Rumor of Betelgeuse's Death Greatly Exaggerated

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 ..."

Comments

Of course it is.

[0100010001010011]

Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse.

There he is right there.

Seriously?

[PingXao]

I mean, does this story warrant inclusion on slashdot? There are plenty of other places to go for bad rumors and conspiracy theories.

Re:Seriously?

[Locke2005]

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

Reason four:

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Re:Who cares?

[owlstead]

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

Nice try

[davidbrit2]

...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.

Re:Who cares?

[Anonymous Coward]

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

What about Dr Dre?

Oh right! Forgot about Dre.

Why is it?

[JoeGee]

People will take a phenomenon verified by hundreds of scientists in dozens of studies, global warming, and dismiss it because they got stuck in a snow drift. Then they'll turn around and forward an email that cites a brother's wife's uncle's cousin as breathless proof of impending calamity? I know the answer -- people are stupid. The question is purely rhetorical. :)

Re:Who cares?

[thePsychologist]

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