Latest news with #Matipon
AFP
4 days ago
- Science
- AFP
Thai network outage caused by power failure, not geomagnetic storm
"The internet service from True is down today. I haven't been able to make calls or use the internet since noon," reads the Thai-language caption of a TikTok video shared on May 22, 2025. The video, a news segment from Thai broadcaster TNN, is overlaid with text saying, "NASA warns to prepare for solar storms. Global internet blackout for one month. Extreme surveillance period hits the world in 2025". It circulated as Thai telecoms provider True Corp's mobile and internet services were disrupted, which the Bangkok Post said affected millions of subscribers across the country (archived here and here). Image Screenshot of the misleading TikTok post, taken May 30, 2025 The same video was shared in similar posts elsewhere on TikTok and Facebook. But True later explained the network outage was "caused by a power system failure at a Core Network center" (archived link). True's statement makes no mention of the outage being caused by a solar storm. An astrophysicist at the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) also told AFP there was no link between the outage and solar activity. Potential impact not localised A keyword search on TNN's social media found the video used in the false posts was posted on the broadcaster's YouTube channel on July 6, 2023 (archived link). The segment highlights concerns that solar activity, expected to peak in the year 2025, could disrupt satellites and infrastructure such as the internet. It does not make any prediction about when a specific blackout event will occur. According to NASA, a solar storm could disturb the Earth's magnetic field and disrupt technological infrastructure. The geomagnetic storms could interfere with high-frequency radio communications, damage satellites, and even trigger power grid failures (archived link). Matipon Tangmatitham, an astrophysicist at NARIT, citing data from online monitoring platform told AFP there had been "no notable solar activity or geomagnetic storm" strong enough to cause disruptions on May 22 (archived link). Matipon added the outage on May 22 could not have been the result of a solar storm because such a phenomenon would affect the planet's entire magnetic field rather than a specific region. The Thai government-run Anti-Fake News Center also refuted the claim on May 27 (archived link). "The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) informed that space conditions during this period are in normal condition. There was no solar storm," the statement said. "Therefore, the communication system that was down recently is not related to the solar storm in any way."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Thai network outage caused by power failure, not geomagnetic storm
"The internet service from True is down today. I haven't been able to make calls or use the internet since noon," reads the Thai-language caption of a TikTok video shared on May 22, 2025. The video, a news segment from Thai broadcaster TNN, is overlaid with text saying, "NASA warns to prepare for solar storms. Global internet blackout for one month. Extreme surveillance period hits the world in 2025". It circulated as Thai telecoms provider True Corp's mobile and internet services were disrupted, which the Bangkok Post said affected millions of subscribers across the country (archived here and here). The same video was shared in similar posts elsewhere on TikTok and Facebook. But True later explained the network outage was "caused by a power system failure at a Core Network center" (archived link). True's statement makes no mention of the outage being caused by a solar storm. An astrophysicist at the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) also told AFP there was no link between the outage and solar activity. A keyword search on TNN's social media found the video used in the false posts was posted on the broadcaster's YouTube channel on July 6, 2023 (archived link). The segment highlights concerns that solar activity, expected to peak in the year 2025, could disrupt satellites and infrastructure such as the internet. It does not make any prediction about when a specific blackout event will occur. According to NASA, a solar storm could disturb the Earth's magnetic field and disrupt technological infrastructure. The geomagnetic storms could interfere with high-frequency radio communications, damage satellites, and even trigger power grid failures (archived link). Matipon Tangmatitham, an astrophysicist at NARIT, citing data from online monitoring platform told AFP there had been "no notable solar activity or geomagnetic storm" strong enough to cause disruptions on May 22 (archived link). Matipon added the outage on May 22 could not have been the result of a solar storm because such a phenomenon would affect the planet's entire magnetic field rather than a specific region. The Thai government-run Anti-Fake News Center also refuted the claim on May 27 (archived link). "The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) informed that space conditions during this period are in normal condition. There was no solar storm," the statement said. "Therefore, the communication system that was down recently is not related to the solar storm in any way."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Thai network outage caused by power failure, not geomagnetic storm
"The internet service from True is down today. I haven't been able to make calls or use the internet since noon," reads the Thai-language caption of a TikTok video shared on May 22, 2025. The video, a news segment from Thai broadcaster TNN, is overlaid with text saying, "NASA warns to prepare for solar storms. Global internet blackout for one month. Extreme surveillance period hits the world in 2025". It circulated as Thai telecoms provider True Corp's mobile and internet services were disrupted, which the Bangkok Post said affected millions of subscribers across the country (archived here and here). The same video was shared in similar posts elsewhere on TikTok and Facebook. But True later explained the network outage was "caused by a power system failure at a Core Network center" (archived link). True's statement makes no mention of the outage being caused by a solar storm. An astrophysicist at the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) also told AFP there was no link between the outage and solar activity. A keyword search on TNN's social media found the video used in the false posts was posted on the broadcaster's YouTube channel on July 6, 2023 (archived link). The segment highlights concerns that solar activity, expected to peak in the year 2025, could disrupt satellites and infrastructure such as the internet. It does not make any prediction about when a specific blackout event will occur. According to NASA, a solar storm could disturb the Earth's magnetic field and disrupt technological infrastructure. The geomagnetic storms could interfere with high-frequency radio communications, damage satellites, and even trigger power grid failures (archived link). Matipon Tangmatitham, an astrophysicist at NARIT, citing data from online monitoring platform told AFP there had been "no notable solar activity or geomagnetic storm" strong enough to cause disruptions on May 22 (archived link). Matipon added the outage on May 22 could not have been the result of a solar storm because such a phenomenon would affect the planet's entire magnetic field rather than a specific region. The Thai government-run Anti-Fake News Center also refuted the claim on May 27 (archived link). "The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) informed that space conditions during this period are in normal condition. There was no solar storm," the statement said. "Therefore, the communication system that was down recently is not related to the solar storm in any way."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts say 'impossible' for Sun and full Moon to align on horizon
"#UnbelievableAstronomicalPhenomenon! The Sun and Moon meet on the horizon," reads a Thai-language Facebook post published on February 17, 2025. The caption goes on to say: "This scene was captured at the Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, where the two celestial bodies appeared side by side over the horizon." The post shares an image showing two bright objects slightly above the horizon at the same time. The same image has been shared by social media users in Thailand claiming it shows an "unbelievable phenomenon" seen at the kingdom's popular beach. However, astronomers told AFP the claim is impossible in real life. "The claim that the Sun and the full Moon met on the horizon over Patong Beach is astronomically impossible," Matipon Tangmatitham, an astrophysicist at National Astronomical Research Institute (NARIT), told AFP on February 25. Matipon -- who is also the director of UNESCO's International Training Centre in Astronomy -- explained the Moon only reflects sunlight and does not emit light on its own. He went on to say if the Sun and Moon appear close together, the Moon will be a thin crescent or completely invisible. This contradicts the bright full Moon as shown in the image -- which only happens when it is positioned directly opposite to the Sun in the sky. "As a result of Thailand's location near the Earth's equator, it is not possible for the Sun and Moon to appear parallel to each other along the horizon." Matipon also noted that while the image does not appear to be AI-generated, the two objects in the photo are likely not the Sun and the Moon. "The two bright objects are not bright enough to be the Sun and the Moon and could actually be light sources from another origin, such as a ship, a lighthouse, or other artificial lighting," Matipon said. NARIT addressed the viral claim in a Facebook post on February 24 -- stating that such a celestial phenomenon was not possible (archived link). A Google reverse image search found the same photo circulating online since at least January 2022, when it was falsely claimed to depict the Sun and Moon "meeting" in the Strait of Magellan. José Luis Hormaechea, chief astronomer at the Río Grande Astronomical Station in Argentina, told AFP at the time that a full Moon can only be visible when it is positioned directly opposite the Sun in the sky. "Sun and Moon are almost diametrically opposed -- a necessary condition for the Sun to completely illuminate the side of the Moon facing Earth. There is no other possibility," Hormaechea said. "When one rises, the other sets."
AFP
27-02-2025
- Science
- AFP
Experts say 'impossible' for Sun and full Moon to align on horizon
"#UnbelievableAstronomicalPhenomenon! The Sun and Moon meet on the horizon," reads a Thai-language Facebook post published on February 17, 2025. The caption goes on to say: "This scene was captured at the Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, where the two celestial bodies appeared side by side over the horizon." The post shares an image showing two bright objects slightly above the horizon at the same time. Image Screenshot of the false post, taken on February 25, 2025 The same image has been shared by social media users in Thailand claiming it shows an "unbelievable phenomenon" seen at the kingdom's popular beach. However, astronomers told AFP the claim is impossible in real life. "The claim that the Sun and the full Moon met on the horizon over Patong Beach is astronomically impossible," Matipon Tangmatitham, an astrophysicist at National Astronomical Research Institute (NARIT), told AFP on February 25. Matipon -- who is also the director of UNESCO's International Training Centre in Astronomy -- explained the Moon only reflects sunlight and does not emit light on its own. He went on to say if the Sun and Moon appear close together, the Moon will be a thin crescent or completely invisible. This contradicts the bright full Moon as shown in the image -- which only happens when it is positioned directly opposite to the Sun in the sky. "As a result of Thailand's location near the Earth's equator, it is not possible for the Sun and Moon to appear parallel to each other along the horizon." Matipon also noted that while the image does not appear to be AI-generated, the two objects in the photo are likely not the Sun and the Moon. "The two bright objects are not bright enough to be the Sun and the Moon and could actually be light sources from another origin, such as a ship, a lighthouse, or other artificial lighting," Matipon said. NARIT addressed the viral claim in a Facebook post on February 24 -- stating that such a celestial phenomenon was not possible (archived link). A Google reverse image search found the same photo circulating online since at least January 2022, when it was falsely claimed to depict the Sun and Moon "meeting" in the Strait of Magellan. José Luis Hormaechea, chief astronomer at the Río Grande Astronomical Station in Argentina, told AFP at the time that a full Moon can only be visible when it is positioned directly opposite the Sun in the sky. "Sun and Moon are almost diametrically opposed -- a necessary condition for the Sun to completely illuminate the side of the Moon facing Earth. There is no other possibility," Hormaechea said. "When one rises, the other sets."
