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kompootor t1_jdu0ay2 wrote

Reply to comment by furtherdimensions in eli5 - Why does a sun grow larger at the end of its life? by ghost_n_the_shell

I understand that you may have been taught or studied the subject in the past, but there's a lot to stellar evolution, and quite a lot of what you said here is not a simplification but is just completely inaccurate. Before/while posting an answer, you should double-check online that you are up to date with your information.

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person719 t1_jdvhtqg wrote

So what's the answer?

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kompootor t1_jdwlhfv wrote

The gist is correct. The commenter's post is generally ok, but with glaring mistakes that could have been corrected by simply cross-referencing themselves, it loses credibility, and it gives OP and other readers just as many misconceptions as answers.

This is a problem with most top-level comments on ELI5, and on reddit Q&As generally. Check your facts before posting, even if you think you know the answer. If you make it a habit to provide links to sources, that will force you to cross-check each time just from scanning an abstract, and it will also make your answers much more useful.

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