Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
1–10 of 216 posts
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#2This is very cool research (solid theory and data paired with "hands-on" activity across teams) and a well-presented finding. I'm hoping there's a chance to find larger samples in the future as well. Even if not, just the weird composition of the spherules is itself a massive find.
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#3For context, this is a paper by Avi Loeb [1,2], the "Oumuamua is an interstellar spaceship" researcher.
In this paper, Avi explores a possible interstellar origin meteorite. He used data from US air defence senors that had tracked a highly unusual atmospheric entry nearly a decade ago. This object was theorized as a possible extrasolar trajectory meteorite when it had entered the earth's atmosphere. [3,4]
Avi recently chartered a research expedition in an attempt to dredge up samples of this meteorite from the sea floor.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Loeb
[2] https://youtu.be/plcc6E-E1uU
[3] https://youtu.be/lD8xgJLcbjI
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/24/science/avi-loeb-extrater...
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#4[flagged]
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#5[flagged]
That is covered in the paper. Was there a flaw in their control process?
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#6Interesting to see Hoskinson, of Cardano, on the paper.
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#7“ The spherules with enrichment of beryllium (Be), lanthanum (La) and uranium (U), labeled "BeLaU", appear to have an exotic composition different from other solar system materials.”
Wild stuff
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#8[flagged]
To my understanding they predicted the crash site, then dragged their magnets over where they thought it was, and over some other random regions. The spheres are in the predicted crash site but not the random regions.
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#9"found about 700 spherules of diameter 0.05-1.3 millimeters" ... "0.26 km2 of seafloor was sampled" ... "seafloor depths ranging between 1.5-2.2 km"
I'm imagining fine, dusty sand, falling from the atmosphere, sprinkling onto the surface of the ocean, then slowly drifting down 2 kilometers... and it ended up landing on the ocean floor REMOTELY near the path of the meteor?
Wow, I feel like wind and ocean currents would have scattered that shit all over the damn place!
DISCLAIMER: I only read the abstract - I have kids - gotta go now :^P
Re: Discovery of spherules of likely extrasolar composition in the Pacific Ocean [pdf]
#10Meteor in question: