I always laugh when media says scientists are baffled and have a mystery on their hands.

More often than not they pretty much know exactly what is up. But Pete says one thing, Harry says another thing, Jenna has been working on it for the past 20 years and don’t forget old man Harris who did great work in the 70s. Most of the time they disagree on small details which don’t even matter unless you are really into the subject. Or they have 2 theories and know for sure one of them is right, but they don’t know which one. They need funding and staff for a 12 month study to figure out which one it is, but getting that funding has been an issue for the past 10 years.

Then they talk to a reporter and say well we don’t really know, because they don’t want to be presumptuous. So the headline says its a MYSTERY and scientists are BAFFLED.

In my experience scientist don’t get baffled, they get excited and talk your ear off for hours if you let them. If you think they will stop if you stop buying them drinks, it doesn’t work, they just keep going.

This constant gamma-ray flux—which does not pose a threat to life on our planet—is far brighter than expected based on models of the Sun’s behavior, raising new questions about the mechanisms that are fueling the radiant glow.

Could they not have led with that? I hate that sites feel they need to imply an existential threat to drive clicks to a science article.

Has anyone read Project Hail Mary?

Gamma ray bursts?

Well, when everyone is an Incredible Hulk, then no one is and Incredible Hulk.