Milky Way's Center Reveals Stellar Cannibalism Behind Youthful Stars

New research unveils how stars near the galaxy's central black hole maintain their youth through violent collisions and material absorption.

Scientists at Northwestern University have uncovered the mechanisms behind the youthful appearance of some stars near the Milky Way's central black hole, Sagittarius A*, involving stellar cannibalism.
These stars maintain their youth by colliding with and absorbing material from neighboring stars, resulting in stripped-down 'zombie' stars and shortened lifespans for the cannibal stars.
The dense stellar environment around Sagittarius A* facilitates frequent and high-speed collisions, making stellar cannibalism a common occurrence.
Simulations show that stars closer to the black hole are more likely to collide destructively, while those further away can merge to form massive, rejuvenated stars.
This research sheds light on the extreme conditions and processes at the heart of the Milky Way, offering insights into the dynamics of densely populated galactic centers.