined 107 pairs of stars that are all similar to the Sun.
These twin stars are theoretically expected to share a homogeneous chemical composition. However, many stars have exhibited differences – evidence of being supplemented by material from another object, or more accurately, an event of “planetary engulfment.”
Our Sun, while currently solitary, belongs to the same category as these star pairs, as many studies have indicated that it must have a twin sibling, which was separated by the violent events of ancient cosmic history.
According to Science Alert, the discovery of the “predatory” nature of Sun-like stars will aid in guiding future searches for Earth-like planets that may harbor life.
The good news for us is that the Sun has been shown to be among the “gentle” stars, having kept its planets on much more stable orbits than many other planetary systems, and has never swallowed any.
Therefore, when searching for a Sun-like star, the first step is to examine its chemical composition to determine whether it has a “history” of devouring planets. If it does, then it is unlikely to be a suitable world for life. This will help eliminate countless candidates from the outer rounds, instead of having to painstakingly observe each of its planets.
