Astronomers have confirmed that ASASSN-24fw dimmed by an extraordinary 97% over a period of more than nine months, starting in late 2024 making it one of the longest and deepest stellar eclipses ever recorded. The star, located in the Monoceros constellation, was monitored through sky surveys that track brightness changes in stars over time. The data clearly shows a prolonged and structured drop in light, far beyond what a normal planet could cause. Scientists say the most likely explanation is a massive ringed object passing in front of the star either a brown dwarf or a super Jupiter–type planet. Unlike typical transits that last hours or days, this event stretched across months, pointing to something enormous in size. The ring system itself is estimated to span about 16 million miles (25 million km), making it one of the largest ever inferred. As different parts of the rings moved across the star, they created layered dimming patterns, which allowed astronomers to study the...
The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, is now the epicenter of a mounting global crisis as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has effectively halted much of the shipping that flows through this narrow waterway. In recent days, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared the strait effectively closed and has warned that any vessel attempting to cross especially those linked to the US or Israel could be targeted, with some maritime tracking data showing near‑zero tanker transits and hundreds of ships anchored outside the strait awaiting safer conditions.
Iran’s stance came amid escalating strikes and counter‑strikes following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and state media and IRGC commanders have emphasized that they will determine when the waterway reopens, a declaration that has already sent oil prices surging above $100 per barrel and rattled energy markets worldwide.
The economic repercussions of a full or prolonged blockade would be profound because approximately 20–25% of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports normally transit this passage, along with significant volumes of fertilizer and other key commodities that support global food systems.
Ships that normally sail through Hormuz are rerouting or avoiding the region due to the threat of drone and missile attacks; insurers have suspended war‑risk coverage for vessels in the area, leaving shipowners exposed to massive costs if they attempt a risky transit.
Global energy companies and national producers have already been forced to cut output or redirect oil flows, leading to warnings from major players like Saudi Aramco about “catastrophic consequences” if the strait remains impassable and oil shipments do not resume quickly.
GET THE REAL STORY BEFORE IT TRENDS.
SUBSCRIBE HERE:
The crisis is not just about oil: fertilizer shipments and other petrochemical‑dependent goods are also disrupted, threatening downstream supply chains that affect agriculture, manufacturing, and pricing of everyday goods.
If the strait were fully and sustainably blocked, the consequences could include rapidly escalating oil and gas prices, higher global inflation, widened shipping and insurance costs, and potentially severe shocks to economies that rely on affordable energy and fertilisers, particularly in Asia and Europe. Analysts say that alternative routes or pipelines exist but cannot transport the same volumes, meaning the global market would feel the impact almost immediately, not just in energy but in broader economic sectors as well.
Despite the severe disruption, some financial analysts and ratings agencies argue that the closure might be temporary and that spare global oil inventories, along with alternative production capacity, could mitigate the extreme price impact, but they caution that the ongoing conflict remains unpredictable and a prolonged blockade would still push prices higher and create sustained volatility in markets.
Comments
Post a Comment