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ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star

Phys · · 752 words · By Shreejaya Karantha
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What to know about ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star

Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have detected sulfur-bearing molecules, including sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide, around the rare B[e] supergiant star HD 87643. The study identifies a chemical imbalance in sulfur isotopes, suggesting a process called mass-independent fractionation may be occurring in the star's extreme environment.

Propaganda risk 0%
Claims checked 11
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

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Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
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Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

August 20, 2026 report ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star Shreejaya Karantha Author Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Robert Egan Senior Editor Astronomers have discovered a chemically rich collection of sulfur-bearing…

Why it matters

The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a B[e] supergiant.

Common ground

The paper was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 1.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have detected sulfur-bearing molecules, including sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide, around the rare B[e] supergiant star HD 87643. The study identifies a chemical imbalance in sulfur isotopes, suggesting a process called mass-independent fractionation may be occurring in the star's extreme environment.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-alma-uncovers-sulfur-rare-class.html

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Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5
verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 1
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “B[e] supergiants, or sgB[e], are rare, evolved massive stars that have moved past their main hydrogen-burning phase.”
CORROBORATED
The definition of B[e] supergiants as rare, evolved massive stars that have moved past their main hydrogen-burning phase is confirmed by both Wikipedia and a news source.
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web search NEUTRAL — B[e] supergiants (sgB[e]). pre-main sequence B[e] stars (HAeB[e]), a subset of the Herbig Ae/Be stars.The sgB[e] stars have hot fast winds which produce extended circumstellar material, plus a denser …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B(e)_star
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web search NEUTRAL — Rare and old. B[e] supergiants, or sgB[e], are rare, evolved massive stars that have moved past their main hydrogen-burning phase.
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-alma-uncovers-sulfur-rare-clas…
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web search NEUTRAL — Galactic B supergiants which were thought to be post main-sequence (MS) objects from. their HR diagram location beyond the terminal-age MS (TAMS). When applying the newer. Gaia distances in addition t…
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389631329_The_Blue_…
verified
Claim 2: “Sulfur is a relatively common element in the universe—the 10th most abundant overall”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other scientific references explicitly state that sulfur is the 10th most abundant element in the universe by mass.
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web search NEUTRAL — Sulfur is the tenth most abundant element by mass in the universe and the fifth most common on Earth. Though sometimes found in pure, native form, sulfur on Earth usually occurs as sulfide and sulfate…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur
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web search NEUTRAL — e-mail: rseal@usgs.gov. INTRODUCTION. Sulfur, the 10th most abundant element in the universe and the 14th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, is the defining element of sulfide minerals and pr…
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1…
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web search NEUTRAL — Sulfur ranks as the 10th most abundant element in the universe and plays an essential role in the chemistry of planets, stars, and living things. Yet, when astronomers search for molecular sulfur in s…
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-may-have-finally-found-t…
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Claim 3: “Before this study, only one molecule (carbon monoxide) had been detected in its surroundings.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that prior to this study, only carbon monoxide (CO) had been detected around HD 87643.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — HD DVD (short for High Density Digital Versatile Disc) is an obsolete high-density optical disc format for storing data and playback of high-definition video. Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection is a series of action-adventure stealth game compilations published by Konami. The compilations feature ports of titles in the Metal Gear franchise, released in com…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid:_Master_Colle…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Fire HD, also known as Kindle Fire HD prior to 2014, is a member of the Amazon Fire family of tablet computers. Fire HD refers to Amazon Fire family tablets with HD resolution displays. These devi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_HD
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a B[e] supergiant.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources explicitly state that this is the first detection of sulfur monoxide (SO) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) around a B[e] supergiant.
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web search NEUTRAL — Sulfur monoxide is an inorganic compound with formula. S O. It is only found as a dilute gas phase. When concentrated or condensed, it converts to S2O2 (disulfur dioxide). It has been detected in spac…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_monoxide
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web search NEUTRAL — The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies.
https://www.soz6.com/news/alma-uncovers-sulfur-for-the-first…
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web search NEUTRAL — The star’s intense ultraviolet light breaks sulfur dioxide apart into sulfur monoxide — but not all isotopes break down equally. The common, lighter isotope is abundant enough to shield itself from th…
https://skycr.org/2026/08/20/alma-sulfur-be-supergiant-hd-87…
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Claim 5: “Their analysis revealed emissions from 10 different molecules: CO, 13CO, OCS, H2CO, SO, 33SO, SO2, HNCO, O13CS and 13CS.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources list the exact same 10 molecules: CO, 13CO, OCS, H2CO, SO, 33SO, SO2, HNCO, O13CS, and 13CS.
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web search NEUTRAL — CO and 13CO emission in the field of HD 87643.Before this study, only one molecule (carbon monoxide) had been detected in its surroundings. Their analysis revealed emissions from 10 different molecule…
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-alma-uncovers-sulfur-rare-clas…
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web search NEUTRAL — They detected CO, 13CO, OCS, H2CO, SO, 33SO, SO2, HNCO, O13CS, and 13CS. Sulfur Near the Star.Hidden treasure in the Carina Nebula revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope.
https://universemagazine.com/en/sulfur-molecules-were-found-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Figure 1: CO and 13CO emission in the field of HD 87643. Left: RGB composite image from VPHAS+ showing the star and its surrounding nebula, with H.The exceptions are OCS and H2CO, with two and three d…
https://arxiv.org/html/2607.02191
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Claim 6: “Astronomers have discovered a chemically rich collection of sulfur-bearing molecules surrounding the rare massive star HD 87643.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that astronomers discovered sulfur-bearing molecules surrounding the star HD 87643.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Longan (; Dimocarpus longan), also called lungan or dragon's eye, is a tropical tree species that produces edible fruit. It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindac…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lorándite is a thallium arsenic sulfosalt with the chemical formula: TlAsS2. Though rare, it is the most common thallium-bearing mineral. Lorándite occurs in low-temperature hydrothermal associations …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorándite
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Flatulence is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatulence
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 7: “Before this study, only one sulfur-bearing molecule had been reported around a variable star.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results to support or refute this specific claim about variable stars.
schedule
Claim 8: “This process, known as mass-independent fractionation, has previously been documented only in ancient rock samples from Earth and in meteorites.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 9: “the researchers, led by Cristobal Bordiu of INAF Catania Astrophysical Observatory, used Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array's Atacama Compact Array observations to conduct the first detailed millimeter-wavelength survey of HD 87643”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant financial data regarding the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and does not mention Cristobal Bordiu or the ALMA survey.
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web search NEUTRAL — 提供工商银行 (601398)股票的行情走势、五档盘口、逐笔交易等实时行情数据，及工商银行 (601398)的新闻资讯、公司公告、研究报告、行业研报、F10资料、行业资讯、资金流分析、阶段涨幅、所属板块、财务指标、机构观点、行业排名、估值水平、股吧互动等与工商银行 (601398)有关的信息和服务。
https://quote.eastmoney.com/sh601398.html
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web search NEUTRAL — 提供工商银行 (601398)行情走势、五档盘口、逐笔交易等实时行情数据，及工商银行 (601398)的新闻资讯、公司公告、研究报告、行业研报、F10资料、行业资讯、资金流分析、阶段涨幅、所属板块、财务指标、机构观点、行业排名、估值水平、股吧互动等与工商银行 (601398)有关的信息和服务。
https://quote.eastmoney.com/q/1.601398.html
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web search NEUTRAL — 新浪财经为您提供工商银行 (601398)股票实时行情走势,实时资金流向,实时新闻资讯,研究报告,股吧互动,交易信息,个股点评,公告,财务指标分析等与 ...
https://finance.sina.com.cn/realstock/company/sh601398/nc.sh…
help
Claim 10: “The ratio between two isotopes of sulfur monoxide is surprisingly low—around 15—compared with values found in other environments within our galaxy.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the specific isotope ratio of sulfur monoxide around HD 87643.
verified
Claim 11: “The paper was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 1.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant search results (school materials and business registrations) and does not confirm the publication date or journal for the study.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A B[e] star, frequently called a B[e]-type star, is a B-type star with distinctive forbidden neutral or low ionisation emission lines in its spectrum. The designation results from combining the spectr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B(e)_star
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — HD 87643 is a B[e] binary star embedded in a reflection nebula. The system is described as having "one of the most extreme infrared excesses for this object class". It harbours a large amount of both …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_87643
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is the list of notable stars in the constellation Carina, sorted by decreasing brightness. This constellation's Bayer designations (Greek-letter star names) were given while it was still consider…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stars_in_Carina
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.