by Microscopic metallic spheres recovered from the Pacific Ocean are likely the result of man-made industrial pollution — rather than pieces of interstellar meteorite — according to several new studies.
Last summer, a Harvard astrophysicist and extraterrestrial hunter Avi Loeb he declared that there were probably some tiny, metallic balls dredged up from the bottom of the ocean remains from an interstellar meteorite, and there may even be signatures of alien technology. Now, an independent analysis suggests that the spheres have a much smaller origin: They are more likely a byproduct of burning coal on Earth.
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Loeb and his colleagues discovered the micrometer-sized spheroids during an expedition off the coast of Papua New Guinea in search of meteor fragments that had passed through the atmosphere in 2014.
Based on the meteor’s recorded speed, Loeb and his team said it was likely of interstellar origin – and must have left behind debris. Dredge fields, they suggested, are that debris, because their composition is different from that of most meteorites.
In some blog posts and a non-peer-reviewed paper posted to the arXiv preprint database, Loeb described the various “anomalous” properties of the metallic pellets. It clouded into five spheroids in particular which contained a high percentage of beryllium, lanthanum and uranium. Loeb gave the name to these five “BeLaU spheres”. He and others have since speculated that the fields may be strange evidence of alien technology.
But many scientists not involved in the research were concerned with these claims at the time – and now, several newly published studies are poking further holes in the supposed extraterrestrial origin of the spheroids.
Interstellar rock, or man-made pollution?
First, there is some debate as to whether or not the meteor in question was interstellar. It was recorded only by US military equipment, and some researchers say the sensors may have made a mistake in recording its speed, according to a new non-peer-reviewed paper. posted to arXiv on November 13, however, even if the meteor’s speed had been recorded correctly, it is unlikely that any significant piece of it would have survived the fall through the atmosphere.
“If interstellar, none of the bolide 2014-01-08 would have survived,” the authors of the new study – professors Steven Desch of Arizona State University and Alan Jackson Towson University — to write. “If it were traveling at the speeds reported (and it needs to be interstellar), then there would be at least 99.8%, and probably >99.9999% of evaporation in the atmosphere, leaving insignificant quantities to be deposited on the seabed.”
Then, there is the matter of proving that the spheres came from that particular meteor. Scientists don’t know where the 2014 meteor landed or even from whom; it would be extremely difficult to find small pieces of that exact specimen by searching the ocean within a radius of 30 miles (48 kilometers) nearly 10 years after its arrival. On the other hand, small metal balls are ubiquitous on the seabed. Some are micrometeorites lost through space rocks, but others are spewed out by volcanoes or produced by industrial activity. These naturally collect at the bottom of the ocean over time.
Finally, there is the question of the composition of the fields ‘. If you start from the assumption that these particular pellets came from space, their composition seems unusual. However, as a recent paper published October 23 in the journal AAS Research Notes points out, they are consistent with the profile of coal ash contaminants. Author of study Patricio Gallardoan astronomer at the University of Chicago, wrote that, because of this, “the meteoritic initiative is dispensed.”
Is it still possible that the orbs came from somewhere outside our solar system? Yes. But, based on the available evidence, it appears they came much closer to home, according to the new papers. As a NASA astronomer Caleb Scarfe write on Xformerly known as Twitter, “Well, they have indeed discovered evidence of a technological civilization … here on Earth.”
Loeb rejects critics
Loeb responded to these criticisms in a blog post on Medium on November 15, arguing that the new papers cannot adequately assess the composition of the spheroids without studying them directly.
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He went on to quote a staff member Jim Lem of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology, writing: “There should be no coal mineralization in the region where the expedition was carried. Furthermore, coal is non-magnetic and cannot be picked up by the magnetic sled used. “
Loeb added that 93% of the samples collected have yet to be analyzed, warning critics not to draw conclusions about their origins until all the data is in. A review study would be “unprofessional,” Loeb said.
