Astronomers Say the Sun May Have Swallowed a Super-Earth

Professor Mutlu Yildiz of Ege University published research in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society suggesting the Sun may have consumed a hypothetical super-Earth with 5–10 times Earth's mass. The evidence comes from anomalies in the Sun's internal structure and its depleted lithium.

• The hypothetical super-Earth had 5–10 times the mass of Earth
• The event could explain the Sun's depleted surface lithium
• The model explains why the solar system lacks a super-Earth
• Findings rest on gaps between solar evolution models and observations