Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru have discovered a rare carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star that suggests an unexpected combination of neutron-capture processes contributed to its formation. The intermediate process (i-process), which is related to low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, and the slow process (s-process), which occurs when low-mass stars die. The discovery provides insight into the chemical composition of stars and the evolution of galaxies. The star, HE 1005-1439, has challenged established ideas about how stars form and could broaden knowledge about the universe.