"Astronomers Uncover 'Old Smokers': Giant Ancient Stars Revealed in Milky Way"

Astronomers have discovered a new type of star, dubbed "old smokers," near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. These aging, giant stars remain inactive for decades before emitting clouds of smoke and dust, potentially influencing the distribution of elements across the universe. The discovery was made during a decade-long survey involving the monitoring of nearly a billion stars in infrared light, leading to the identification of these previously hidden stellar objects. Further research is needed to understand the process behind the release of dense smoke and its impact on the spread of heavy elements in the galaxy.