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OFFBEAT

(G)astronomy prank goes wrong as Twitter users fall for ‘Chorizo Star’

A famous French physicist has apologised after he shared an image of a Spanish chorizo slice against a black background and referred to it as “the closest star to the sun”. Unfortunately, those unfamiliar with Spain's cold meats didn't realise it was a joke.

Published: 4 August 2022 14:16 CEST
chorizo etienne klein
Klein later revealed that the picture was not of the intriguing star just over four light-years from the Sun but a far more modest slice of the lip-sizzling Spanish sausage chorizo. Photo: Etienne Klein/Twitter

A red ball of spicy fire with luminous patches glowing menacingly against a black background.

This, prominent French scientist Etienne Klein declared, was the latest astonishing picture taken by the James Webb Space Telescope of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Sun.

“Photo of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, located 4.2 light years from us. Photo was taken by the JWST. This level of detail… A new world is revealed day after day,” Klein tweeted.

Fellow Twitter users marvelled at the details on the picture purportedly taken by the telescope, which has thrilled the world with images of distant galaxies going back to the birth of the universe.

But in fact, as Klein later revealed, the picture was not of the intriguing star just over four light-years from the Sun but a far more modest slice of the lip-sizzling Spanish sausage chorizo.

“According to contemporary cosmology, no object belonging to Spanish charcuterie exists anywhere but on Earth,” he clarified.

Klein acknowledged that many users had not understood his joke which he said was simply aimed at encouraging us “to be wary of arguments from people in positions of authority as well as the spontaneous eloquence of certain images”.

However, at a time when battling fake news is of paramount importance for the scientific community, many Twitter users indicated they were unamused by Klein, director of research at France’s Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and a radio show producer.

On Wednesday, he said sorry to those who were misled.

“I come to present my apologies to those who may have been shocked by my prank, which had nothing original about it,” he said, describing the post as a “scientist’s joke”.

He was shortly back on surer ground posting on Twitter an image of the famous Cartwheel Galaxy taken by the James Webb Space Telescope.

This time, he assured users, the photo was real.

On a side note, is it any wonder that another meaning of “chorizo” in Spanish is that used to describe someone who is silly or dumb?

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OFFBEAT

Spanish climber emerges from cave after 500 days in isolation

50-year-old climber Beatriz Flamini on Friday evening left an underground cave in Motril, southern Spain, where she spent 500 days in total seclusion as part of an experiment on the effects of isolation on the human body.

Published: 15 April 2023 10:17 CEST
Spanish climber emerges from cave after 500 days in isolation

Wearing dark sunglasses, Beatriz Flamini smiled and embraced family members who had gathered to greet her as she climbed out of the cave near Motril in southern Spain.

“I haven’t talked to anyone for a year and a half, only myself,” the experienced mountaineer and solo climber told reporters, calling the experience “excellent, unbeatable”.

Flamini began her challenge on November 21st, 2021 – before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and while the world was still in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She remained 70 metres (230 feet) underground, except for a week when she was forced to leave the cave because an internet router that allowed her to call for help in an emergency broke down.

While the problem was being fixed, Flamini remained in isolation in a tent, she and members of her team told daily newspaper El Pais and other Spanish media.

“I don’t know what has happened in the world…for me it is still November 21st, 2021,” she told reporters after leaving the cave.

Spanish climber Beatriz Flamini

Flamini began her challenge on November 21st, 2021, while the world was still in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo by Jorge GUERRERO / AFP

Flamini said she spent her time reading with the aid of artificial lights, exercising, and knitting woolly hats.

She was monitored by a technical team, who left food at an exchange point in the cave without having contact with her.

Flamini had two cameras to document her experience, which will be turned into a documentary by Spanish production company Dokumalia.

“There have been many challenges of this type, but none with all the rules that were set,” said David Reyes of the Andalusian Federation of Speleology, who was in charge of her security.

“Being alone and in total isolation, without contact with the outside, without (natural) light, without time references,” he told reporters.

Spanish Tourism Minister Hector Gomez called it an “extreme endurance test”, which he hoped would have “great value” for science.

Flamini said one of the toughest moments came when the cave was invaded by flies, but she “never” considered abandoning the challenge.

“There have been difficult moments, and it is true that there have been very beautiful moments, and both are what made it possible to carry one,” she said.

“I got along very well with myself,” she added.

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