Astronomers have detected a star with such curious composition they conclude it must have been enriched by a supernova that didn’t accord with our current understanding of exploding stars. Their efforts to reconstruct this event reveal we’ve probably been missing something big about the behavior of the first generation of giant stars.In 1999‚ the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) detected a giant red star at a distance of 13‚000 light-years that was given the label J0931+0038. The star was unusual in its color and location in the galactic halo‚ but not exceptionally so‚ leading to it being ignored for more than 20 years before the SDSS got around to taking its spectrum last year.“As soon as I saw the spectrum‚ I immediately emailed the rest of the team to talk about how to learn more‚” Dr Alex Ji of the University of Chicago said in a statement. The first stars were nothing but hydrogen and helium – but they produced heavier elements‚ which have been incorporated into subsequent generations. Certain elements tend to accompany each other. For example‚ the total amount of heavier elements in a star is often summarized on the basis of the ratio of iron to hydrogen‚ because the iron gives a decent starting point to estimate the abundance of everything else.However‚ sometimes‚ stars don’t follow the rules‚ and J0931+0038 is an extreme example. All the elements with odd numbers on the periodic table are scarce there compared to the even-numbered ones on either side. There’s a peak in abundance of elements just above iron in atomic weight like nickel and zinc‚ compared to those just below like titanium‚ and also a lot of heavy elements like palladium. “We sometimes see one of these features at a time‚” said Professor Jennifer Johnson of Ohio State University‚ “But we’ve never before seen all of them in the same star.”Despite its likely great age‚ J0931+0038 would only have produced helium and perhaps a little carbon itself‚ so the other elements are a legacy of the supernova whose products make it up. To produce such an unusual combination‚ this must have been an extraordinary explosion. In a nod to last year’s popular culture sensation‚ the SDSS team nicknamed it the Barbenheimer Star. After all‚ the subject of one of these movies engages in a lot of element creation‚ albeit through fission rather than fusion‚ and the other film is quite the spectacle.Now the quest is on to identify the nature of the Barbenheimer star. The team thinks it must have fallen into a mass gap‚ with a mass 50-80 times that of the Sun. It had been thought stars that massive would collapse directly into black holes‚ rather than undergoing supernova explosions – but so far‚ no one has been able to explain J0931+0038 any other way.“Amazingly‚ no existing model of element formation can explain what we see‚” Dr Sanjana Curtis of the University of California‚ Berkeley said. “It’s not just ‘ok‚ you can tweak something here and there and it’ll work out – the whole pattern of elements almost seems self-contradictory.”“We think it’s possible it could have been energetic enough to blow up an entire galaxy by itself‚ though a small galaxy‚” Ji said in a different statement.“The Universe directed this movie‚ we are just the camera crew‚” said Dr Keith Hawkins of the University of Texas at Austin. “We don’t yet know how the story will end.”Seven frames from the 13 billion year Barbenheimer star movie‚ and its sequel in the star Jo931+0038 and its discovery by usImage and illustration credits: NASA‚ ESA‚ CSA‚ StSci‚ University of Chicago‚ SDSS-V‚ S5‚ Melissa Weiss‚ James Josephides‚ Yuri BeletskyAlthough theoretical physicists will no doubt put great effort into modeling the sort of explosion that could produce this combination of elements‚ the key to resolving the mystery is probably to find similar stars. Ideally‚ we might catch a Barbenheimer-style supernova in the act‚ but more stars with compositions similar to J0931+0038 would also help. Stars with masses more than 50 times that of the Sun exist today‚ but they’re very rare. However‚ they are thought to have been more common in the early universe when the Barbenheimer star formed‚ so there should be more stars like J0931+0038 out there created from their deaths.Consider: centuries from now‚ when the two massive cinematic hits are forgotten (let alone their simultaneous release)‚ astronomers may still be referring to a class of rare objects as Barbenheimer stars‚ with few knowing why.The discovery and preliminary analysis is to be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters‚ preprint on ArXiv.org

You've probably been told at some point that oil is made from dinosaurs‚ thinking that when you are at a gas station you are pumping refined velociraptor directly into your Volvo. As widespread as the belief is‚ it's not true. Oil is not made from the decomposed bodies of ancient dinosaurs.“For some strange reason‚ the idea that oil comes from dinosaurs has stuck with many people‚" geologist Reidar Müller from the University of Oslo explained to Science Norway. "But oil comes from trillions of tiny algae and plankton."As algae and plankton died tens to hundreds of millions of years ago‚ they sank to the bottom of the sea‚ where they accumulated and were buried by layers and layers of sediment. Eventually‚ after millions of years in a high-pressure and low-oxygen environment‚ the algae and plankton got "cooked" and turned into that sticky black oil we humans apparently can't get enough of despite the threat of a climate emergency. From here‚ it seeps upwards until it hits rock it can't make it through‚ requiring humans to drill it out (or some other natural disaster to set it free again).While marine dinosaurs – or a T. Rex that discovered its arms weren't particularly well-adapted to swimming – may find themselves on the bottom of the ocean after death‚ it's unlikely they would get converted into oil themselves. This is partly because an oxygen-deprived environment is needed to convert organic matter into oil. Once dead‚ they would have become a meal for smaller aquatic creatures‚ picking them apart until they got down to the bones‚ long before they could be buried.Now to explain why‚ "if dinosaurs actually existed"‚ their bones aren't everywhere.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.  An earlier version of this article was published in Septemeber 2023.

Rachel Maddow often announces MSNBC won't air live speeches from Donald Trump because "There is a cost to us‚ as a news organization‚ of knowingly broadcasting untrue things." But that never stops the Madcow speeches about the "rise of fascism in this country‚" as she uncorked during Iowa caucus coverage in the 9pm hour. MSNBC host and former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki revved up Rachel by noting a Des Moines Register/NBC poll found 50 percent said of Iowa GOP voters said they were more likely to back Trump when hearing Trump's promise to authorize "sweeping raids‚ giant camps and mass deportations” to deal with the border‚ and 43 percent were more likely to vote Trump over his statement “The radical left thugs that live like vermin in the U.S. need to be rooted out.” They think agreeing with this is Fascism on the Rise: RACHEL MADDOW: The big picture take away from that -- and I don't mean to be‚ again‚ too dark‚ as you said‚ on this. But‚ it is not -- if we are worried about the rise of authoritarianism in this country‚ we are worried about the potential rise of fascism in this country‚ worried about our democracy falling to an authoritarian and potentially fascist form of government‚ the leader who is trying to do that is part of that equation. But people wanting that is a much bigger part of that equation. And the American electorate is made up of two major parties. One of those parties has been flirting with extremism on the ultra-right for a very long time. They've brought them in in a way that they haven't been central to Republican electoral politics ever before. Once you have radicalized one major party so that those are the preferences of the people who adhere to your party‚ the leader's interchangeable. And yes‚ Trumpism is sometimes what we call it‚ the MAGA movement is probably a better way to do it. But there isn't an authoritarian movement inside Republican politics that isn't being bamboozled by Trump. They are pushing Trump to get more and more extreme because the more extreme things he says‚ the more they adhere. And that is coming from a very large proportion of the American right that adheres to the Republican Party. That's why this is a Republican Party problem more than it is the problem of one man... Ari Melber babbled something about how Trump voters display "religious zeal without religion‚" and Maddow doubled down: "Or you call it religion when really you want strongman government and getting rid of democracy."

With the dreaded 2024 election year upon us‚ it becomes necessary to consider the main issues that will determine who wins at the ballot box. Will it be the economy? Immigration? Foreign policy? Political corruption? Maybe it will be none of those. Because Joe Biden has an abysmal record‚ he and his supporters in the corporate media will be forced to circumvent this reality and keep Democrat voters in the dark. Moreover‚ they will fabricate issues to demoralize and further confuse the left and the right. Ideally‚ this two-pronged approach will soothe Democrats into blissful ignorance as they vote for the same terrible politicians while it provokes Republican voters into endless squabbles. A perfect example of how this works can be found in two recent op-eds in Newsweek. In the first essay‚ “Why 2024 Could Totally Rule!” college professor David Faris optimistically predicts that some “lucky breaks” at home and abroad will lead to the triumph of Biden and the Democratic Party along with the fall of Donald Trump and the GOP. Taking the same political angle but predicting doom‚ “2024 Is Another Year of Living Dangerously” by former Associated Press editor Dan Perry rules out those lucky breaks‚ predicting a second Trump term and a world on fire. More than what they argue‚ what makes these two essays notable is what they leave out. If most Americans are misinformed and distracted‚ Biden and the Democratic Party will win the next election and seize more power. Even though the biggest issue in any election is the economy‚ both Faris and Perry address it in the most oblique and dishonest manner. For no reason at all‚ Faris asserts‚ “With interest rates falling‚ inflation back to pre-pandemic levels‚ and stocks roaring past all-time highs‚ there will be little left to pin on President Biden and the Democrats.” Oh? Considering the federal government’s continued profligate spending‚ there is every reason to believe inflation will continue impoverishing Americans. The only other way to change that would be to raise interest rates‚ but this could trigger a recession‚ which Democrats must delay until after November at all costs. This is to say nothing of the swelling debt that will eventually require steep tax hikes and spending cuts. Rather than expecting a “soft landing” and sustained economic recovery‚ Americans can expect to be slowly but surely crushed by rising prices and stagnating wages. For his part‚ Perry frets over artificial intelligence‚ which will “replace many of the white collar functions that have enabled non-geniuses with a bit of education to bring home the bacon.” Like most AI pessimists‚ Perry offers few details of how this actually happens. Most jobs‚ even seemingly monotonous ones‚ require human judgment‚ which AI lacks. Someone will always need to set the parameters‚ review the product‚ and consider what further actions are necessary. If anything‚ AI will supplement what white-collar workers do and make them more productive‚ not replace them and make them redundant. As conservative columnist Kurt Schlichter concludes in his case against artificial intelligence‚ “AI is a tool and a gimmick‚ but it will be useful for some functions.” Projection‚ Biden-style Faris and Perry also address Biden’s corruption‚ albeit in bad faith. Faris uses the typical leftist tactic of calling the accusations of Biden’s influence-peddling a “farce” with no “credible” evidence to support it. Perry takes the other popular leftist tactic of shameless projection: “[Trump] coddled anti-democratic rulers‚ tried to use the presidency to enrich himself‚ was impeached for shaking down Ukraine for dirt on Joe Biden and then for egging on a violent mob to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.” Contrary to these claims‚ evidence shows how the Biden family grew rich from Joe’s willingness to make deals with the world’s worst people. Ironically‚ this has caused him — not Trump — to be the one to coddle anti-democratic rulers‚ including Volodymyr Zelenskyy‚ Xi Jinping‚ and now Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. As for illegal immigration and the military failures of Afghanistan and Ukraine‚ Faris and Perry have almost nothing to say since there’s just no way to spin them positively. The mass influx of illegal immigrants will continue to burden all levels of government with a swelling class of dependents in need of health care‚ housing‚ education‚ and protection‚ as well as flood the labor market with cheap‚ unskilled workers — in effect‚ Americans can expect to see the proliferation of slums and shantytowns everywhere. On the foreign policy front‚ even before Biden’s disastrous withdrawal in the summer of 2021‚ the war in Afghanistan had proven to be a pointless effort that wasted thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Nevertheless‚ the Biden administration entered another wasteful conflict less than a year later in Ukraine. Although it seems like this war might finally end with a peace deal in the near future‚ this outcome could have been reached long before all the death and destruction of the past two years. Abortion now‚ abortion forever But rather than concede any of this‚ Faris and Perry instead stoke unwarranted fears of a Trump “dictatorship” and potential limits on abortion. As Faris looks forward to a “codification of Roe” and the demise of Trump’s “bizarre antics and increasingly authoritarian rhetoric‚" Perry fears more “abortion ban talk” and the possibility that “Trump will again alienate America’s allies and trash America’s brand as he takes steps to rule as an authoritarian to whatever degree the system will allow.” So long as reality doesn’t assert itself‚ the arguments of Faris and Perry — and those of the left generally — might well prevail. Sure enough‚ Biden announced his re-election campaign would be predicated on attacking Trump and trumpeting abortion. If most Americans are misinformed and distracted‚ and Republicans tie themselves in knots explaining how they’re not fascists‚ Biden and the Democratic Party will win the next election and seize more power. So it falls on Americans not to take the bait and to fight the falsehoods. More than ever‚ the case for the American left is remarkably weak‚ and conservatives have an opportunity to win back the country in a big way. They just have to focus‚ keep it real‚ and help others to do the same.

What are the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3? One of the best RPGs of not just this year‚ but in recent memory‚ Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 surprised many with its nuanced‚ epic story of Cthulu-like monsters infecting a party of memorable and diverse heroes with interdimensional magic worms. Based on the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons‚ the third entry in this storied series computer role-playing game – or CRPG – provided dozens of hours of tactical spell-slinging‚ dice rolling‚ dialogue navigating‚ and gorgeous fantasy world exploring fun. And there’s a very real possibility that‚ if you played more than once with so many branching narratives and awesome classes to try‚ you’re likely hitting the hundreds of hours. Paul Kelly called it an instant classic in our review. But what if you finished exploring Baldur’s Gate‚ the areas surrounding it‚ and another plane of existence or two besides? While there’s nothing quite like Baldur’s Gate 3 out there‚ more than a handful of games check the most important boxes: great companion characters‚ interesting worlds to explore‚ and deep RPG combat mechanics that we’ll sure you’ll love almost as much as adventuring through Faerun. Continue reading The best games like Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Baldur's Gate 3 builds‚ BG3 mods‚ Baldur's Gate 3 classes

Is Skyrim Steam Deck compatible? There is no end of ways to play Skyrim‚ with it even becoming a meme within the community. When it comes to the Steam Deck‚ it's yet another platform that runs Skyrim very well. It should be no surprise that one of the best handheld gaming PCs - the Steam Deck - is more than capable of offering great performance in Skyrim. Given the game's relatively small file footprint‚ compared to modern games‚ you won't need to worry too much about your storage space either. Continue reading Is Skyrim Steam Deck compatible? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Skyrim mods ‚ Skyrim: Special Edition mods‚ Skyrim system requirements

Which is the best capture card for PC gamers? Grabbing the right capture card is the best way to ensure a quality live stream‚ as it translates gameplay into a language better suited for Twitch and YouTube. While the best graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD can record your PC's gameplay directly‚ these methods sometimes come with a performance tax that lowers your game's frame rate and makes your stream stutter. Using one of the best capture cards lowers the overhead on your hardware and helps you boost fps. It's also the only way you'll get all the benefits of the best gaming PC when live-streaming from consoles - but choosing the right one can be difficult‚ and that's why we have these recommendations for you. Continue reading The best capture cards for PC gamers in 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card‚ Best gaming PC‚ Best SSD for gaming

What are the Helldivers 2 system requirements? The follow-up to indie hit Helldivers is due for release in early February‚ and it brings back the chaotic co-op action bigger and better than ever. Will you need the best graphics card to get the game running? No‚ but Helldivers 2 shouldn't be underestimated by anyone when it comes to its hardware demands. Continue reading Helldivers 2 system requirements MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card‚ Best gaming PC‚ Best SSD for gaming

Despite working together on the Max Payne remakes‚ Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two is currently in the midst of a trademark dispute with Remedy‚ the creator of Alan Wake 2‚ over the use of the letter ‘R’ in the company’s current logo. Despite being filed in 2023‚ it looks like the dispute is still ongoing. Continue reading GTA 5 and Rockstar parent company files bizarre dispute against Remedy MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GTA 5 RP servers‚ GTA 6 release date estimate‚ GTA 5 cheats