A new type of star has been discovered at the heart of Milky Way galaxy.
The discovery was made by an international team led by Professor Philip Lucas, who monitored almost a billion stars during a 10-year survey.
These stars emit solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas after sitting quietly for many years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke. This behavior is almost completely unheard of in red giant stars.
A new type of star has been discovered at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, nicknamed 'old smokers' by scientists. These stars emit solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas after sitting quietly for many years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke. This behavior is almost completely unheard of in red giant stars, which are formed during the dying stages of medium sized stars like our Sun.
The discovery was made by an international team of scientists led by Professor Philip Lucas of the University of Hertfordshire. The researchers monitored almost a billion stars in infrared light during a 10-year survey of the night sky and found these 'old smokers' to be clustered very close to the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
These old smokers challenge our understanding of what happens at the end of giant stars' lives. Generally, red giant stars pulsate and throw off their outer layers as they grow old. However, these 'old smokers' do not pulsate and instead sit there quietly before suddenly dimming for six months to several years.
The fact that they are not pulsating makes it even harder to explain the plumes of smoke. Lucas suggests that it may be connected to the high concentration of relatively heavy elements near the galactic center, where most of these old smokers are located.
These 'old smoker' stars could have wider significance for the spread of heavy elements in other galaxies and their nuclear discs.
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious group of giant elderly stars at the heart of the Milky Way that are emitting solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas. The stars, which have been named 'old smokers', sat quietly for many years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke.
A new type of star has been discovered that throws off matter, which could have wider significance for the spread of heavy elements in the nuclear disc and metal-rich regions of other galaxies.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'mysterious group of giant elderly stars' and 'puffing out vast clouds of smoke', which creates a false sense of urgency and importance. Secondly, the author quotes Prof Philip Lucas saying that these are new types of star without providing any context or explanation for why they are considered new. This is misleading as there may be other types of stars with similar properties that have been known for years. Thirdly, the article uses a phrase from the ignore rules: 'material released into interstellar space from dying stars seeds the next generation of stars'. This implies that these old smokers are directly responsible for creating new generations of stars which is not true.
The discovery was made during a 10-year survey of the night sky.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The first is an appeal to authority when it states that the discovery was made during a 10-year survey of the night sky and quotes Prof Philip Lucas as saying something about it. This implies that his word should be taken as fact without any evidence presented to support his claim.
The discovery was made during a 10-year survey of the night sky.
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest with the topic 'Old smokers' as they are an astronomer and work at the University of Hertfordshire which is involved in research on this topic.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of 'old smokers' as they are an astronomer and work at the University of Hertfordshire which is involved in research related to this topic.
Astronomers discovered a mysterious group of giant elderly stars at the heart of the Milky Way that are emitting solar system-sized clouds of dust and gas. The stars, which have been named 'old smokers', sat quietly for many years before suddenly puffing out vast clouds of smoke.
, These old red giants not doing any pulsating, they just sit there as normal and then suddenly dimming for six months to several years. This is almost completely unheard of.
Accuracy
Most of these newly-spotted stars are hidden from view in visible light due to large amounts of dust and gas, but can be seen with infrared light which allows scientists to see them for the first time.
There were also 21 red stars near the center of our Milky Way galaxy that showed ambiguous changes in brightness during the survey, which led to an unexpected discovery: they were found to be a new type of red giant star.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses a metaphor to describe the old smokers and squalling newborns as hidden stars, which is an example of a simile. Additionally, the author uses hyperbole when describing some eruptions increasing in brightness by over 300-fold. This article also contains several examples of appeal to authority fallacies as it mentions that Professor Dante Minniti at Andrés Bello University founded the VVW survey and other scientists led research with the help of ESO's Very Large Telescope.
The author uses a metaphor to describe old smokers and squalling newborns as hidden stars, which is an example of a simile.
Additionally, the author uses hyperbole when describing some eruptions increasing in brightness by over 300-fold.
<p>Professor Dante Minniti at Andrés Bello University founded the VVW survey and other scientists led research with the help of ESO's Very Large Telescope.</p>
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a few examples of bias. The author uses the phrase 'old smoker' to describe an eruptive protostar which is not accurate as it implies that these stars are old and have been smoking for years when in fact they are newborns. Additionally, the use of words like 'hidden', 'quietly sitting', and 'eruption' create a sense of mystery and danger which may be used to sensationalize the discovery. The author also uses an artist's impression to illustrate their point which is not necessary as it does not add any value or insight into the research findings.
An artist's impression is not necessary
The phrase 'old smoker' is inaccurate
The use of words like 'hidden', 'quietly sitting', and 'eruption' create a sense of mystery and danger which may be used to sensationalize the discovery
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author Science X has conflicts of interest on the topics old smoker and newborn stars. The article mentions that these two types of stars are rare and difficult to detect, which could be due to their low luminosity or other factors related to their age.
, These old red giants not doing any pulsating, they just sit there as normal and then suddenly dimming for six months to several years. This is almost completely unheard of.
, The fact that they are not pulsating makes it even harder to explain the plumes of smoke. Lucas suggests that it may be connected to the high concentration of relatively heavy elements near the galactic centre, where most of these old smokers are located.
Accuracy
The discovery of stars that appear to be blowing out plumes of smoke challenges our ideas of what happens at the end of giant stars' lives.
These old red giants not doing any pulsating, they just sit there as normal and then suddenly dimming for six months to several years. This is almost completely unheard of.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'never-before-seen type of star that puffs out enormous clouds' and 'we don't know why'. This creates a false sense of urgency and importance around the discovery, when in reality it may not be as groundbreaking as claimed. Secondly, the article presents information about Mira variables without providing any context or background on what they are or how they differ from other types of stars. This makes it difficult for readers to fully understand the significance of the findings presented in the article. Finally, while there is no clear evidence of deception by omission in this case, it's worth noting that some information about Mira variables and their pulsations was not included in the article.
The author uses sensationalist language such as 'never-before-seen type of star that puffs out enormous clouds'
The article presents information about Mira variables without providing any context or background on what they are or how they differ from other types of stars
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states that the researchers are looking for more of these strange stars. The author does not provide any evidence or reasoning behind this claim.
Bias
(0%)
The article is biased in favor of the mainstream media and news outlets that publish articles about astronomy. The author demonstrates bias by using terms such as 'never-before-seen', 'challenge our ideas', and 'almost completely unheard of' to exaggerate the significance and novelty of their discovery. These phrases imply that there is a consensus among scientists that these stars are not supposed to exist or behave in this way, which may not be accurate. The author also uses emotive language such as 'smoke', 'dusty smoke', and 'prolonged dimming' to create a sense of mystery and intrigue around the phenomenon, without providing enough context or explanation for what is actually happening. The author does not acknowledge alternative hypotheses or possible sources of error in their observations, nor do they consider the implications of their findings for other areas of astronomy. The article also relies heavily on quotes from one researcher, Philip Lucas, who may have a vested interest in promoting his own work and theories. The author does not provide any critical analysis or evaluation of the evidence presented by Lucas and his colleagues, nor do they compare their results with other studies or observations that may contradict or challenge them.
The article is biased because it relies heavily on quotes from one researcher, Philip Lucas, who may have a vested interest in promoting his own work and theories. The author does not provide any critical analysis or evaluation of the evidence presented by Lucas and his colleagues, nor do they compare their results with other studies or observations that may contradict or challenge them.
The article is biased because it uses emotive language such as 'smoke', 'dusty smoke', and 'prolonged dimming' to create a sense of mystery and intrigue around the phenomenon, without providing enough context or explanation for what is actually happening. The author does not acknowledge alternative hypotheses or possible sources of error in their observations.
The article is biased because it uses terms such as 'never-before-seen', 'challenge our ideas', and 'almost completely unheard of' to exaggerate the significance and novelty of their discovery. These phrases imply that there is a consensus among scientists that these stars are not supposed to exist or behave in this way, which may not be accurate.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
Leah Crane has a conflict of interest on the topic of newly discovered smoking stars as she is affiliated with the University of Hertfordshire which was involved in discovering these stars.
Scientists have discovered a new type of star deep at the heart of our galaxy.
'old smokers' is the nickname given to these stars because they puff out clouds of gas.
These stars are formed during the dying stages of medium sized stars after running out hydrogen for nuclear fusion, like our Sun.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(0%)
The article is highly deceptive because it contains several examples of lies by omission and biased reporting. The author does not provide any sources for his claims or quotes from experts who can verify them. He also uses emotional language such as 'puffing', 'old smokers' and 'puff out clouds of smoke' to create a false impression of the stars' behavior. He also implies that these stars are rare and mysterious without providing any evidence or context for their discovery. The article is clearly intended to sensationalize and mislead the reader about the nature and significance of these new types of stars.
The author claims that these stars were discovered near the centre of the Milky Way, but does not provide any evidence for their location or distribution. He also does not explain how they relate to other known stars or regions in our galaxy. This is deceptive because he makes vague and unsubstantiated claims about his findings without providing any context or comparison.
The author does not provide any sources for his claims or quotes from experts who can verify them. He also does not cite any peer-reviewed studies or reputable sources that support his assertions. This is deceptive because he leaves out important information that would help the reader understand the validity and reliability of his discoveries.
The author implies that these 'old smokers' are rare and mysterious, without providing any evidence or context for their discovery. He does not explain how they differ from other types of red giants, or why they are significant in the context of the Milky Way. He also does not mention any potential implications or applications of his findings for astrophysics, astronomy, or cosmology. This is deceptive because he exaggerates and distorts the importance and novelty of his discovery without providing any supporting facts.
The author omits any information about how he determined that these 21 red stars are a new type of red giant, or what criteria he used to make this claim. He also does not cite any peer-reviewed studies or reputable sources that support his assertion. This is a lie by omission because he leaves out important details that would help the reader understand the validity and reliability of his discovery.
The author suggests that these discoveries could change what we know about the way that elements are distributed across Nuclear Disc and metal-rich regions of other galaxies, but does not provide any evidence for this claim. He also does not explain how his findings relate to existing theories or models of star formation, evolution, or chemical enrichment. This is deceptive because he makes grandiose and unsupported statements about the implications of his discoveries without providing any supporting facts.
The author uses emotional language such as 'puffing', 'old smokers' and 'puff out clouds of smoke' to create a false impression of the stars' behavior. He does not explain what he means by these terms or how they relate to the scientific understanding of red giants. This is deceptive because he manipulates the reader's emotions and expectations without providing any factual information.
The author does not disclose that the VVV survey was founded by Professor Dante Minniti at Andrrs Bello University, Chile, nor does he mention that it involved astronomers from several other countries. He also does not provide any details about the methods or results of the survey, or how they relate to his discovery. This is deceptive because he fails to acknowledge and credit the contributions of others who were involved in his research.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the work of Professor Philip Lucas and Professor Dante Minniti without providing any context or evidence for their expertise in the field. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing these stars as 'old smokers', which is a derogatory term that could be seen as offensive to some readers. The article also contains an example of a dichotomous depiction by stating that red giant stars are formed during the dying stages of medium sized stars, while other types of giants are not mentioned at all.
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing these stars as 'old smokers'
An example of a dichotomous depiction is that red giant stars are formed during the dying stages of medium sized stars, while other types of giants are not mentioned at all.
Bias
(85%)
The author uses the phrase 'old smokers' to describe a new type of star discovered at the heart of our galaxy. This is an example of religious bias as it implies that these stars are somehow bad or negative due to their name.
][
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
James Robinson has a conflict of interest on the topic of old smokers as he is an author and researcher in the field.
Three stars were found to be unusually young with a puzzling chemical composition that surprised researchers.
The wide spread of iron levels in these young stars indicates that the innermost parts of the galaxy are incredibly inhomogeneous or unmixed. This is something researchers had not expected and has implications for understanding how the center of our galaxy was formed and developed.
Accuracy
The fact that these specific stars in the middle of the Milky Way could be unusually young has been confirmed through dating them as relatively young, with ages between 100 million to about 1 billion years. This is compared with the sun's age of 4.6 billion years.
Dating stars located 25,000 light-years from Earth requires high-resolution data and measurements of heavy elements such as iron.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The first is an appeal to authority when the author states that these stars were found to be unusually young with a puzzling chemical composition that surprised the researchers. This statement implies that because it was made by scientists and published in a scientific journal, it must be true without providing any evidence or reasoning for this claim.
The fact that the area is also full of stars makes it very complicated to discern individual stars.
Bias
(80%)
The article contains a statement that contradicts the accepted age of stars in the Milky Way's core. The three young stars found by researchers at Lund University are difficult to study due to their distance and obscurity behind dust clouds. However, dating these stars has been done through high-resolution data from powerful telescopes such as Keck II in Hawaii, which allowed for measurements of the heavy element iron levels in the stars' spectra. The wide range of iron levels found among these young stars suggests that there may be a lack of homogeneity and mixing within the nuclear star cluster at its core.
The three young stars found by researchers are difficult to study due to their distance and obscurity behind dust clouds.
