Every scientist dreams of making a great discovery. A eureka moment when all the signs point to a conclusion that breaks new ground, that potentially changes everything.
I believe I had such a moment this week, when a team of scientists I led revealed their preliminary analysis of 700 extraordinary fragments recovered from a 2014 meteor crash site during an expedition that I organized this summer.
These fragments – tiny metallic spheres – were discovered off the coast of Papua New Guinea, and what they’ve revealed is revolutionary on two fronts.
First, the evidence indicates the fragments are of interstellar origin, from beyond our solar system.
This is a truly historic moment: no human has ever laid hands on materials from outside our solar system before.
Second, and far more significant, through analysis my team discovered that the make-up of these metals is unlike anything we’ve seen.
Hellbound and Down 