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In addition, 21 red stars were identified that showed mixed brightness changes over the 10-year study period. Analysing the spectra of the seven stars against data from earlier surveys revealed that these objects are actually a new type of red giants. They lie at rest for years to decades before suddenly ejecting clumps of matter.
According to the authors, the matter ejected from old stars plays a key role in the life cycle of the elements, helping to form the next generation of stars and planets. However, the mechanism of the ejections remains unknown.
