Astronomers Found a Star That Makes No Sense

Studying the light from stars tells us their temperature, composition, age, and evolutionary state.

But the red giant companion to Gaia BH2, a black hole system discovered in 2023, tells a contradictory story that doesn't make sense until you consider stellar violence!

The star is packed with heavy elements called alpha elements, chemical signatures typically found in ancient stars formed when the Universe was young. Based on this chemistry alone, it should be around ten billion years old.

Yet when astronomers from the University of Hawaii measured vibrations rippling through its interior using NASA's TESS satellite, they discovered the star is only about five billion years old.

"Young, alpha-rich stars are quite rare and puzzling. The combination of youth and ancient chemistry sugge