A Star Is Born

 

In 2022, French physicist Étienne Klein sparked a viral sensation and subsequent controversy when he posted a high-resolution image on social media claiming it was a detailed shot of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The image, showing a glowing, textured red sphere against a black void, was widely shared and celebrated by space enthusiasts until Klein revealed the "star" was actually a thinly sliced piece of chorizo sausage photographed against a dark background. He later apologized for the prank, explaining that it was intended as a "scientist's joke" to remind the public to remain skeptical of captivating images on the internet and to verify the credibility of spectacular claims, even when they appear to come from authoritative figures.