A study led by Fan Liu and colleagues reports that at least 8% of stars exhibit evidence of planetary ingestion, based on high-precision chemical abundance analyses of 91 co-natal star pairs. Using data from the Gaia satellite and other observatories, the researchers identified seven new instances of planetary ingestion, with a detection rate of 8%. They employed Bayesian analysis to distinguish planetary ingestion signatures from other factors like atomic diffusion and random abundance variations. The study found that co-natal stars, which share a common origin, are more likely to show such signatures. The results suggest that planetary ingestion is more common than previously thought, with implications for understanding the connection between stellar and planetary chemistry. The study also highlights the importance of using Bayesian methods to disentangle planetary signatures from other effects, as relying solely on condensation temperature trends can lead to false positives. The findings align with theoretical predictions and previous studies, but differ from some earlier estimates. The research provides new insights into the long-term evolution of planetary systems and the processes of planet formation and engulfment.A study led by Fan Liu and colleagues reports that at least 8% of stars exhibit evidence of planetary ingestion, based on high-precision chemical abundance analyses of 91 co-natal star pairs. Using data from the Gaia satellite and other observatories, the researchers identified seven new instances of planetary ingestion, with a detection rate of 8%. They employed Bayesian analysis to distinguish planetary ingestion signatures from other factors like atomic diffusion and random abundance variations. The study found that co-natal stars, which share a common origin, are more likely to show such signatures. The results suggest that planetary ingestion is more common than previously thought, with implications for understanding the connection between stellar and planetary chemistry. The study also highlights the importance of using Bayesian methods to disentangle planetary signatures from other effects, as relying solely on condensation temperature trends can lead to false positives. The findings align with theoretical predictions and previous studies, but differ from some earlier estimates. The research provides new insights into the long-term evolution of planetary systems and the processes of planet formation and engulfment.