Avi Loeb, a professor and astronomer at Harvard University, has been a central figure in this debate since 2019, when he and his team conducted research searching for interstellar objects.
His work has focused on seismic data analysis and recovery of mineral objects with anomalous properties in the Pacific Ocean, near Papua New Guinea. These objects, according to Loeb, could be evidence of technology of non-terrestrial origin.
However, a recent study published on the arXiv research platform sparked controversy. By suggesting that Loeb and his team may have misinterpreted the seismic data.
Loeb's research began after the discovery of the object IM1, otherwise known as the “interstellar meteorite,” which crossed the Earth's atmosphere at extraordinary speeds, indicating an extraterrestrial origin.
An expedition organized by Loeb I was able to recover 805 metal balls at a location determined by US Department of Defense data and a local seismometer. Of these objects, 10 contained rare metals, raising speculation about their extraterrestrial origin.
However, recent research has confirmed quite the opposite things, suggesting that it was more speculation than a real finding.
The investigation concluded that both seismic signals previously reported by Loeb's team were spurious (false).,arguing that one has characteristics that point to an origin dependent on local vehicular traffic, i.e. a truck; While the other is clearly background noise.
Likewise, he said that “as such, the locations previously reported based on this data are false.” Analysis of the acoustic data they found gives the best appropriate estimate of the location, which is very remote, about 170 kilometers from the reported location of the fireball.
Because of all these questions, they emphasized that the material extracted from the sea floor that supposedly came from the meteorite had almost nothing to do with it and was more likely to have a terrestrial rather than interstellar origin.
In response to this statement, academic Loeb defended his team's methodology and findings, claiming that the interpretation of the data was accurate and that his team consisted of experts in various disciplines relevant to the analysis in question.
According to Loeb, the research relies on multiple indicators and not just seismic information.For this reason it maintains its position on the extraterrestrial origin of mineral domains.
This situation has raised questions about the protocols and methodologies used in astrophysical research, as well as the validity and interpretation of seismic data in the context of research and study of interstellar objects.
In addition, Loeb criticized the latest study for what he saw as a lack of specialization in areas relevant to the correct interpretation of data.According to Business Insider information.
The controversy surrounding Loeb's work has captured the attention of the scientific community and the general public, who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of this research.
If Professor Loeb can conclusively prove the extraterrestrial origin of the recovered material, this discovery could revolutionize the current understanding of the existence of non-terrestrial technology and, in a broader sense, About the role of planet Earth in the universe.
The next steps in Loeb's research and possible iterations of the critical study will be crucial to validating or disproving the hypothesis of the existence of extraterrestrial technology on our planet.