Aging star's lithium spike hints at swallowed planet

An aging Sun-like star called TOI-5882 shows an unusually strong lithium line for its evolved stage, a signature that scientists argue most likely comes from engulfing a planet. Modeling suggests the swallowed body would be about 9–95 Earth masses, and a close brown dwarf companion could have stirred inner planets over billions of years to send one toward the star. While the scenario passes important tests, it remains a candidate rather than a verdict, with researchers planning to search for additional chemical clues to confirm.