This article was from 2015 and debunked at the time. Both "starring" and "hollow heart" are known conditions in homegrown watermelons. This is what an under-pollinated watermelon looks like if you grow it yourself in non-ideal conditions:
https://imgur.com/gallery/YPojgFh/ - watermelon flowers should be pollinated at least 8 times(!) per flower to grow a proper watermelon [1].
While not an expert, a quick search suggests that "starring" happens when the watermelon isn't exposed to enough pollen. "Hollow heart" may be due to excess water or nitrogen (though probably also pollen[2]). Both combinations seem possible and as a casual gardener I'm not even sure they're distinct. Commercial watermelon operations control for this. Google "starring watermelon" for dozens of examples.
As Reddit later pointed out other contemporaneous examples of watermelons look fairly modern: https://imgur.com/a/zN8Kv
edit: Apologies for not seeing Vox later issued a bad correction to the original article at the end. Reddit was divided into three camps saying these watermelon's were under-watered, under-pollinated, or underripe. The "correction" only addressed the "underripe" claim. Vox states Stanchi's watermelons are not underripe - while technically true - they don't address that they are not under-pollinated or under-watered.
[1] https://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelons-need-pollinated-75...
[2] https://www.mashed.com/158254/the-false-watermelon-fact-you-...
[3] The more "webbing" a watermelon it has the more it was pollinated, the sweeter it is. That and more watermelon tips here: https://imgur.com/gallery/SN8jl
While not an expert, a quick search suggests that "starring" happens when the watermelon isn't exposed to enough pollen. "Hollow heart" may be due to excess water or nitrogen (though probably also pollen[2]). Both combinations seem possible and as a casual gardener I'm not even sure they're distinct. Commercial watermelon operations control for this. Google "starring watermelon" for dozens of examples.
As Reddit later pointed out other contemporaneous examples of watermelons look fairly modern: https://imgur.com/a/zN8Kv
edit: Apologies for not seeing Vox later issued a bad correction to the original article at the end. Reddit was divided into three camps saying these watermelon's were under-watered, under-pollinated, or underripe. The "correction" only addressed the "underripe" claim. Vox states Stanchi's watermelons are not underripe - while technically true - they don't address that they are not under-pollinated or under-watered.
[1] https://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelons-need-pollinated-75...
[2] https://www.mashed.com/158254/the-false-watermelon-fact-you-...
[3] The more "webbing" a watermelon it has the more it was pollinated, the sweeter it is. That and more watermelon tips here: https://imgur.com/gallery/SN8jl