Astronomers have discovered a mystery object in the Milky Way that is more massive than any known neutron star but lighter than the smallest black hole.
The dense stellar remnant is orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star or millisecond pulsar located around 40,000 light-years away within a dense clump of stars called a globular cluster in the Milky Way.
Astronomers have discovered a mystery object in the Milky Way that is more massive than any known neutron star but lighter than the smallest black hole. The dense stellar remnant is orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star or millisecond pulsar located around 40,000 light-years away within a dense clump of stars called a globular cluster in the Milky Way. If it's a black hole, this would make it an incredibly coveted radio pulsar-black hole binary system. The discovery could help scientists better determine where to draw the dividing line between neutron stars and black holes, both born when a massive star dies. A pulsar-black hole system with highly periodic outbursts of the pulsar can be crucial for testing theories of gravity, known as general relativity.
The object sits in Caldwell 73 (NGC 1851), a globular cluster that may have formed from two clusters that coalesced in a dwarf galaxy. It is half of a binary system, the other half being a pulsar.
If it's a neutron star, it may be the heaviest one known to date with lessons for the uncertain physics of extremely dense nuclear matter.
Both neutron stars and black holes are venues for some of the universe's most extreme physics. Better understanding their genesis and interactions will help astrophysicists decipher everything from quantum mechanics to the evolution of galaxies.
Accuracy
If it's a black hole, it may be among the lightest known which could affect understanding of supernova explosions or dynamical interactions such as neutron star mergers inside globular clusters.
Deception
(30%)
The article is misleading in several ways. Firstly, the author states that the object has a mass between 2.09 and 2.71 times that of our Sun which implies it could be either a neutron star or black hole but they are not sure which one it is.
The article claims that this compact object may be among the smallest known black holes, however according to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the smallest known black hole has a mass of 5.4 times that of our Sun.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by citing the opinions of experts in the field without providing any evidence or reasoning for their conclusions. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the potential implications of this discovery on our understanding of physics and cosmology.
]If a neutron star, it is probably the heaviest one known to date, with lessons for the uncertain physics of extremely dense nuclear matter[
It may be the lightest known black hole which could affect our understanding of supernova explosions or dynamical interactions such as neutron star mergers inside globular clusters.
Bias
(80%)
The author uses language that implies the object is a mystery and something to be puzzled over. The use of phrases like 'confounding' and 'neither-here-nor-there' creates an air of uncertainty around the topic.
> A team of scientists found a compact object 40,000 light-years from Earth that is either a very massive neutron star or an itsy-bitsy black hole, but they’re not sure which. <
Both neutron stars and black holes are venues for some of the universe’s most extreme physics.
The so-called mass gap object has a mass between 2.09 and 2.71 times that of our Sun.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Isaac Schultz has a conflict of interest on the topic of compact objects and mass gap objects as he is reporting for Gizmodo which is owned by Univision Communications. He also has a personal relationship with Maya Fishback who was quoted in the article.
The dense stellar remnant is orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star or millisecond pulsar located around 40,000 light-years away within a dense clump of stars called a globular cluster in the Milky Way.
If it's a black hole, this would make it an incredibly coveted radio pulsar-black hole binary system.
The discovery could help scientists better determine where to draw the dividing line between neutron stars and black holes, both born when a massive star dies.
A pulsar-black hole system with highly periodic outbursts of the pulsar can be crucial for testing theories of gravity, known as general relativity.
The dense stellar remnant has more mass than any known neutron star but less than any known black hole, landing it right in the black hole mass gap.
Neutron stars and black holes are born when massive stars reach the end of fuel for nuclear fusion and can no longer support themselves against their own gravity.
The absence of black holes between 5 solar masses and 2.2 solar masses has become known as the 'black hole mass gap'.
Accuracy
Astronomers have discovered a mystery object in the Milky Way that is more massive than the heaviest neutron star but lighter than the smallest black hole.
If it's a neutron star, this would make it an incredibly coveted radio pulsar-black hole binary system.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an example of a dichotomous depiction. The author describes the object as being more massive than any known neutron star but lighter than any known black hole.
> Illustrations of a black hole (left) and magnetic fields erupting from the surface of a neutron star (right).
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses a mystery object in the Milky Way that is more massive than the heaviest neutron star but lighter than the smallest black hole. The author uses language that implies this discovery could help scientists better determine where to draw the dividing line between neutron stars and black holes, both born when a massive star dies.
The dense stellar remnant is orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star or "millisecond pulsar" located around 40,000 light-years away within a dense clump of stars called a Ɠglobular cluster᩿ in the Milky Way.
The team discovered that the pulsar and the mystery object are separated by 5 million miles (8 million kilometers), about 0.05 times the distance between Earth and the sun, and circle each other once every seven Earth days.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
Robert Lea has a conflict of interest on the topics of black hole, neutron star, pulsar and globular cluster as he is affiliated with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wiessinger and ESA/Gaia/DPAC.
Robert Lea has a conflict of interest on the topics of black hole, neutron star, pulsar and globular cluster as he is affiliated with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wiessinger and ESA/Gaia/DPAC.
The article mentions that Robert Lea is an author at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, which has a vested interest in the study of black holes.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of black holes and neutron stars as they are affiliated with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The article also mentions Ben Stappers who is an astrophysicist at the University of California, Berkeley and Dani Futselaar who is a researcher at ESA/Gaia/DPAC.
The article mentions Ben Stappers who is an astrophysicist at the University of California, Berkeley and Dani Futselaar who is a researcher at ESA/Gaia/DPAC.
The author Robert Lea works for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
The mystery object in space is located in a cluster of stars skimming the outer reaches of the Milky Way.
There are only two things that the mystery object could be: a neutron star or a black hole.
If it's a neutron star, it could be the heaviest ever seen with an equivalent mass between 2.09 and 2.71 Suns.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that there are only two things the mystery object could be - a neutron star or a black hole. However, this statement is not entirely accurate as it does not take into account other possibilities such as dark matter or an unknown type of compact object. Secondly, the article states that if it's a neutron star then it would be exciting because it could provide new insights in nuclear physics at very high densities. This statement implies that there is no existing knowledge about nuclear physics at these densities which is not true as scientists have been studying this area of research for decades. Thirdly, the article states that if it's a black hole then it would be exciting because it could test theories of gravity and provide insights into compact objects desert known as the lower mass gap. This statement implies that there are no existing theories about gravity or compact objects which is not true as scientists have been studying these areas of research for centuries.
The article claims that there are only two things the mystery object could be - a neutron star or a black hole. However, this statement is not entirely accurate as it does not take into account other possibilities such as dark matter or an unknown type of compact object.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the discovery of this object is exciting and will provide new insights in nuclear physics at very high densities without providing any evidence or citation for these claims. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric when they describe the mystery object as a
The difference is the mass.
Add more mass, however, and even degeneracy pressure cannot prevent further collapse.
Bias
(85%)
Michelle Starr uses language that dehumanizes black holes by referring to them as 'lightest' and 'heaviest'. This is an example of biased language. Additionally, the author mentions a previous merger between two neutron stars which could be seen as promoting the idea that such events are common or desirable.
The discovery has been published in Science.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
Michelle Starr has a conflict of interest on the topic of black holes as she is affiliated with OzGrav and Swinburne University of Technology. She also reports on PSR J0514-4002E which was discovered by her team at Swinburne.
Michelle Starr is an author for ScienceAlert, a website owned by Future Media Group. OzGrav and Swinburne University of Technology are also affiliated with Future Media Group.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
Michelle Starr has a conflict of interest on the topic of black holes as she is an author for ScienceAlert.com which covers news related to science and technology.
