A HARVARD professor has told how debris found in the Pacific Ocean during an expedition could help solve the question of whether humans are alone.
Avi Loeb, the head of the Galileo Project, and his team of two dozen researchers discovered material from the remains of a meteor that exploded off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2014.
GettyAvi Loeb told The U.S. Sun how he discovered material from a meteor that exploded in 2014[/caption]
Loeb said the particles look like ‘perfect spheres’Avi Loeb
The scientists studied the material, dubbed IM1, after gathering it using a sled magnet and uncovered minuscule particles that looked like spheres.
Loeb told The U.S. Sun that the particles looked like “perfect spheres” and revealed an array of “striking” colors.
He said there are two questions that his team of researchers are trying to answer.
Loeb said: “The first question is IM1 interstellar based on the material and can we distinguish it from the solar system?
“Then, the second question is if it’s interstellar – is it natural or artificial?
“Is it an alloy that could be technological in origin, but the best way to prove that is to find if there’s a relic on the ocean floor.”
Loeb revealed that the strength of the particles was higher than iron meteorites as they maintained their “integrity” before reaching the lower atmosphere.
The fireball disintegrated into flares just 20km above the ocean surface.
And, he recalled how they were tougher than meteors that Nasa had previously cataloged and the speed of 60km increased the possibility that it could be spacecraft.
The material was stronger than any of the other 272 space rocks that Nasa scientists had analyzed.
And, the object traveled faster than 95 percent of nearby stars and exploded significantly lower in the atmosphere than most meteors.
Loeb shared how the findings could help answer the overarching question of whether humans are alone in the universe.
He said: “This depends on what we find in the coming weeks and when we analyze the materials.
“But, we have an opportunity to find that answer to that just by studying material.
“We have something in our hands, it’s in our possession. It’s not a hypothetical question and it’s not theoretical. This is something we can address.”
Loeb said the discovery marked the start of a new chapter in the debate surrounding extra-terrestrial life.
He said: “It’s the beginning of a new frontier, so even if this [IM1] isn’t technological in origin. There is a possibility that sometime in the future.
The top scientist had previously described the find as “ground-breaking.”
He told Fox News Digital: “This could be the first time humans put their hands on interstellar material.
“This has never been done before. We never received a package at our doorstep from a cosmic neighbor.”
And, his team has suggested that the findings appear to be artificial in nature.
Discussing the findings, fellow Harvard researcher and astrophysicist Amir Siraj told DailyMail.com: “It’s really important to continue pushing the boundary in terms of destigmatizing the search for extraterrestrial life.”
The UFO debate and extra-terrestrial debate used to be restricted to the fringes of the political debate in Washington DC.
But, it has soared up the political agenda and it has been linked to national security.
Skeptics have suggested that mysterious objects could have links to America’s adversaries such as Russia and China.
Congressmen have accused the US Government of covering up the phenomenon.
Loeb, who documented his expedition to the public via dozens of Medium entries, joked about how it was easier to collect evidence from the Pacific Ocean than the US Government.
He said that his expedition helps open up science to the public.
EYOSLoeb said the expedition could help answer the question of whether humans are alone[/caption]