ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Stars virus

Hey kiddo! So, do you know what stars are? They are those beautiful twinkling lights that you see in the night sky. Now, imagine that some stars are not happy and they get sick, just like how we sometimes get sick from a cold or flu.

This sick star is called the "Stars virus". It's not really a virus like the one that causes us to get ill, but scientists use this word to describe a group of diseases that can infect stars.

See, stars are made up of gases and their insides are really hot, kinda like a giant fireball. They constantly produce energy and light. But when a star gets infected with the stars virus, it starts to change. It's like when you get sick and your body doesn't work the way it should.

The stars virus can make a star lose its energy, which is its lifeline, and it will become weaker and weaker until it can't produce anything anymore. The worst part is that the infected star can infect other stars too, just like how a sick person can spread their germs to others.

Luckily, scientists are studying the stars virus so that they can learn how to prevent it from happening and keep our stars shining forever. So, the next time you look up at the stars, remember that they need TLC just like we do.