Top Scientist Admits That Photo of a Distant Star He Posted Was Actually Chorizo

Who knew scientists could also be expert level trolls? Prominent physicist and director at France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, Étienne Klein, tweeted out recently a picture of what he described as, “Picture of Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun, located 4.2 light years away from us. It was taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This level of detail… A new world is unveiled everyday.”

Folks were thrilled. The picture was retweeted and commented on thousands of times, as the audience took the renowned scientist’s word with full confidence.

Klein then activated troll mode by later revealing that the detailed picture of the distant star was actually a slice of chorizo set against a black backdrop. Womp.

Earlier this week, Klein apologized for the prank, revealing his true intention of the tweet was to urge folks to be wary of fake news online.

More content

CultureInnovation
Nick DiGiovanni Helps Make The World’s Largest Chocolate Bar Ever
The Guinness World Record for largest chocolate bar ever has just been broken by Blue Stripes. The sustainability-focused chocolate maker teamed with celebrity chef Nick…
,
Innovation
Scientists Are Now Climate-Proofing Potatoes
Climate change continues to inspire innovation in the food industry. In China, scientists are working hard on a new approach to growing potatoes. According to…
,
InnovationProducts
Indulge In Innovation?: Lab-Grown Foie Gras Is Here
Alternative types of protein are all the rage. From beetle larvae to protein made out of thin air, there is no shortage of inventive, albeit…
,
Burger
We Deliver!

Enter your email address below and we'll deliver our top stories straight to your inbox