Here's an extract from a news release on the website of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics:
A thousand years ago, a brilliant beacon of light blazed in the sky, shining brightly enough to be seen even in daytime for almost a month. Native American and Chinese observers recorded the eye-catching event. We now know that they witnessed an exploding star, which left behind a gaseous remnant known as the Crab Nebula.
The same object that dazzled skygazers in 1054 C.E. continues to dazzle astronomers today by pumping out radiation at higher energies than anyone expected.
And here's an extract from an article on the Daily Mail website carrying the ubiquitous 'Daily Mail Reporter' byline:
A thousand years ago, a brilliant beacon of light blazed in the sky, shining brightly enough to be seen even in daytime for almost a month.
Native American and Chinese observers recorded the eye-catching event.
What they were witnessing was an exploding star, which left behind a gaseous remnant known as the Crab Nebula.
The same object that dazzled skygazers in 1054 C.E. continues to fascinate astronomers today by pumping out radiation at higher energies than anyone expected.
Of course, cutting and pasting a press release verbatim is nothing new. But on this occasion it did mean the Daily Mail rather unfortunately embraced the inclusion of "C.E" - a date system it recently described as 'absurd political correctness' and afront to Christianity.
After its use of C.E. was pointed out, the Mail quickly, incorrectly, changed it to BC and then changed it yet again to the correct AD. But not before at least one keen-eyed blogger had enjoyed the slip.
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