The scientist gave out a photo of a sausage for a picture of the James Webb telescope

The Director of Research of the Commissariat for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy Sources of France played a trick on Twitter users by giving a photo of a slice of chorizo sausage for an image of the disk of the star Proxima Centauri obtained by the James Webb Space Observatory. Thus, the scientist wanted to show how easily unverified scientific information can spread through social networks, according to the website of the magazine Le Point.

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun, located 4.24 light years away from it. Special interest in this red dwarf arose several years ago after the discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet Proxima b, located in the habitable zone, near the star. Later, two more candidates for exoplanets were discovered, located closer and further from the dwarf than Proxima b.

July 31, 2022 Director of Research at the Commissariat for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy Sources of France (CEA) Etienne Klein posted on his Twitter a picture that he called the image of the disk of Proxima Centauri, obtained by the new infrared space observatory "James Webb".

After the publication, the tweet was reposted and commented on several thousand times before the scientist admitted that it was a joke, and the photo shows a slice of chorizo sausage.

"According to modern cosmology, no object belonging to the Spanish sausage exists anywhere but the Earth," he writes in a humorous tone.

After the criticism, Klein explained that he wanted to demonstrate how easily fakes spread on social networks, and urged caution about statements made even by reputable people.