New study suggests possible ancient galaxy Loki in Milky Way
Technology
Scientists say new research suggests traces of a possible ancient galaxy, Loki, hidden within our own Milky Way.
Loki's stars are metal-poor, and kind of messy in shape, basically cosmic fossils that remind us of the universe's earliest days.
Researchers say Loki was short-lived
By studying 20 of these special stars, researchers spotted chemical clues from supernovae and neutron star mergers, but nothing from white dwarf explosions.
This suggests Loki was short-lived before merging with our galaxy.
The stars' mixed orbits hint that Loki joined up while the Milky Way was still forming, giving us a rare peek into how our galaxy grew up.