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Metallic spheres found on Pacific floor are interstellar in origin, Harvard professor finds - USA Today (www.usatoday.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by SignullGone@lemmy.world to c/uap@lemmy.world
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Published paper can be found here.

Post by Avi Loeb on his blog.

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[-] SignullGone@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

Some key points (credit to reddit user showmeufos):

  • They found 700 spherules using their magnetic sled, and thus far have analyzed 57 of the 700 spherules.
  • They conducted mass-spectrometry on 47 of the 57 analyzed spherules thus far. Of those 47, 5 spherules reveal "a distinct extra-solar abundance pattern."
  • Since IM1’s spherules melted off the surface of the object, the enhanced "Be" abundance might represent a flag of cosmic-ray spallation on IM1’s surface along a extended interstellar journey through the Milky-Way galaxy. This constitutes a fourth indicator of an interstellar origin to IM1, in addition to its high speed, its heavy element composition and its iron isotope ratios.
  • The enhanced abundances of heavy elements may explain the high material strength inferred for IM1 based on the high ram-pressure it was able to sustain before disintegrating. The high material strength inferred for IM1 can potentially be tested experimentally by assembling a material mix based on the “BeLaU" composition, with proper compensation for lost volatile elements.
  • The "extra-solar" spherules have abundances of the elements Be, La and U, (abbreviated "BeLaU") by up to 3 orders of magnitude more than materials found within the solar-system do.
  • "The 'BeLaU' abundance pattern is not found in control regions outside of IM1's path and does not match commonly manufactured alloys or natural meteorites in the solar system."
  • This evidence points towards an association of "BeLaU"-type spherules with IM1, supporting its interstellar origin independently of the high velocity and unusual material strength implied from the CNEOS data.
  • They suggest that the "BeLaU" abundance pattern could have originated from a highly differentiated magma ocean of a planet with an iron core outside the solar system or from more exotic sources.
[-] HM05_Me@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

It's definitely cool. Regardless if this expedition results in any signs of extraterrestrial technologies, it's still a unique research opportunity.

[-] SignullGone@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Yes, I agree. I believe they have a good idea of where a larger piece of material is located, and they are planning another expedition to determine whether this object is artificially made or not.

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Likely just molten bits of meteor that cooled into spheres when they hit the ocean. Drip some melted solder into a glass of water and you'll see what I mean.

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Avi Loeb certainly agrees with you and explained it in the linked Medium post and in earlier posts he made during the expedition. The spherules distributed over a wide area. By observing patterns in where they are most densely distributed, they can infer the likely path of the object.

Let's be real, it's probably a chunk of rock. But even if that's all it is, it's a chunk of rock from outside our solar system. That's wild.

Say it's not just a chunk of rock. Say it has sings of manufacture or symbols of some kind. Now we're getting into the realm of "we're not alone". That's highly unlikely but still a possible outcome.

I reality, this is a massive find and a tremendous accomplishment in the face of endless naysayers who told him the object was mundane and could not be from outside our solar system. Get ready for Loeb going on an epic ego trip victory lap. :)

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Seems bizarre to discount the possibility of the material being extraterrestrial. Space rocks collide with our atmosphere dozens of times each day. It would be weirder to see this sort of residue from some earthbound process.

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I think that people were reluctant to believe it was from outside our solar system. That is unusual.

Loeb and others have determined there are likely many objects passing through our system at any given time but the odds of any one of them impacting the earth is fairly low.

The opportunity to study these materials directly is pretty amazing.

The scientific establishment is also really freaked out about his theory that oumuamua (not sure I spelled that correctly) might possibly be a piece a instellar space junk. If that were true it would be incredible. I think that people are worried that if he turns out to be right about this object, it will lend his hypothesis about the other object more credence.

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

The idea that it's an artificially manufactured item with extrasolar origins is in a totally different galaxy.

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

It's possible. It's highly, highly improbable.

[-] SignullGone@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I understand and feel a similar sentiment. However, I think it's important to also accept that we as a species have a pretty large hubris. Sometimes, we think we know more than we actually do. In reality, in the time scale of the cosmos we are infants just learning to crawl and discover the universe around us. So, what might seem improbable might not be, given that we've only just started observing.

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Oh, agreed. All I was saying is are constantly going off on Loeb because he dares to give voice to the possible. The man is enjoying his life and letting himself dream a little bit still staying well inside his lane in terms of doing actual science. I just don't understand why people get so upset. He knows very well that this is probably just a very, very interesting and rare piece of metal that formed naturally in another solar system. When you consider the odds of that reaching us and being recovered, it's astounding. To pile on a little "what if we find out it was manufactured" at the end seems like a fun bit of whimsy to me, but people act like he's betting the lives of his children on it behind a miniaturized alien AI databank that is also an intergalactic telephone.

I just don't get why they have that reaction.

It's like if you got you car fixed and the mechanic asked if you checked out the ballet troupe that came to town and you became enraged and stormed out. :)

[-] SignullGone@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Probably so. I'm hoping they are able to find a larger piece to confirm. It's an exciting discovery nonetheless that this object originated outside of our solar system.

this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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