NASA reveals the sharpest EVER look at the edge of a black hole — and it could solve a long–standing galactic mystery

• READ MORE: NASA debunks conspiracy theory claiming Earth will lose gravity

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

NASA has revealed the sharpest ever look at the edge of a black hole, and it could solve a decades–old galactic mystery.

Located 13 million light–years from Earth, the Circinus Galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole that is constantly blasting radiation into space.

The clouds of hot gas surrounding this black hole are so bright that seeing any real details has previously been all but impossible.

Now, NASA has used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to unveil the strange and powerful forces on the very edge of this black hole.

Supermassive black holes like the one in Circinus remain active by constantly consuming matter from the surrounding galaxy.

Scientists had observed that this process creates a huge amount of infrared energy, but most telescopes weren't sensitive enough to see where it was coming from.

Previously, scientists thought most of this radiation was coming from the black hole's 'outflow' – a stream of superheated matter fired out from the core.

Now, these new observations from the JWST have turned that expectation on its head.

NASA has revealed the closest ever look at the edge of a black hole 13 million light–years from Earth, and it could help solve a decades–old galactic mystery. Pictured: The new James Webb Space Telescope image overlaid on the Hubble image 

A black hole is the ultra–dense heart of a dead star where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape.

Supermassive black holes, like the one in the Circinus Galaxy, become 'active' by consuming vast quantities of matter from their surrounding galaxy.

As this matter falls inwards, it forms a dense doughnut–shaped ring called a torus that orbits the black hole.

A supermassive black hole gathers material from the torus' inner walls to form an accretion disc, a swirling whirlpool of matter that circles the black hole like water going down a drain.

This accretion disk starts to get hotter through friction until it begins to glow bright enough to show up on our telescopes.

At the same time, that intense energy blasts a large portion of the infalling matter out of the black hole's poles in the form of an outflow or black hole jet.

Although astronomers' models make predictions about how these different parts should interact, it is extremely difficult to see this process in action.

The light from the accretion disk blocks out any details, while the incredibly dense torus hides the inner region of infalling matter from view.

The Circinus galaxy is home to an active supermassive black hole that constantly blasts infrared radiation into space. However, scientists have struggled to determine exactly where around the black hole this radiation comes from 

Scientists would try to fit the different wavelengths of light they observed to the emissions from different regions of the black hole, but not everything could be made to fit neatly.

Most notably, some telescopes could detect an excess of infrared light coming from somewhere in the black hole, but didn't have the resolution to work out where it was coming from.

Lead author Dr Enrique Lopez–Rodriguez, of the University of South Carolina, says: 'Since the 90s, it has not been possible to explain excess infrared emissions that come from hot dust at the cores of active galaxies, meaning the models only take into account either the torus or the outflows, but cannot explain that excess.'

Models assumed that most of the mass, and therefore most of the emissions, would be in the outflow.

But to test this, astronomers needed a way to both filter out the interfering starlight and distinguish the infrared emissions of the torus from those of the outflows.

Luckily, the JWST offered an innovative solution to both of these problems.

The scientists used a tool called the Aperture Masking Interferometer, which essentially converts JWST into several smaller telescopes that all work together.

On Earth, interferometers are usually many different radio or optical telescopes that work together as if they were a single, enormous observatory.

Using a new technique, scientists were able to determine that most of the radiation is coming from a swirling doughnut of matter known as the taurus, not from the jet of ejected matter as previous studies had believed  

The JWST can replicate this same trick by using a special cover with seven hexagonal holes.

Dr Lopez–Rodriguez told the Daily Mail: 'Interferometry is the technique that provides us with the highest angular resolution possible.

'Using aperture masking interferometry with the JWST is like observing with a 13–meter space telescope instead of a 6.5–meter one.'

Gathering data with this technique, the scientists were able to create an image of the central region.

This is the first extragalactic observation from an infrared interferometer in space, and offers an unprecedented look into the core of an active galaxy.

Contrary to previous estimates, around 87 per cent of the infrared emissions from hot dust in Circinus come from the areas closest to the black hole, while the outflow contributes less than one per cent.

This is a total reversal of what had been predicted by astronomers' best models for supermassive black holes.

However, while the mystery of Circinus' black hole has been solved, there are billions more supermassive black holes out there in the universe.

These images were possible thanks to a technique that converts the James Webb Space Telescope's mirror (artist's impression) into several smaller lenses that all work together to provide extreme resolution in a very small area

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• Black hole awakens after 100 million years of silence - and is erupting like a cosmic VOLCANO 

Circinus' accretion disc was only moderately bright, so it makes sense that the torus would dominate its emissions.

But for brighter black holes, the opposite might still be the case, and far more case studies will be needed.

With this research, astronomers found a technique to investigate any black holes they chose, so long as they are bright enough for the Aperture Masking Interferometer to be useful.

Dr Lopez–Rodriguez says: 'We need a statistical sample of black holes, perhaps a dozen or two dozen, to understand how mass in their accretion disks and their outflows relate to their power.'

BLACK HOLES HAVE A GRAVITATIONAL PULL SO STRONG NOT EVEN LIGHT CAN ESCAPE

Black holes are so dense and their gravitational pull is so strong that no form of radiation can escape them - not even light.

They act as intense sources of gravity which hoover up dust and gas around them. Their intense gravitational pull is thought to be what stars in galaxies orbit around.

How they are formed is still poorly understood. Astronomers believe they may form when a large cloud of gas up to 100,000 times bigger than the sun, collapses into a black hole.

Many of these black hole seeds then merge to form much larger supermassive black holes, which are found at the centre of every known massive galaxy.

Alternatively, a supermassive black hole seed could come from a giant star, about 100 times the sun's mass, that ultimately forms into a black hole after it runs out of fuel and collapses.

When these giant stars die, they also go 'supernova', a huge explosion that expels the matter from the outer layers of the star into deep space. 

Sharpest Black Hole Image Ever Captured 😱 | XRISM

What's Special About a Black Hole's Edge?

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Dr. Travis Taylor: The Government Scientist Hiding in Plain Sight on Skinwalker Ranch

Is he a scientific genius… or the face of the biggest cover-up in UFO history?

By Rukka Nova

Fans of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch know Dr. Travis S. Taylor as the straight-talking physicist who shows up with laser arrays, data models, and a fearless curiosity that often lands him in danger. But beyond the cameras, Travis Taylor’s real life might be even more fascinating—and more mysterious—than anything you’ve seen on TV.

He’s been called everything from a “mad scientist” to a “government insider.” Some say he’s the show’s truth anchor. Others believe he’s part of a long game to slow-drip disclosure about aliens, portals, and advanced tech.

Whatever the truth is, one thing’s clear: Travis Taylor isn’t your average TV personality.

A Rocket Scientist Before He Could Drive

Born and raised in Decatur, Alabama, Travis S. Taylor was the kind of kid who read Carl Sagan for fun—and built lasers in his backyard before he hit puberty. According to Taylor, he was already working on amateur rocket launches and radio telescopes in high school.

That early obsession led him to a flurry of advanced degrees. And we’re not talking honorary diplomas—he earned multiple PhDs, including in optical science and engineering, as well as a Master’s in astronomy. Add aerospace engineering, physics, and electrical engineering to the list, and you start to understand why NASA and the Department of Defense took notice early.

It’s no exaggeration to say he could probably build a UFO in his garage.

Top-Secret Projects and Pentagon Ties

Before Skinwalker Ranch, Taylor was already deep inside the world of classified defense contracts and advanced weapon systems. He worked on everything from space-based lasers to propulsion systems for Mars missions. At one point, he was consulting with the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command.

But things took a stranger turn in the early 2000s when Taylor’s name began surfacing in connection to Pentagon black projects related to UFOs—now known as UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).

Most notably, Travis Taylor was later revealed to be a chief scientist for the Pentagon’s UAP Task Force, a previously top-secret group investigating aerial phenomena that defied explanation—including incidents involving Navy fighter pilots and fast-moving craft with no visible propulsion.

In other words: He wasn’t just speculating about UFOs. He was investigating them on behalf of the U.S. government.

Why Skinwalker Ranch?

So how did a high-level defense consultant end up on a Utah cattle ranch with a reputation for UFOs, poltergeists, and invisible creatures?

When The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch launched on the History Channel, producers wanted someone with real scientific chops, someone who could bring hard data to a place saturated with rumor and fear. Taylor was that guy.

He didn’t just bring a laptop and a skeptical eye. He brought spectrum analyzers, electromagnetic detectors, high-speed cameras, and his own team of scientists. Within weeks of arriving, the phenomena escalated—sudden radiation spikes, GPS blackouts, and what appeared to be objects in the sky that defied the laws of physics.

And yet, Taylor didn’t back down. He leaned in. "If there’s something going on here," he famously said, "we’re going to find out what it is—or die trying."

That wasn’t hyperbole. In one episode, Taylor suffered physical symptoms after entering a hot zone. Another time, his team watched in shock as an object moved vertically thousands of feet in seconds.

Was it alien tech? Interdimensional interference? Military experimentation? Taylor never gives a full answer. But the look in his eyes says he’s seen more than he lets on.

A Renaissance Man With a Sci-Fi Twist

Travis Taylor isn’t just a scientist. He’s also a best-selling author, with more than 20 science fiction novels under his belt. His writing fuses hard science with military thrillers and alien conspiracies—many of which now feel eerily prescient.

He’s also appeared on shows like Ancient Aliens, NASA’s Unexplained Files, and Rocket City Rednecks, a show where he literally built advanced weapons out of scrap metal and household parts.

Some fans think his sci-fi background gives him a flair for dramatics. Others believe it’s his way of disclosing real tech under the guise of fiction—a move that mirrors how many believe the U.S. government has been seeding truth through entertainment for decades.

Is Travis Taylor the writer of wild tales, or is he hiding secrets in plain sight?

The Double Life: Public Scientist, Private Operative?

One of the most controversial aspects of Taylor’s presence on Skinwalker Ranch is the question of trust. Is he there to reveal the truth… or control the narrative?

Skeptics point out that someone with Taylor’s level of government clearance wouldn’t be allowed to freely talk about alien tech, energy weapons, or interdimensional portals—unless, of course, he was given permission.

In that light, Taylor could be seen as a conduit—a trusted face feeding the public just enough truth to keep interest high, without ever pulling back the full curtain.

It’s a theory echoed in Reddit threads, YouTube exposés, and even some UFO disclosure circles. And Taylor? He plays it cool. “I can’t talk about that,” he’ll often say with a smile that suggests he knows more than he’ll ever say out loud.

By Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Net Worth: How Much Is Travis Taylor Worth in 2025?

While Travis Taylor isn’t flashing Rolexes or L.A. mansions, make no mistake—he’s done very well for himself. Between his long-standing government contracts, TV deals, book sales, speaking fees, and possible producer credits, Taylor’s estimated net worth in 2025 is in the range of $5–7 million.

Let’s break that down:

• TV salary from The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch: Likely $150K–$250K per season
• Book royalties from 20+ novels: Steady passive income
• Government and defense consulting: Possibly the most lucrative, and the most secretive
• Speaking gigs & appearances: Highly paid on the science and conspiracy lecture circuit

And if rumors are true that he’s involved in the next phase of UAP research for the Department of Defense, that number could climb significantly.

Is He the Real Deal?

That’s the question fans ask every season: Is Dr. Travis Taylor legit—or is he part of the show?

Here’s the thing. Taylor is one of the few people in the UFO research space who’s walked both paths:

The scientific community, where he’s published peer-reviewed research and built aerospace systems

The entertainment world, where he’s embraced the stranger side of science

The government intelligence world, where he’s helped shape national UAP policy

That kind of crossover is rare—and powerful. It makes him uniquely credible and uniquely suspicious at the same time.

So is he a whistleblower? A gatekeeper? A genius with a taste for mystery?

Maybe he’s all three.

Final Thoughts: The Man, The Myth, The Mind Behind the Mystery

Whether you see Travis Taylor as a brave truth-seeker or a carefully placed insider, there’s no denying that he’s become one of the most fascinating figures in modern paranormal investigation.

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch wouldn’t be what it is without him. His presence lends the show scientific weight, intellectual curiosity, and a sharp contrast to the folklore-heavy narrative.

And with each passing season, the question grows louder:

What does Travis Taylor really know… and will he ever be allowed to tell us?

Catch Dr. Travis Taylor on The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch—now streaming on History Channel and Discovery+. You might not get all the answers, but you’ll get closer than ever before.

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NASA debunks wacky conspiracy theory claiming Earth will lose gravity for 7 seconds on August 12 – after it sent social media users into a frenzy

• READ MORE: Bermuda Triangle conspiracy theories reignite online

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

NASA has debunked a wild conspiracy theory doing the rounds on social media. 

The bizarre theory claims that on August 12, at exactly 14.33 GMT (9.33 ET), Earth will lose gravity for seven seconds. 

According to its proponents, this 'secret' was revealed in a NASA document named 'Project Anchor', leaked in November 2024.

And the disaster could lead to at least '40 million deaths from falls'.

Unsurprisingly, thousands of concerned viewers took to X to discuss the claims.  

'If this is fake, why does it have a date, a project name, and a budget?' one user asked on the platform.

While another concerned commenter added: 'There's gonna be a lot of injuries when everyone comes crashing back down then if it was to happen.'

Now, NASA's experts have put the case to bed once and for all – pointing out that the wacky theory fundamentally misunderstands how gravity works.

NASA has debunked a wild conspiracy theory that the world will lose gravity for seven seconds on August 12

According to NASA, there is no way that the Earth can 'lose' gravity without losing mass, which means this theory is totally without basis 

Despite the conspiracy theorists' claims, there is absolutely no trace of any leaked document or mention of Project Anchor online prior to December last year.

A NASA spokesman told fact–checking website Snopes: 'The Earth will not lose gravity on August 12, 2026.

'Earth's gravity, or total gravitational force, is determined by its mass. 

'The only way for the Earth to lose gravity would be for the Earth system, the combined mass of its core, mantle, crust, ocean, terrestrial water, and atmosphere, to lose mass.'

Although the exact origins of the conspiracy are unknown, one of the earliest references is from an Instagram user named @mr_danya_of.

In a lengthy post, the user wrote: 'On August 12, 2026, the world will lose gravity for seven seconds. NASA knows. They're preparing but won't tell us why.'

They claimed that this would cause '40 million deaths from falls. Infrastructure destruction. Economic Collapse lasting over ten years. Mass panic.'

The post suggests that this disruption would be caused by 'the intersection of gravitational waves' produced by colliding black holes.

On social media, conspiracy theorists have been sent into a frenzy. One claimed that the 'details are way too specific to ignore' 

The post also included some of the supposed details of Project Anchor, claiming that it had a budget of '$89 billion' and was responsible for 'building underground bunkers'.

In their very next post, the user told an entirely fabricated story about 600 people disappearing from the town of Portlock, Alaska, in 2019.

In other posts, the user claimed to work at Google, a morgue, a crematorium, a hospice, as well as being a psychiatrist and a criminologist.

But these details were apparently lost on the numerous accounts that copied the exact text from the original post and spread it over social media.

As the conspiracy spread, other users added more details and embellishments.

For example, one user wrote: 'The Earth is expected to see "zero–gravity" condition on August 12, 2026, at 14.33 UTC, when a Total Eclipse of the Sun will pass over the Arctic Ocean.'

While another user posted a video to Instagram in which they suggested: 'Maybe that's why all these billionaires are building their bunkers.'

Soon, the conspiracy theorists began to turn on each other, accusing other users of being part of the conspiracy.

One concerned conspiracy theorist worried that there might be injuries when gravity returned 

However, it wasn't long before the conspiracy theorists turned on one another and accused other theorists of being part of a conspiracy 

Conspiracy theorists suggested that the disruption could be caused by gravitational waves produced by colliding black holes. While gravitational waves are real and do come from colliding black holes (artist's impression), they cannot cause Earth to 'lose' gravity 

One social media user wrote: 'Gravity as theory is hollow. Nice psyop though. The Deep State is keeping the rabbits busy digging a hole.'

'Makes for a great psyop to get everyone indoors without forcing a lockdown,' added another.

However, there is absolutely no basis in reality for any of these elaborate claims.

Although gravitational waves are real and are created by the collisions between black holes, they cannot cause Earth to 'lose' gravity.

Dr William Alston, a black hole expert from the University of Hertfordshire, told the Daily Mail: 'These ripples are so weak that we have had to build the most sensitive detection equipment to see them – known as the LIGO and Virgo observatories. 

'These ripples routinely pass through Earth and ourselves, very subtly squeezing and stretching us; however, this is so small – many times smaller than the size of an atom – that this change goes by completely unnoticed.'

Additionally, since gravitational waves move at the speed of light, Dr Alston says these theorists would need a 'physics-defying mechanism' to predict the date of their arrival. 

Likewise, while there will indeed be a solar eclipse on August 12, this will in no way affect Earth's gravity.

One user went so far as to claim that 'gravity as a theory is hollow', branding the idea of gravitational attraction as some sort of cover–up 

The date of the supposed gravitational switch coincides with a solar eclipse (pictured), but experts say this will not affect Earth's gravity 

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• Ninety-five per cent of educated people believe alien life exists... they just won't admit it 

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon aligns with the sun, so that it appears obscured from our perspective.

The sun and moon do exert a gravitational pull on Earth, but this doesn't change during an eclipse.  

The NASA spokesman added: 'A total solar eclipse has no unusual impact on Earth's gravity.

'The gravitational attraction of the Sun and Moon on the Earth, which doesn't impact Earth's total gravity, but does impact tidal forces, is well understood and is predictable decades in advance.'

WHAT MAKES SOMEONE BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES?

Over the course of three online-based studies, researchers at the University of Kent showed strong links between the belief in conspiracy theories and certain psychological traits.

Narcissism and self-esteem levels have a large impact on a persons belief in conspiracy theories.  

The results showed that people who rated highly on the narcissism scale and who had low self-esteem were more likely to be conspiracy believers.

However, while low self-esteem, narcissism and belief in conspiracies are strongly linked, it is not clear that one - or a combination - causes the other.

But it hints at an interesting new angle to the world of conspiracy and those who reinforce belief. 

There are widely believed to be three main reasons as to why people believe in conspiracy theories. 

- The desire for control and security - Conspiracy theories can give their believers a sense of control and security.

- The desire to maintain a positive self-image - People who feel socially marginalised are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and it gives them a sense of worth in the UFO community.

-The desire for understanding and certainty - Seeking explanations for events is a natural human desire.

These three things tie in with the previously stated qualities and combine to create an avid conspiracy theorist. 

Viral video alleged NASA knows Earth will briefly lose gravity for seven seconds

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The countdown to the first moon mission in more than 50 years officially started Saturday, as NASA rolled out the massive rocket set to blast off in just weeks.

The 11million pound Artemis II rocket reached the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida after nearly 12-hour crawl from its home in NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.

The 10-day manned mission to orbit the moon is set to launch as early as February 6, marking the first manned mission to leave low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Artemis II will not land on the moon, with NASA saying that the future Artemis III mission scheduled for 2027 will return humans to the lunar surface.

The space agency said Artemis, 'will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.'

The crawler-transporter 2 vehicle carried Artemis II's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft along a four-mile route from an assembly building to Launch Pad 39B.

At the launch pad, engineers will spend the next few days preparing SLS and Orion for a 'wet rehearsal' test that includes loading all the propellants that will blast the rocket into space.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the mission would fulfill 'a promise to the American people that we will return to the moon.'

Artemis II (Pictured) arrived at NASA's Launch Pad 39B Saturday evening as the space agency prepares for its first moon mission in 53 years

Pictured: The rocket will propel a four-person team, comprised of three NASA astronauts and an astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency, out of Earth's atmosphere as soon as February 6

From L-R: Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen stands alongside NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman. Wiseman will also serve as the mission's commander. The group of four address reporters with the rocket and spacecraft directly behind them

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen are scheduled to briefly orbit the Earth after detaching the Orion spacecraft from its rockets and then set off on their lunar flyby. 

With Artemis II now at the launching site, NASA will soon load over 700,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen into the SLS rocket, which are the propellants that ignite and blast the craft into orbit.

NASA will then run through a fake countdown to launch, practice holds and restarts, and then safely drain the tanks of the fuel until it's time for the real launch.

These rehearsals of the fueling procedures help check for any problems with the rocket, such as leaks in the rocket tanks or valves.

If any problems are spotted, NASA will likely need to run multiple rehearsals and possibly delay the launch to one of the many alternate dates already chosen by the space agency.

February 7, 8, 10, and 11 have been chosen as potential backup launch dates if problems or weather issues postpone the February 6 launch. If something prevents a launch in February, NASA has also picked out dates in early March and April.

In September 2025, former NASA Administrator Sean Duffy publicly announced that 'about a year and a half' after the Artemis II mission, the Artemis III astronaut mission would 'land and establish a long-term presence of life on the moon led by America'.

He continued by saying that what astronauts learn from the renewed missions to the moon will help in future efforts to 'put American boots on Mars'. 

Pictured: Early in the morning on Saturday, January 17, NASA begins to move the Artemis II rocket out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Next month, it will be used for the first manned mission to the moon since 1972

Over the first 24 to 48 hours in Earth orbit after blasting off, the four astronauts will conduct extensive tests of the Orion spacecraft's life support systems, guidance and navigation computers, and communications before attempting the moon mission. 

The journey to the moon is scheduled to take about three to four days, ending with the spacecraft conducting a lunar flyby, looping around the far side of the moon roughly 5,500 miles above the surface.

Artemis II won't enter orbit around the moon, allowing the crew to test deep-space operations and gather data while traveling farther from Earth than any previous human mission.

The moon's gravity will help slingshot the spacecraft back toward Earth on the return leg of the trip, which will take another three to four days.

Pictured: The Artemis II rocket sits in the Vehicle Assembly Building prior to its move

Pictured: The Orion spacecraft sits atop the Artemis II rocket. The spacecraft will carry the astronauts to the moon and back

Pictured: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stands with the four astronauts during a press briefing

Koch emphasized how important adaptability is for an astronaut, especially since none of them have been to the moon and it's been decades since a mission like this has been undertaken.

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• Top astronaut removed from NASA mission after SpaceX 'classified' photos breach

'This idea that, yes, you train and prepare for everything, but the most important thing is that you're ready to take on what you haven't prepared for,' Koch said.

'The moon is like a witness plate for everything that's actually happened to Earth but has since been erased by our weathering processes and our tectonic processes and our other geologic processes,' the astronaut continued.

'We can actually learn more about solar system formation, more about how planets form maybe around other stars, more about the likelihood of life out there - starting with studying the moon.'

At the end of the mission, Artemis II will splash down in the Pacific Ocean, and the spacecraft and crew will be recovered with the help of the US Navy.

NASA mega-rocket for moon mission could launch in weeks

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• READ MORE: Rare half-pink diamond weighing 37.4 CARATS is discovered 

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

A rare 'Purple Star Sapphire' weighing a whopping 3,563 carats has been discovered in Sri Lanka. 

The stunning gem has been named the 'Star of Pure Land', and is believed to be the world's biggest natural star sapphire of its kind. 

As the name suggests, star sapphires are known for their star–like qualities, called asterism.

This optical effect creates a shimmering star pattern on the stone's surface.

'This is the largest purple star sapphire of its kind,' consultant gemologist Ashan Amarasinghe said. 

'[It] shows a well–defined asterism. It has six rays asterism. That's something special out of all the other stones.' 

While the value of the stone remains unclear, Mr Amarasinghe believes it could be worth at least $300 million (£223 million). 

If that is the case, it would make the Star of Pure Land one of the most valuable gemstones ever found. 

A rare 'Purple Star Sapphire' weighing a whopping 3,563 carats has been discovered in Sri Lanka

The stunning gem has been named the 'Star of Pure Land', and is believed to be the world's biggest natural star sapphire of its kind

Star sapphires appear to have a star in the middle thanks to asterism – an effect caused by small, needle–like inclusions of the mineral rutile. 

'Ideally, the star in a star sapphire should be perfectly centered when viewed from directly above, with each ray of equal length,' explains The Natural Sapphire Company on its website. 

'The rays should be bright, sharp, and clearly defined – not blurry or fuzzy – and they should reach from the crown of the cabochon to the base without interruption.'

The gem is owned by an unnamed team, who have decided to remain anonymous for security reasons.

One of the owners said the gem was found in a gem pit near the remote Sri Lankan town of Rathnapura, known as the 'city of gems,' back in 2023.

It was purchased together with other gems that year, and about two years later, the owners found that it was a special stone. 

They then got it certified by two laboratories.

Mr Amarasinghe said the value of the stone has been estimated at $300 million to $400 million (£223 million to £298 million) by international valuers. 

The gem is owned by an unnamed team, who have decided to remain anonymous for security reasons

Star sapphires appear to have a star in the middle thanks to asterism – an effect caused by small, needle–like inclusions of the mineral rutile

That would make the Star of Pure Land one of the most expensive stones in the world – well ahead several prized diamonds.  

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• World's second biggest DIAMOND awaits a home: 2492-carat stone could be worth tens of millions 

For example, the Oppenheimer Blue – a blue diamond weighing 14.62 carats – sold for $57.5 million (£42.8 million) in 2016.

Meanwhile, the Williamson Pink Star (11.15 carats) sold for an impressive $57.7 million (£43 million) in 2022. 

'Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and other gemstones are widely coveted throughout the world,' Jeweler's Touch explains on its website. 

'While these gemstones are beautiful, the most valuable gemstones in the world offer specific qualities, such as rare details, unique colors, or rich history, that transcend them beyond typical value and into pricelessness.'

HOW DO SCIENTISTS 'GROW' DIAMONDS IN A LABORATORY?

Diamonds fetch their lofty price tags because they form over millions of years under high pressures and temperatures deep within the Earth's crust.

But a number of companies are now growing the gems in laboratories across the world, threatening to shake up the diamond industry.

A small 'seed' diamond acts as a scaffolding for the process.

Scientists first place this seed into a vacuum chamber to remove impurities from the air.

Lab-made gems are threatening to upset the diamond industry, with several companies worldwide now growing the stones for jewellery. In this image Pure Grown Diamonds CEO Lisa Bissell unveils a lab-cultivated diamond in New York in 2015

They then funnel hydrogen and methane gas heat to 3,000°C (5,400°F) into the chamber to create a highly charged gas known as plasma. 

The gases rapidly break apart, releasing carbon atoms from the methane that collected on the diamond 'seed'.

These atoms naturally copy the crystal structure of organic diamond, which is also made up of carbon atoms.

Each artificial stone grows at a rate of around 0.0002 inches (0.006mm) an hour.

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Hidden portals in Earth's magnetic field

By Dr. Tony Phillips, Science@NASA

Data from NASA's Polar spacecraft, circa 1998, provided crucial clues to finding magnetic X-points.

A favorite theme of science fiction is "the portal" -- an extraordinary opening in space or time that connects travelers to distant realms.  A good portal is a shortcut, a guide, a door into the unknown. If only they actually existed...

It turns out that they do, sort of, and a NASA-funded researcher at the University of Iowa has figured out how to find them.

"We call them X-points or electron diffusion regions," explains plasma physicist Jack Scudder of the University of Iowa.  "They're places where the magnetic field of Earth connects to the magnetic field of the Sun, creating an uninterrupted path leading from our own planet to the sun's atmosphere 93 million miles away."

Observations by NASA's THEMIS spacecraft and Europe's Cluster probes suggest that these magnetic portals open and close dozens of times each day.  They're typically located a few tens of thousands of kilometers from Earth where the geomagnetic field meets the onrushing solar wind.  Most portals are small and short-lived; others are yawning, vast, and sustained.  Tons of energetic particles can flow through the openings, heating Earth's upper atmosphere, sparking geomagnetic storms, and igniting bright polar auroras.

NASA is planning a mission called "MMS," short for Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, due to launch in 2014, to study the phenomenon. Bristling with energetic particle detectors and magnetic sensors, the four spacecraft of MMS will spread out in Earth's magnetosphere and surround the portals to observe how they work.

Just one problem:  Finding them.  Magnetic portals are invisible, unstable, and elusive.  They open and close without warning "and there are no signposts to guide us in," notes Scudder.

Actually, there are signposts, and Scudder has found them.

Portals form via the process of magnetic reconnection.  Mingling lines of magnetic force from the sun and Earth criss-cross and join to create the openings. "X-points" are where the criss-cross takes place.  The sudden joining of magnetic fields can propel jets of charged particles from the X-point, creating an "electron diffusion region."

To learn how to pinpoint these events, Scudder looked at data from a space probe that orbited Earth more than 10 years ago.

"In the late 1990s, NASA's Polar spacecraft spent years in Earth's magnetosphere," explains Scudder, "and it encountered many X-points during its mission."

Because Polar carried sensors similar to those of MMS, Scudder decided to see how an X-point looked to Polar. "Using Polar data, we have found five simple combinations of magnetic field and energetic particle measurements that tell us when we've come across an X-point or an electron diffusion region. A single spacecraft, properly instrumented, can make these measurements."

This means that single member of the MMS constellation using the diagnostics can find a portal and alert other members of the constellation. Mission planners long thought that MMS might have to spend a year or so learning to find portals before it could study them.  Scudder's work short cuts the process, allowing MMS to get to work without delay.

It's a shortcut worthy of the best portals of fiction, only this time the portals are real. And with the new "signposts" we know how to find them. 

The work of Scudder and colleagues is described in complete detail in the June 1 issue of the Physical Review Letters.

• Here is a video version of the story.

• Journal informn: Phatioysical Review Letters Provided by Science@NASA

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