“…scientists can’t explain.”

This kind of headline is infuriating to me, and I really expect better from a media outlet like the BBC. It betrays a fundamental failure to honestly discuss science as a constant process of learning. Just because don’t have an answer today doesn’t mean it can’t be explained, only that it isn’t currently explained.

Early observations hint that the Wasp was not caused by a failed supernova. In that theorised scenario, a star would collapse in on itself while in the process of exploding. Inside the star’s shell, a black hole or a dense neutron star would then form, and blast out jets of radiation through the shell, creating what’s called a central engine. This would explain the brief cow flare that was visible on Earth.

As someone who doesn’t know enough about physics or astronomy, I have to say this is pretty well written and really cool.