'Alien' star provides potential clue about evolution of universe

Chinese and Japanese scientists have discovered a "chemically peculiar" star in the Milky Way that proves our home galaxy might have grown by shredding and consuming smaller galaxies around it.

Scientists believe the technique used for the discovery could help identify more "alien" stars that did not originate in our home galaxy. This allows scientists to better understand the formation and evolution of the Milky Way, and how heavy elements like gold and uranium are created in the universe.

The star, named LAMOST J1124+4535, is located around 22,000 light years from Earth. Unlike stars formed in the Milky Way, this alien star has an unusually low amount of "alpha elements" including magnesium, silicon and calcium, which is about one-fifth the average of similar stars.