Darren Orf

Darren Orf is a contributing editor at Popular Mechanics, where he covers space and how our world works. He has previously written for Gizmodo and Paste. Darren lives in Portland with his cat and enjoys exploring the intersections of science fiction and reality. His work can be found in various publications, both online and in print.

Biography:  https://www.popularmechanics.com/author/2793/darren-orf/

55%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermines the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
Analysis.OverallConflictOfInterestScore * 0.3F + Analysis.OverallBiasScore * 0.3F + Analysis.DeceptivenessScore * 0.3F + Analysis.ReadabilityScore * 0.1F

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

The Daily's Verdict

This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.

Bias

90%

Examples:

  • The article presents ALMA's data as proof of Betelgeuse's fast rotation without providing any context or explanation for how this data was obtained.
  • The articles present information without providing any evidence to support certain claims.

Conflicts of Interest

0%

Examples:

No current examples available.

Contradictions

85%

Examples:

  • Astronomers identified the IMBH by observing seven stars that were moving too fast to remain in the cluster without being gravitationally pulled towards its center.
  • The Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics argues that data supporting Betelgeuse's rotational speed could be tracking its convection movement rather than its true rotational speed.

Deceptions

62%

Examples:

  • The article presents ALMA's data as proof of Betelgeuse's fast rotation without providing any context or explanation for how this data was obtained.
  • The article states that 'Betelgeuse is spinning incredibly fast, with a rotational speed of about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) a second.' However, the authors do not provide any evidence to support this claim.

Recent Articles

Discovering Two Intermediate-Mass Black Holes: Insights into Formation and Evolution

Discovering Two Intermediate-Mass Black Holes: Insights into Formation and Evolution

Broke On: Thursday, 18 July 2024 Astronomers have discovered two intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) near the Milky Way's center, shedding light on black hole formation and evolution. One IMBH was found using data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and ESA's VLT, while the second one was detected in Omega Centauri. These discoveries challenge our understanding of black hole formation and offer new research opportunities in astrophysics.
SpaceX Achieves Historic First Soft Landing of Starship Upper Stage and Super Heavy Booster: A Crucial Step Towards Reusable Rockets and Lunar Exploration

SpaceX Achieves Historic First Soft Landing of Starship Upper Stage and Super Heavy Booster: A Crucial Step Towards Reusable Rockets and Lunar Exploration

Broke On: Thursday, 06 June 2024 SpaceX achieved a historic first with the controlled landing of Starship upper stage (Ship 29) and Super Heavy Booster (Booster 11) following the fourth test flight on June 6, 2024. This significant milestone marks progress towards creating a mostly reusable rocket for SpaceX's goal of Mars exploration. NASA, which has ordered Starships for Moon-landing missions, congratulated the team and expressed excitement about lunar exploration.
Betelgeuse's Great Dimming Event: A Closer Look at the Boiling Surface and Rotational Speed of a Red Supergiant Star

Betelgeuse's Great Dimming Event: A Closer Look at the Boiling Surface and Rotational Speed of a Red Supergiant Star

Broke On: Monday, 18 March 2024 Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion's constellation, is currently experiencing another Great Dimming Event. It has dipped nearly half a magnitude since late January and is now the faintest it has been in two years. ALMA captured an image of Betelgeuse showing its boiling surface, which may explain why it appears to rotate faster than expected due to convection movement.