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Black Hole Birth Detected this Morning

An anonymous reader writes "SPACE.com is reporting on the first optical afterglow ever detected from a short-duration (milliseconds) Gamma-Ray Burst. The GRB signals the birth of a black hole resulting from a merger between two neutron stars. Theory had predicted the whole thing, which was all spotted this morning by NASA's Swift satellite and ground-based observatories, thanks to an automated email system that notifies astronomers worldwide."

19 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. Upon Further Review... by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Gamma ray burst was determined to emitted from a very large cigarette lighter igniting a very, very large cigarette. SETI recorded the first successfully detected extraterrestrial broadcast of a message, which they believe was "Was it good for you, too?" Bachelor and bachelorette scientists around the world are extremely puzzeled and have few clues as to what it all means.

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    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:Upon Further Review... by falzer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Scientists say these new findings strengthen the "big bang" theory.

    2. Re:Upon Further Review... by Nos. · · Score: 5, Funny

      Geez, they said I couldn't smoke in planes, then theatres, now restaurants. Now I can't smoke in space? This is getting out of hand!

    3. Re:Upon Further Review... by learn+fast · · Score: 4, Funny

      Next you'll be telling me that you can't smoke in ANY vacuum.

  2. Mother and baby are doing fine by winkydink · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dad's a little dazed...

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    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

  3. "You've Got a Black Hole!" by Esion+Modnar · · Score: 4, Funny

    They had to tune down their email spam filter to let that one through...

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    They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
  4. automated email system that notifies astronomers by Typingsux · · Score: 4, Funny
    See hot teen neutron stars get it on.


    No credit card required click for details.

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    The above post is an editorial, the poster cannot and will not be held responsible for all or in part for it's contents
  5. The mother by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    will require serious stitching or no star will want to merge with her again.

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    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  6. The details... by Shadow+Wrought · · Score: 4, Funny

    The black hole was a noningth of an inch in length and weighed about the same as a large star.

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    If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
  7. Re:Terrible Secrect of Space? by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Funny
    Grossest. Dept. Ever.

    That's what I thought when I heard about Paula Abdul on Idol... this is how burned out old stars on earth behave, they attemt to merge with younger, brighter stars. A little titillation and BAM(!) their radiating again and the envy of all their neighboring dying stars.

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    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  8. Weak! by The+Woodworker · · Score: 5, Funny

    It happened 2.2 billion years ago. Slashdot really needs to try and stay current.

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    1. Re:Weak! by killjoe · · Score: 4, Funny

      " It happened 2.2 billion years ago"

      YOu better let the Kansas school board know about this. The universe is only about 3000 years old don't you know.

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      evil is as evil does
  9. Wait a minute... by dfn5 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Slashdot just told me that black hole's don't exist. I don't know what to think anymore.

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    -- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
    1. Re:Wait a minute... by FidelCatsro · · Score: 4, Funny

      Rimmer: But a Black Hole's a huge, compacted star! It's millions of miles wide! Why didn't you see it on the radar screen?
      Holly: Well, the thing about a Black Hole, its main distinguishing feature, is it's black. And the thing about space, your basic space colour is black. So how are you supposed to see them?
      Rimmer: But five of them! How can you be ambushed by five Black Holes?
      Holly: Always the way, isn't it? You hang around in deep space for three million years and you don't see one. Then, all of a sudden, five all turn up at once.

      --
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  10. Happy Birthday! by nizo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I almost put up a big "Happy Birthday you Big Black Hole" banner at work as a joke, but luckily I found out beforehand that one of my co-workers has a birthday today. I am guessing that banner wouldn't have gone over too well with him.

    1. Re:Happy Birthday! by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 4, Funny

      I almost put up a big "Happy Birthday you Big Black Hole" banner at work as a joke, but luckily I found out beforehand that one of my co-workers has a birthday today. I am guessing that banner wouldn't have gone over too well with him.

      Especially if he also happens to be a large gay afro-american...

      --
      "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  11. Those impetuous scientists! by kclittle · · Score: 5, Funny

    The burst has been named GRB050509b

    I mean, really! How droll, how clever...

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    Generally, bash is superior to python in those environments where python is not installed.
  12. Re:LA-LA-LA-LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU by sulli · · Score: 4, Funny
    I only *wish* there weren't people out there like that. Holy moly.

    God put them on earth to test you.

    Via evolution, of course.

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    sulli
    RTFJ.
  13. Re:What about Dr. Reinhardt? by Eccles · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dating yourself, eh?

    This is slashdot. It's not like anyone else will date us.

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    Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.