Thanks to a tell-tale scar, scientists have labelled a white dwarf star as a 'cannibal' for probably ingesting the surrounding planets and asteroids that it was born with.
Known as WD 0816-310, the white dwarf is now an Earth-sized remnant of a star that was previously as big as our Sun. Researchers have spotted a unique clue regarding its nature on its surface: a metallic scar, the likely remains of one of its 'meals'.
This story is from the March 2024 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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This story is from the March 2024 edition of BBC Science Focus.
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