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Rumor of Betelgeuse's Death Greatly Exaggerated

Posted by kdawson on from the holding-out-for-twenty-twelve dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes "A rumor is spreading on the Net like wildfire that the red supergiant star Betelgeuse is about to explode in a supernova. This rumor is almost certainly not true. First, it's posted on a doomsday forum. Second, it's three times removed from the source, and is anonymous at each step. Third, the evidence is shaky at best. Plus, even if true, the supernova is too far away to hurt us. But other than that ..."

6 of 356 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Seriously? by Locke2005 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, but of all the places to go for bad rumors and conspiracy theories, slashdot is my favorite!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  2. Reason four: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nobody yet knows where the Hrung is, nor why it should choose to collapse on Betelgeuse Seven.

  3. Re:Who cares? by owlstead · · Score: 5, Funny

    Vell, Zaphod's just zis guy, you know?

  4. Nice try by davidbrit2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Betelgeuse is about to explode in a supernova. This rumor is almost certainly not true. First, it's posted on a doomsday forum. Second, it's three times removed...

    Nice try, but I'm not falling for that one.

  5. Re:Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't think any neutrino detector can detect them. Not even IceCube.

    What about Dr Dre?

    Oh right! Forgot about Dre.

  6. Re:Who cares? by thePsychologist · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, 640 light years ought to be far enough for anyone!

    --
    "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson