Are we alone? This is perhaps the most profound question that still faces humanity today. What if the answer to this question was negative? Will we be ready to accept it? For Avi Loeb, astrophysicist at Harvard University (USA), space technology has recently passed through our solar system. He explains how he came to this conclusion.
October 2017. An observatory in Hawaii (United States) reported that Prof. Mysterious being That crosses us Solar system For one Speed About four times that of most Asteroids. Object follows a hyperbolic path that points to Astronomy scientists It comes from somewhere else. Baptized 1I / 2017 U1. And quickly titled ‘Oumuamua, You understand The “guest” “the Messenger”. It awakens all curiosity. “Oumuamua fascinates scientists”, Then address NASA. Because it is the first Interstellar object It is also observed near the ground. But also because it offers a certain number of amazing properties.
Comet, asteroid, part of an astronomical body. Over the months, all assumptions about her nature have been put on the table. Including even craziest: the spaceship! A hypothesis supported – against and against nearly everyone – by Abraham Loeb, Chair of the Astronomy Department at Harvard University (USA). ” The Scientific method It encourages caution. We make a hypothesis, gather evidence, and test that hypothesis. Then we refine the hypothesis or collect more evidence. But fashions can discourage consideration of certain assumptions, and a professional can direct attention and resources toward certain topics and alienate them from others., He explains.
Personally, I am convinced that Oumuamua is a sign of existence or existence Sensitive civilizations Other than ours, nowhere else inUniverse. I would like society to agree to give as much credit for my theory as they give to a hypothesis Supersymmetry Or the multiverse. But I also believe that humanity is not prepared to accept that we are not unique. “
Oumuamua, a strange interstellar object
But what does Avi Loeb build on his hypothesis? On a few singularities noted by researchers who have studied the interstellar body. Its shape first. “We don’t have a clear picture of the object. The data is only from eleven days of observations.” – Before the object moves too far from the Earth – By several telescopesAvi Loeb says. Show that brightness first Ten times every eight hours. “ It concludes that the object is much longer in width. Some have talked for the first time about what a cigar looks like. Then, likely statistically, the data turned into some form of disk.
“In any case, we have never, in nature, noticed such a flat and / or elongated thingAvi Loeb assures us. This is not to mention the fact that “Oumuamua was also ten times brighter than any Asteroid or The culprit Of the same size. “ A number of explanations have been put forward.
This animation shows the journey of the star body 1I / 2017 U1, also known as’ Oumuamua, across our solar system. Following a path that surprised astronomers. © European Southern Observatory
A path that challenges the laws of physics
“If only there was that, I would have moved.”Avi Loeb says. But there was alsoabnormality The path that appears in the data collected by astronomers. According to a Harvard researcher, that is « Breathtaking ». “Laws physique It allows us to predict the path of the object to which it is exposedThe effect of gravity The Solly. But ‘Oumuamua didn’t behave as expected. “ far from starHe saw himself driven by a mysterious force. “It’s happening to comets, too. A kind of” rocket engine “effect that they owe to their long tail of evaporating ice.”
For this effect Rocket Explaining the declination of Oumuamua’s path, the object had to lose a tenth Mass. However, by surveying the surrounding space, astronomers did not find any trace of water. Gas Or dust.
Other hypotheses have been put forward. First, colliding with another object. But the data did not match. Then those carried by the iceInterstellar object It consisted exclusively ofhydrogen. But the idea was short-lived. That from work Pressure The sun’s radiation has also been investigated. But it will have an incredibly low mass density. Only 1% offAir on the surface of the ground. It suffices to make ‘Oumuamua’ the most porous thing observed in our solar system.
Oumuamua, a spaceship?
“To me, the Oumuamua is unlike anything else we know in the universe that it must be designed, built and launched by Intelligence Outside the planet Earth. Maybe a veil is floating in space. Communication buoy. Or a piece of debris left by a civilization other than oursAvance Avi Loeb. I realize that this is a hypothesis a stranger. But the other hypotheses put forward to explain these particular properties are no less. Nobody can really explain the path of Oumuamua. However, the body skewedDo not hesitate to launch the researcher in the blink of an eyeEye to me Galileo.
“Let’s be clear. I am not one of those who seek out Light From Spotlights. I am not the “terrible kid of astrophysics”. I just ask myself questions. By trying not to let prejudices overwhelm me. “
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