Debate erupts over origin of ‘alien’ debris after bold claim

At a recent gathering in The Woodlands, Texas, for the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, a heated debate unfolded over a remarkable claim from the previous year that a meteorite of alien origin struck Earth near Papua New Guinea in 2014. The claim, first scrutinized in person by the wider scientific community on March 12, as reported by Nature Journal, centered around a presentation by Harvard University graduate student Hairuo Fu, showcasing fragments purportedly from the space rock.

The controversy primarily revolves around Avi Loeb, a prominent figure known for his provocative statements regarding evidence of extraterrestrial life, who did not attend the conference. Fu presented metallic fragments found on the ocean floor near Papua New Guinea, which was met with skepticism from many scientists regarding their extraterrestrial nature. Fu defended the findings, suggesting they were unlike any known earthly materials.

Astrophysicist Steve Desch, in a preprint paper, contended that the fragments resembled microtektites, indicating they might be from an ancient asteroid collision with Earth, challenging the extraterrestrial claim.

Further skepticism arose concerning Loeb’s assertion about the meteor’s interstellar trajectory. Despite these doubts, Loeb’s provocative claims have drawn significant attention and scrutiny from the scientific community, reminiscent of the intrigue sparked by the discovery of ‘Oumuamua, the first recognized interstellar visitor to our solar system, in 2017.

Ben Fernando, a seismologist from Johns Hopkins University, countered the 2014 meteor claim with seismic data analysis. Despite the ongoing skepticism, Fu is determined to conduct further research, including isotopic analyses, to validate their findings. The discussion continues as the scientific community examines these extraordinary claims.