1 00:00:02,180 --> 00:00:37,229 [Music] 2 00:00:42,830 --> 00:00:40,350 thank you so much Gary and I truly hope 3 00:00:46,110 --> 00:00:42,840 that we have a partner out there in 4 00:00:48,750 --> 00:00:46,120 interstellar space because we all know 5 00:00:51,590 --> 00:00:48,760 what Steven Weinberg the Nobel laurate 6 00:00:55,069 --> 00:00:51,600 said at the end of his book the first 7 00:00:57,869 --> 00:00:55,079 three minutes he said that the most the 8 00:01:00,910 --> 00:00:57,879 more we understand the universe the more 9 00:01:02,709 --> 00:01:00,920 pointless it looks 10 00:01:04,829 --> 00:01:02,719 and of course I understand that because 11 00:01:09,469 --> 00:01:04,839 Steven Weinberg and most cosmologist 12 00:01:11,550 --> 00:01:09,479 focus on lifeless entities Elementary 13 00:01:14,630 --> 00:01:11,560 particles 14 00:01:17,550 --> 00:01:14,640 stars and we know from our private life 15 00:01:19,310 --> 00:01:17,560 that finding a partner provides a 16 00:01:22,830 --> 00:01:19,320 meaning to our 17 00:01:26,469 --> 00:01:22,840 existence the same holds for finding a 18 00:01:28,830 --> 00:01:26,479 partner in OU space suddenly the 19 00:01:33,990 --> 00:01:28,840 universe will not appear to be 20 00:01:44,789 --> 00:01:37,990 and um what I'll discuss today um can be 21 00:01:49,870 --> 00:01:47,270 Interstellar there is a new frontier in 22 00:01:52,830 --> 00:01:49,880 astronomy that's what brought me to this 23 00:01:55,310 --> 00:01:52,840 discussion um when Gary mentioned the 24 00:01:58,230 --> 00:01:55,320 table I was actually traumatized at the 25 00:02:00,749 --> 00:01:58,240 dinner table as a young kid because I 26 00:02:02,469 --> 00:02:00,759 would ask a difficult question 27 00:02:06,270 --> 00:02:02,479 and the adults in the 28 00:02:08,389 --> 00:02:06,280 room would dismiss it because they 29 00:02:11,830 --> 00:02:08,399 wouldn't know the answer and they didn't 30 00:02:14,589 --> 00:02:11,840 want to show any weakness so they just 31 00:02:18,430 --> 00:02:14,599 removed the question off the table that 32 00:02:21,550 --> 00:02:18,440 was traumatizing to me as a kid and I 33 00:02:26,229 --> 00:02:21,560 haven't changed since then I'm still a 34 00:02:28,550 --> 00:02:26,239 curious kid that grew up on a farm and 35 00:02:31,190 --> 00:02:28,560 um I decided to become a scientist so I 36 00:02:33,710 --> 00:02:31,200 can answer the question Myself by 37 00:02:35,670 --> 00:02:33,720 collecting evidence that's a great 38 00:02:38,309 --> 00:02:35,680 privilege you don't need to rely on 39 00:02:39,309 --> 00:02:38,319 other people forget about people just 40 00:02:44,390 --> 00:02:39,319 look at 41 00:02:48,149 --> 00:02:44,400 nature so over the past decade we found 42 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:48,159 the first objects from outside the solar 43 00:02:53,390 --> 00:02:51,360 system and the experience is like 44 00:02:55,589 --> 00:02:53,400 watching objects that come from the 45 00:02:58,030 --> 00:02:55,599 street into your 46 00:03:00,830 --> 00:02:58,040 backyard of course many of them might be 47 00:03:03,710 --> 00:03:00,840 rocks like the ones that we are familiar 48 00:03:06,589 --> 00:03:03,720 with but there might also be a tennis 49 00:03:11,710 --> 00:03:06,599 ball that was thrown by a 50 00:03:14,750 --> 00:03:11,720 neighbor so for me the interest in this 51 00:03:17,910 --> 00:03:14,760 was maybe we can find a technological 52 00:03:20,430 --> 00:03:17,920 needle in this haast stack of rocks that 53 00:03:22,350 --> 00:03:20,440 are familiar to us and what I find is 54 00:03:25,110 --> 00:03:22,360 that my colleagues in Academia keep 55 00:03:28,670 --> 00:03:25,120 saying everything in the sky must be 56 00:03:31,869 --> 00:03:28,680 Stones I call that the Stone Age of 57 00:03:39,030 --> 00:03:35,429 so the first three Interstellar objects 58 00:03:41,070 --> 00:03:39,040 were the following on January 8 59 00:03:43,750 --> 00:03:41,080 2014 a 60 00:03:46,229 --> 00:03:43,760 meteor collided with Earth it was the 61 00:03:49,470 --> 00:03:46,239 size of a watermelon a meteor is an 62 00:03:51,750 --> 00:03:49,480 object that burns up in the atmosphere 63 00:03:55,830 --> 00:03:51,760 as a result of its friction with 64 00:03:58,429 --> 00:03:55,840 air this one was anomalous it was 65 00:04:00,390 --> 00:03:58,439 detected by US Government satellites and 66 00:04:02,589 --> 00:04:00,400 was moving very fast 67 00:04:06,789 --> 00:04:02,599 in fact it came from behind the Earth as 68 00:04:10,229 --> 00:04:06,799 it orbits the Sun and even though it was 69 00:04:12,789 --> 00:04:10,239 trailing us it moved already at 40 km/ 70 00:04:14,110 --> 00:04:12,799 second relative to Earth and so all 71 00:04:16,590 --> 00:04:14,120 together we 72 00:04:20,229 --> 00:04:16,600 calculated outside the solar system it 73 00:04:22,909 --> 00:04:20,239 was moving at 60 km/ second that's a 74 00:04:26,469 --> 00:04:22,919 thousand times more than the speed limit 75 00:04:29,350 --> 00:04:26,479 on a highway and it's faster than 76 00:04:30,230 --> 00:04:29,360 95% of the stars in the vicinity of the 77 00:04:32,870 --> 00:04:30,240 Sun 78 00:04:35,590 --> 00:04:32,880 so that was anomalous and yet in 79 00:04:37,469 --> 00:04:35,600 addition to that it was able to maintain 80 00:04:40,950 --> 00:04:37,479 its Integrity all the way down to the 81 00:04:43,830 --> 00:04:40,960 low atmosphere uh where the stress on it 82 00:04:47,189 --> 00:04:43,840 was far greater than on any other meteor 83 00:04:50,350 --> 00:04:47,199 that NASA catalog 272 of them over the 84 00:04:52,350 --> 00:04:50,360 past decade so I thought well that's 85 00:04:54,790 --> 00:04:52,360 interesting it could be a voyager like 86 00:04:57,430 --> 00:04:54,800 meteor imagine our own spacecraft 87 00:05:00,510 --> 00:04:57,440 colliding with another planet like Earth 88 00:05:03,909 --> 00:05:00,520 in the future and burning up in its 89 00:05:06,310 --> 00:05:03,919 atmosphere it would that meteor that 90 00:05:08,230 --> 00:05:06,320 would be visible there would be of 91 00:05:11,189 --> 00:05:08,240 unusual material strength because it's 92 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:11,199 made of an artificial alloy and would 93 00:05:16,510 --> 00:05:13,880 also move at an unusual speed because it 94 00:05:19,510 --> 00:05:16,520 benefited from chemical 95 00:05:22,029 --> 00:05:19,520 propulsion and then almost four years 96 00:05:24,990 --> 00:05:22,039 later a telescope in Hawaii named pan 97 00:05:26,629 --> 00:05:25,000 stars discovered a much bigger object 98 00:05:29,029 --> 00:05:26,639 that didn't collide with Earth it was 99 00:05:31,749 --> 00:05:29,039 the size of a football field was given 100 00:05:33,110 --> 00:05:31,759 the name om mua mua which means a scout 101 00:05:36,350 --> 00:05:33,120 in the Hawaiian 102 00:05:38,629 --> 00:05:36,360 language and the amount of sunlight 103 00:05:42,189 --> 00:05:38,639 reflected from it changed by a factor of 104 00:05:44,390 --> 00:05:42,199 10 as it was tumbling every eight hours 105 00:05:47,950 --> 00:05:44,400 and the most likely shape of the object 106 00:05:49,710 --> 00:05:47,960 was that of a pancake a flat object very 107 00:05:52,830 --> 00:05:49,720 unusual unlike the rocks that we are 108 00:05:56,230 --> 00:05:52,840 familiar with it also exhibited some 109 00:05:58,909 --> 00:05:56,240 non-gravitational push away from the Sun 110 00:06:02,870 --> 00:05:58,919 without showing any cometary evaporation 111 00:06:06,629 --> 00:06:02,880 there was no trail of dust or gas around 112 00:06:08,790 --> 00:06:06,639 it and so I found that intriguing unlike 113 00:06:11,990 --> 00:06:08,800 the rocks that we are familiar 114 00:06:14,550 --> 00:06:12,000 with and my colleagues were saying No 115 00:06:16,950 --> 00:06:14,560 it's it's a rock it's a rock of a type 116 00:06:19,909 --> 00:06:16,960 that we've never seen before a hydrogen 117 00:06:22,550 --> 00:06:19,919 Iceberg a nitrogen Iceberg a Dust 118 00:06:25,150 --> 00:06:22,560 Bunny the version changed every few 119 00:06:27,189 --> 00:06:25,160 months but it was always natural and 120 00:06:32,430 --> 00:06:27,199 they always said how dare you even bring 121 00:06:37,749 --> 00:06:35,309 origin and by the way that's exactly 122 00:06:40,150 --> 00:06:37,759 what a cave dweller would say when 123 00:06:42,510 --> 00:06:40,160 finding a cell phone it's a rock of a 124 00:06:47,029 --> 00:06:42,520 type that we've never seen 125 00:06:49,990 --> 00:06:47,039 before um on August 29th 2019 finally 126 00:06:52,110 --> 00:06:50,000 the third object showed up it was 127 00:06:54,870 --> 00:06:52,120 discovered by an amateur astronomer 128 00:06:57,869 --> 00:06:54,880 Gennady borisov and that one was a 129 00:07:00,150 --> 00:06:57,879 familiar Comet didn't look any different 130 00:07:02,589 --> 00:07:00,160 than the Comets that we we saw many 131 00:07:06,070 --> 00:07:02,599 times in the solar 132 00:07:09,070 --> 00:07:06,080 system so here is an interesting case 133 00:07:12,390 --> 00:07:09,080 out of three objects that came from 134 00:07:15,950 --> 00:07:12,400 Interstellar space the first two were 135 00:07:18,309 --> 00:07:15,960 unlike the rocks in the solar system so 136 00:07:20,430 --> 00:07:18,319 could they be technologically in origin 137 00:07:22,830 --> 00:07:20,440 this is just a question I'm just asking 138 00:07:25,350 --> 00:07:22,840 a question at the dinner 139 00:07:26,869 --> 00:07:25,360 table why are the adults in the room 140 00:07:30,029 --> 00:07:26,879 dismissing 141 00:07:34,029 --> 00:07:30,039 it now what is an Interstellar 142 00:07:36,909 --> 00:07:34,039 object just imagine the sun here in red 143 00:07:39,430 --> 00:07:36,919 uh the Earth is orbiting in a circle 144 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:39,440 around the Sun at 30 145 00:07:46,070 --> 00:07:42,560 km/s if the Earth was moving slightly 146 00:07:47,909 --> 00:07:46,080 faster at 42 km/ second it would escape 147 00:07:51,670 --> 00:07:47,919 the gravitational pool of the sun it 148 00:07:54,430 --> 00:07:51,680 would run out of the solar system so any 149 00:07:56,589 --> 00:07:54,440 object at that distance moving faster 150 00:07:59,710 --> 00:07:56,599 than 42 151 00:08:01,710 --> 00:07:59,720 km/s would be considered Interstellar 152 00:08:03,990 --> 00:08:01,720 because it cannot be bound to the sun it 153 00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:04,000 can be part of the solar system that's 154 00:08:08,110 --> 00:08:05,840 the definition of an Interstellar object 155 00:08:11,589 --> 00:08:08,120 that that's how you find 156 00:08:14,390 --> 00:08:11,599 it and UA mua was 157 00:08:17,110 --> 00:08:14,400 one and here are two Alternatives that 158 00:08:19,990 --> 00:08:17,120 were put out in the literature one is a 159 00:08:24,790 --> 00:08:20,000 very unusual rock made of hydrogen 160 00:08:26,670 --> 00:08:24,800 nitrogen dust you name it or maybe a 161 00:08:29,589 --> 00:08:26,680 very thin object that was pushed by 162 00:08:32,550 --> 00:08:29,599 reflecting sunlight as I suggested and 163 00:08:35,670 --> 00:08:32,560 that could be a surface layer of a 164 00:08:38,909 --> 00:08:35,680 bigger object or a broken piece for 165 00:08:45,150 --> 00:08:43,230 Sphere now uh playright in Los Angeles 166 00:08:47,190 --> 00:08:45,160 was inspired by this work that I did on 167 00:08:49,910 --> 00:08:47,200 om mua mua he wrote a play that was 168 00:08:52,310 --> 00:08:49,920 presented at my home a couple of months 169 00:08:54,590 --> 00:08:52,320 ago and I just wanted to mention two 170 00:08:58,949 --> 00:08:54,600 statements from that 171 00:09:03,430 --> 00:08:58,959 play the first relates to social media 172 00:09:04,829 --> 00:09:03,440 and to Academia I should add why is 173 00:09:13,590 --> 00:09:04,839 childlike 174 00:09:16,990 --> 00:09:13,600 curiosity that really bothers me why are 175 00:09:18,870 --> 00:09:17,000 people more attracted to 176 00:09:21,670 --> 00:09:18,880 destructive 177 00:09:23,269 --> 00:09:21,680 interactions than to constructive ones 178 00:09:26,269 --> 00:09:23,279 after all we can all work together to 179 00:09:29,990 --> 00:09:26,279 figure it out what's the big 180 00:09:32,829 --> 00:09:30,000 deal and the second uh item that I 181 00:09:36,310 --> 00:09:32,839 wanted to bring up is that I often Tell 182 00:09:38,949 --> 00:09:36,320 Young scientists never pretend to be the 183 00:09:41,910 --> 00:09:38,959 adults in the room and I say that to all 184 00:09:44,389 --> 00:09:41,920 of you even though all of you are 185 00:09:46,509 --> 00:09:44,399 adults what I mean is 186 00:09:48,110 --> 00:09:46,519 metaphorically you should maintain your 187 00:09:50,829 --> 00:09:48,120 childhood 188 00:09:53,069 --> 00:09:50,839 curiosity because that's the only way to 189 00:09:55,430 --> 00:09:53,079 discover new 190 00:09:57,069 --> 00:09:55,440 knowledge and so what I'll describe is 191 00:09:59,670 --> 00:09:57,079 work done over the past two and a half 192 00:10:01,389 --> 00:09:59,680 years by the Galileo project team 193 00:10:04,829 --> 00:10:01,399 uh three of its members are in the 194 00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:04,839 audience and I challenge you to find 195 00:10:12,790 --> 00:10:08,160 them from this 196 00:10:15,310 --> 00:10:12,800 picture and what we developed um is a an 197 00:10:17,310 --> 00:10:15,320 observatory that is currently collecting 198 00:10:19,590 --> 00:10:17,320 data at Harvard 199 00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:19,600 University uh and I'll show you a brief 200 00:10:25,389 --> 00:10:21,360 video that summarizes the various 201 00:10:29,389 --> 00:10:25,399 instruments we basically taking a video 202 00:10:31,829 --> 00:10:29,399 with audio a movie of the sky at all 203 00:10:33,230 --> 00:10:31,839 times at one location and we are 204 00:10:35,389 --> 00:10:33,240 planning to make copies of that 205 00:10:38,350 --> 00:10:35,399 Observatory and put them in many other 206 00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:38,360 locations throughout the US to figure 207 00:10:50,030 --> 00:10:41,360 out whether there are objects that came 208 00:10:54,670 --> 00:10:52,790 us welcome to an overview of the Galileo 209 00:10:56,949 --> 00:10:54,680 projects development site codeen named 210 00:10:58,790 --> 00:10:56,959 pigeon run our instrumentation Suite 211 00:11:00,910 --> 00:10:58,800 consists of both wide field and narrow 212 00:11:02,550 --> 00:11:00,920 field field sensors wide field sensors 213 00:11:04,470 --> 00:11:02,560 are used for Target selection and 214 00:11:06,069 --> 00:11:04,480 tracking while narrow field sensors 215 00:11:07,910 --> 00:11:06,079 gather higher resolution data on 216 00:11:11,629 --> 00:11:07,920 potentially anomalous 217 00:11:13,829 --> 00:11:11,639 objects our main instrument is diic a 218 00:11:16,870 --> 00:11:13,839 hemispherical array of eight infrared 219 00:11:19,670 --> 00:11:16,880 cameras next to it is the Alor a 220 00:11:21,590 --> 00:11:19,680 secondary highresolution Optical all Sky 221 00:11:23,350 --> 00:11:21,600 camera together these instruments 222 00:11:25,430 --> 00:11:23,360 continuously Monitor and track objects 223 00:11:28,190 --> 00:11:25,440 in the sky analyzing them in real time 224 00:11:30,230 --> 00:11:28,200 for potential anomalous activity this is 225 00:11:31,949 --> 00:11:30,240 Amos our acoustic monitoring 226 00:11:33,910 --> 00:11:31,959 omnidirectional system designed to 227 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:33,920 detect and record acoustic signatures 228 00:11:38,870 --> 00:11:35,839 across the infrasonic audible and 229 00:11:40,949 --> 00:11:38,880 ultrasonic bands Amos also houses an 230 00:11:43,430 --> 00:11:40,959 adsb antenna for logging aircraft 231 00:11:46,350 --> 00:11:43,440 transponder data allowing us to quickly 232 00:11:48,710 --> 00:11:46,360 separate known from unknown 233 00:11:50,750 --> 00:11:48,720 objects here we have Skywatch a 234 00:11:52,470 --> 00:11:50,760 multistatic passive radar system 235 00:11:54,590 --> 00:11:52,480 designed to detect and track multiple 236 00:11:56,990 --> 00:11:54,600 objects simultaneously measuring object 237 00:11:59,790 --> 00:11:57,000 positions and 238 00:12:01,550 --> 00:11:59,800 kinematics n Pacman is an environmental 239 00:12:04,069 --> 00:12:01,560 monitoring system for measuring local 240 00:12:06,750 --> 00:12:04,079 weather conditions sensors include an 241 00:12:09,910 --> 00:12:06,760 anomet temperature and pressure sensors 242 00:12:12,230 --> 00:12:09,920 a particle counter and a flux gate 243 00:12:14,069 --> 00:12:12,240 magnetometer next up is Spectre a radio 244 00:12:15,629 --> 00:12:14,079 spectrum analyzer with a wide band 245 00:12:17,150 --> 00:12:15,639 antenna for measuring radio and 246 00:12:19,470 --> 00:12:17,160 microwave 247 00:12:21,590 --> 00:12:19,480 emissions Beacon is currently our only 248 00:12:23,829 --> 00:12:21,600 narrow field instrument Beacon is a 249 00:12:26,990 --> 00:12:23,839 highresolution pan tilt zoom camera 250 00:12:29,030 --> 00:12:27,000 capable of 40 times optical zoom our 251 00:12:30,670 --> 00:12:29,040 instruments collect a wide range of data 252 00:12:33,110 --> 00:12:30,680 all of which is fed to our Computing 253 00:12:36,230 --> 00:12:33,120 enclosure housed beneath the dalic and 254 00:12:38,590 --> 00:12:36,240 Alor instruments here data is processed 255 00:12:40,350 --> 00:12:38,600 and analyzed in real time objects 256 00:12:43,110 --> 00:12:40,360 detected and tracked by the Widefield 257 00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:43,120 instruments are localized in 3D space 258 00:12:48,150 --> 00:12:46,360 and analyzed for unusual characteristics 259 00:12:51,230 --> 00:12:48,160 selected targets are then sent to the 260 00:12:53,470 --> 00:12:51,240 beacon PTZ for follow-up 261 00:12:56,790 --> 00:12:53,480 observation finally data is recorded to 262 00:12:59,430 --> 00:12:56,800 disk and uploaded to the cloud via 263 00:13:01,310 --> 00:12:59,440 starlink these combined systems comprise 264 00:13:03,629 --> 00:13:01,320 the current version of The Observatory 265 00:13:05,590 --> 00:13:03,639 class system with many refinements 266 00:13:08,870 --> 00:13:05,600 additions and upgrades scheduled for 267 00:13:11,389 --> 00:13:08,880 near-term implementation at pigeon 268 00:13:13,670 --> 00:13:11,399 run so we know how to do it we are 269 00:13:17,310 --> 00:13:13,680 getting data as we 270 00:13:19,710 --> 00:13:17,320 speak uh for over a month now we're 271 00:13:22,870 --> 00:13:19,720 analyzing it with machine learning 272 00:13:25,590 --> 00:13:22,880 algorithms we want it to be automated so 273 00:13:27,590 --> 00:13:25,600 the human factor is not biasing any 274 00:13:29,509 --> 00:13:27,600 conclusion that we reach and we are 275 00:13:32,509 --> 00:13:29,519 trying to figure out if in addition to 276 00:13:34,750 --> 00:13:32,519 birds balloons drones airplanes things 277 00:13:36,430 --> 00:13:34,760 that are familiar there is something 278 00:13:41,949 --> 00:13:36,440 unfamiliar out 279 00:13:44,310 --> 00:13:41,959 there and um obviously we will um use 280 00:13:46,550 --> 00:13:44,320 different data sets to figure out what 281 00:13:49,430 --> 00:13:46,560 these things are uh the scientific way 282 00:13:51,430 --> 00:13:49,440 and report about it openly to the public 283 00:13:54,069 --> 00:13:51,440 our work is complementary to that of 284 00:13:55,670 --> 00:13:54,079 government the day job of government is 285 00:13:59,350 --> 00:13:55,680 National 286 00:14:02,389 --> 00:13:59,360 Security frankly anything that says made 287 00:14:05,790 --> 00:14:02,399 in China is boring as far as I'm 288 00:14:10,470 --> 00:14:05,800 concerned I want to see if it says Made 289 00:14:13,949 --> 00:14:10,480 in an exoplanet far 290 00:14:16,110 --> 00:14:13,959 away and we are using satellite data 291 00:14:19,990 --> 00:14:16,120 looking at objects from above not just 292 00:14:22,269 --> 00:14:20,000 from below using planet lab's um 293 00:14:26,509 --> 00:14:22,279 satellite 294 00:14:29,949 --> 00:14:26,519 imagery and we have um a plan as to how 295 00:14:31,710 --> 00:14:29,959 to expand the current system that we 296 00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:31,720 have operating it costs about half a 297 00:14:37,749 --> 00:14:34,240 million dollars and we're happy to make 298 00:14:40,110 --> 00:14:37,759 more copies uh it just depends on the 299 00:14:41,829 --> 00:14:40,120 funding that we have so if there's any 300 00:14:43,790 --> 00:14:41,839 potential donor in the audience that 301 00:14:46,910 --> 00:14:43,800 would like to have an observatory named 302 00:14:49,269 --> 00:14:46,920 after them uh please reach out to me we 303 00:14:52,990 --> 00:14:49,279 know exactly what to do we can build it 304 00:14:57,470 --> 00:14:53,000 in a place uh of your 305 00:15:00,110 --> 00:14:57,480 liking and we published eight papers by 306 00:15:04,509 --> 00:15:00,120 now but but what I want to focus on 307 00:15:06,110 --> 00:15:04,519 today is um the interstellar meteor that 308 00:15:09,350 --> 00:15:06,120 I mentioned at the beginning that was 309 00:15:13,949 --> 00:15:09,360 really the first Interstellar object 310 00:15:16,509 --> 00:15:13,959 discovered uh by humans uh and um I 311 00:15:18,949 --> 00:15:16,519 decided to lead an expedition to the 312 00:15:22,670 --> 00:15:18,959 Pacific Ocean this summer between June 313 00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:22,680 14th to 28th two weeks in the ocean 314 00:15:27,870 --> 00:15:24,600 searching for the materials of this 315 00:15:30,550 --> 00:15:27,880 object and I wrote 43 diary reports 316 00:15:33,269 --> 00:15:30,560 during that Expedition they were read by 317 00:15:35,670 --> 00:15:33,279 millions around the world translated to 318 00:15:39,189 --> 00:15:35,680 Spanish a lot of people thanked me for 319 00:15:41,910 --> 00:15:39,199 showing how science should be 320 00:15:46,030 --> 00:15:41,920 done and so this object was discovered 321 00:15:49,110 --> 00:15:46,040 in 2014 but it took 5 years before I 322 00:15:54,350 --> 00:15:49,120 decided to look into it with my student 323 00:15:56,990 --> 00:15:54,360 Amir SJ um and we were searching the 324 00:15:59,430 --> 00:15:57,000 catalog of meteors that NASA put 325 00:16:02,230 --> 00:15:59,440 publicly and looking for for objects 326 00:16:04,309 --> 00:16:02,240 that are potentially Interstellar moving 327 00:16:06,309 --> 00:16:04,319 very fast and we identified this one we 328 00:16:09,790 --> 00:16:06,319 wrote a paper submitted it for 329 00:16:11,590 --> 00:16:09,800 publication and the reviewer said no 330 00:16:13,189 --> 00:16:11,600 this should not be published we don't 331 00:16:17,030 --> 00:16:13,199 believe the US 332 00:16:20,629 --> 00:16:17,040 government and so it took three years 333 00:16:22,550 --> 00:16:20,639 for me to reach out to colleagues within 334 00:16:25,350 --> 00:16:22,560 government through the White House 335 00:16:27,949 --> 00:16:25,360 getting to the US space 336 00:16:30,110 --> 00:16:27,959 command uh for the US space command to 337 00:16:33,150 --> 00:16:30,120 issue a formal letter to 338 00:16:36,269 --> 00:16:33,160 NASA uh stating that they looked into 339 00:16:39,069 --> 00:16:36,279 the data and can confirm at the 340 00:16:42,430 --> 00:16:39,079 99.999% confidence that indeed this 341 00:16:45,150 --> 00:16:42,440 object came from Interstellar space at 342 00:16:47,110 --> 00:16:45,160 which point our paper was accepted for 343 00:16:49,309 --> 00:16:47,120 publication and the government also 344 00:16:51,990 --> 00:16:49,319 released the light curve of the fireball 345 00:16:54,470 --> 00:16:52,000 that was generated this event produced 346 00:16:55,749 --> 00:16:54,480 about a few per of the Hiroshima atomic 347 00:16:59,309 --> 00:16:55,759 bomb 348 00:17:01,710 --> 00:16:59,319 energy and um based on the data we 349 00:17:03,430 --> 00:17:01,720 concluded that the object was at least 350 00:17:06,309 --> 00:17:03,440 the size of a watermelon it could have 351 00:17:08,230 --> 00:17:06,319 been bigger than that the three flares 352 00:17:11,630 --> 00:17:08,240 that were seen from this Fireball were 353 00:17:14,270 --> 00:17:11,640 separated by a tenth of a second and uh 354 00:17:19,549 --> 00:17:14,280 from the fact that they occurred um 355 00:17:21,990 --> 00:17:19,559 within 20 kilm above the ocean surface 356 00:17:25,029 --> 00:17:22,000 we were able to tell that the material 357 00:17:28,549 --> 00:17:25,039 strength of this object was tougher than 358 00:17:29,590 --> 00:17:28,559 iron it was tougher than all space rocks 359 00:17:33,470 --> 00:17:29,600 that NASA 360 00:17:38,909 --> 00:17:36,110 before and at that point I decided to 361 00:17:41,390 --> 00:17:38,919 lead an expedition because I'm a 362 00:17:42,950 --> 00:17:41,400 theoretical physicist but nobody else 363 00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:42,960 would do it 364 00:17:50,669 --> 00:17:46,640 unless I I bring together the the team 365 00:17:52,590 --> 00:17:50,679 and uh so um we used the error box of 366 00:17:55,669 --> 00:17:52,600 the Department of Defense which was 7 367 00:17:58,590 --> 00:17:55,679 miles on a side and we wanted to 368 00:18:01,310 --> 00:17:58,600 localize the meteor path better and we 369 00:18:05,110 --> 00:18:01,320 found some public data from a sesom on 370 00:18:08,149 --> 00:18:05,120 Manus Island in Papua nugini and just as 371 00:18:11,310 --> 00:18:08,159 in the case of a thunder where where you 372 00:18:12,350 --> 00:18:11,320 hear the sound after you see the light 373 00:18:16,630 --> 00:18:12,360 from the 374 00:18:19,830 --> 00:18:16,640 lightning uh we detected a sound signal 375 00:18:21,990 --> 00:18:19,840 on this s moment data and from the time 376 00:18:25,070 --> 00:18:22,000 delay we could tell the distance of the 377 00:18:27,270 --> 00:18:25,080 explosion knowing the speed of sound and 378 00:18:30,710 --> 00:18:27,280 that led us to the red strip that you 379 00:18:34,350 --> 00:18:30,720 see Within the dod error 380 00:18:36,669 --> 00:18:34,360 box so we rented the ship that was 381 00:18:40,110 --> 00:18:36,679 fittingly called Silver 382 00:18:43,029 --> 00:18:40,120 Star uh from Australia and I'll show you 383 00:18:44,590 --> 00:18:43,039 some photographs from that 384 00:18:48,870 --> 00:18:44,600 expedition 385 00:18:52,710 --> 00:18:48,880 drifting in my 386 00:18:55,669 --> 00:18:52,720 S thinking I 387 00:18:57,310 --> 00:18:55,679 am where you 388 00:18:59,470 --> 00:18:57,320 are 389 00:19:01,630 --> 00:18:59,480 drifting 390 00:19:05,430 --> 00:19:01,640 my 391 00:19:08,470 --> 00:19:05,440 Sil thinking I am 392 00:19:10,029 --> 00:19:08,480 one where you 393 00:19:14,310 --> 00:19:10,039 are 394 00:19:18,149 --> 00:19:14,320 drifting in my 395 00:19:21,110 --> 00:19:18,159 sister thinking I am 396 00:19:22,830 --> 00:19:21,120 one where you 397 00:19:28,750 --> 00:19:22,840 are 398 00:19:30,950 --> 00:19:28,760 drifting in my Sil Stone think 399 00:19:35,950 --> 00:19:30,960 I am 400 00:19:43,110 --> 00:19:39,710 are so here is the deck of the ship with 401 00:19:44,990 --> 00:19:43,120 the 28 people that came on board some of 402 00:19:47,630 --> 00:19:45,000 the best engineers and 403 00:19:50,789 --> 00:19:47,640 Navigators in the world I was very 404 00:19:54,510 --> 00:19:50,799 pleased that they chose to join us and 405 00:19:57,350 --> 00:19:54,520 what you see behind the team is an 406 00:19:59,110 --> 00:19:57,360 A-frame that was directing a cable 407 00:20:02,750 --> 00:19:59,120 connected to the ship 408 00:20:06,029 --> 00:20:02,760 to a sled that we put down on the ocean 409 00:20:10,190 --> 00:20:06,039 floor with magnets on both sides to 410 00:20:12,630 --> 00:20:10,200 collect particles that were melted off 411 00:20:15,190 --> 00:20:12,640 the surface of the object when it was 412 00:20:17,710 --> 00:20:15,200 exposed to the immense heat from the 413 00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:17,720 fireball that it generated as a result 414 00:20:21,510 --> 00:20:18,640 of its 415 00:20:24,470 --> 00:20:21,520 friction and so we were looking for 416 00:20:28,909 --> 00:20:24,480 millimet sized particles the size of a 417 00:20:31,909 --> 00:20:28,919 grain of sand at a mile deep ocean 418 00:20:34,270 --> 00:20:31,919 across a region of seven miles that 419 00:20:37,549 --> 00:20:34,280 sounds hopeless and indeed many people 420 00:20:41,950 --> 00:20:37,559 said why waste the 421 00:20:44,909 --> 00:20:41,960 time but very often in life it's 422 00:20:48,830 --> 00:20:44,919 important to be an optimist because 423 00:20:51,630 --> 00:20:48,840 sometimes life is a self-fulfilling 424 00:20:53,270 --> 00:20:51,640 prophecy so here are some more images 425 00:20:57,549 --> 00:20:53,280 what you see in the middle and the right 426 00:21:00,630 --> 00:20:57,559 hand side are images of us pulling the 427 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:00,640 sled up out of the water um the cable 428 00:21:08,029 --> 00:21:04,640 was about 3 Mi long so it took about an 429 00:21:12,070 --> 00:21:08,039 hour to bring the sled up and then we 430 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:12,080 would put it flat on the deck and scrape 431 00:21:15,830 --> 00:21:13,760 the magnets for all the magnetic 432 00:21:18,190 --> 00:21:15,840 particles that we found what you see on 433 00:21:21,750 --> 00:21:18,200 the bottom left and middle is me jogging 434 00:21:24,630 --> 00:21:21,760 at Sunrise as I do on land I kept this 435 00:21:27,590 --> 00:21:24,640 routine on the ship and we had a filming 436 00:21:29,149 --> 00:21:27,600 crew there one out of 50 that wanted to 437 00:21:31,750 --> 00:21:29,159 join us 438 00:21:34,390 --> 00:21:31,760 uh and they asked me if they can film me 439 00:21:36,590 --> 00:21:34,400 jogging in the morning so they asked me 440 00:21:39,750 --> 00:21:36,600 could you please jog a little more and 441 00:21:43,510 --> 00:21:39,760 it ended up being nine 442 00:21:45,510 --> 00:21:43,520 miles uh and I realized that my workout 443 00:21:48,430 --> 00:21:45,520 app is actually not measuring my speed 444 00:21:50,590 --> 00:21:48,440 it measures the speed of the ship just 445 00:21:55,909 --> 00:21:50,600 keep that in mind if you are ever 446 00:21:58,870 --> 00:21:55,919 jogging on a ship um it's GPS uh and at 447 00:22:02,190 --> 00:21:58,880 the end of my run uh the director of 448 00:22:04,149 --> 00:22:02,200 this documentary asked me AI it looks 449 00:22:06,870 --> 00:22:04,159 like you're running are you running away 450 00:22:10,190 --> 00:22:06,880 from something or towards something and 451 00:22:12,350 --> 00:22:10,200 I replied both I'm running away from 452 00:22:15,830 --> 00:22:12,360 some of my colleagues who have very 453 00:22:17,669 --> 00:22:15,840 strong opinions without seeking evidence 454 00:22:21,750 --> 00:22:17,679 and I'm running towards a higher 455 00:22:24,390 --> 00:22:21,760 intelligence in interstellar 456 00:22:27,750 --> 00:22:24,400 space so here are some more photos you 457 00:22:29,950 --> 00:22:27,760 can see the sled um uh and we use the 458 00:22:32,269 --> 00:22:29,960 VAC vacum cleaner sometimes to clean it 459 00:22:35,070 --> 00:22:32,279 up from all the magnetic particles and 460 00:22:38,549 --> 00:22:35,080 then we would dry up uh whatever was in 461 00:22:41,149 --> 00:22:38,559 the vacuum cleaner uh and we would put 462 00:22:44,710 --> 00:22:41,159 those particles under a microscope that 463 00:22:48,710 --> 00:22:44,720 we had on the ship uh but in the first 464 00:22:51,870 --> 00:22:48,720 six days all we found was volcanic ash 465 00:22:55,909 --> 00:22:51,880 black powder tiny particles from 466 00:22:58,830 --> 00:22:55,919 Earth and I was 467 00:23:01,909 --> 00:22:58,840 frustrated uh and then uh at that point 468 00:23:06,269 --> 00:23:01,919 we decided to filter the material and 469 00:23:09,110 --> 00:23:06,279 let the volcanic ash go um using a mesh 470 00:23:11,390 --> 00:23:09,120 size of about a quarter of a millimeter 471 00:23:14,710 --> 00:23:11,400 and the bigger particles were put under 472 00:23:18,669 --> 00:23:14,720 a microscope and lo and behold we found 473 00:23:21,750 --> 00:23:18,679 a molten droplet from a meteor and I 474 00:23:23,149 --> 00:23:21,760 knew it I I was thrilled I I hugged the 475 00:23:25,990 --> 00:23:23,159 person who saw it first on the 476 00:23:29,430 --> 00:23:26,000 microscope because I knew that uh when I 477 00:23:32,149 --> 00:23:29,440 find an ant in the kitchen I get alarmed 478 00:23:34,750 --> 00:23:32,159 there must be many more ants out there 479 00:23:36,350 --> 00:23:34,760 and indeed we found 50 of those ferals 480 00:23:40,669 --> 00:23:36,360 on the 481 00:23:45,029 --> 00:23:40,679 ship so let me show you a brief video of 482 00:23:48,350 --> 00:23:45,039 um how the image from down below how the 483 00:23:50,590 --> 00:23:48,360 sled was going over the ocean floor it 484 00:23:54,230 --> 00:23:50,600 it was basically like mowing the loan 485 00:23:58,149 --> 00:23:54,240 except there was no loan down there at a 486 00:24:02,510 --> 00:23:58,159 mile deep there was we saw some shrimp 487 00:24:05,230 --> 00:24:02,520 um but it was mostly mck uh and the the 488 00:24:08,950 --> 00:24:05,240 magnets on the sled were collecting uh 489 00:24:11,590 --> 00:24:08,960 magnetic particles that we brought up uh 490 00:24:15,590 --> 00:24:11,600 and every now and then we would um 491 00:24:17,669 --> 00:24:15,600 encounter a rock that um would slow us 492 00:24:19,590 --> 00:24:17,679 down a bit the biggest challenge was to 493 00:24:22,350 --> 00:24:19,600 keep the sled on the ocean floor because 494 00:24:24,789 --> 00:24:22,360 it was kiting as a result of the tension 495 00:24:27,549 --> 00:24:24,799 in the cable it was floating above the 496 00:24:29,830 --> 00:24:27,559 surface so that required some expertise 497 00:24:31,870 --> 00:24:29,840 here you see a rock obviously we 498 00:24:35,230 --> 00:24:31,880 couldn't collect this one but we are 499 00:24:38,230 --> 00:24:35,240 hoping to go back and look for bigger 500 00:24:39,590 --> 00:24:38,240 pieces of the original meteor because 501 00:24:42,870 --> 00:24:39,600 that could tell us the difference 502 00:24:45,470 --> 00:24:42,880 between a rock a natural object and an 503 00:24:47,510 --> 00:24:45,480 artificial Gadget and I asked my 504 00:24:49,789 --> 00:24:47,520 students at class if we find a gadget 505 00:24:50,549 --> 00:24:49,799 and it has buttons on it should we press 506 00:25:51,230 --> 00:24:50,559 a 507 00:25:53,830 --> 00:25:51,240 hopeful 508 00:25:56,990 --> 00:25:53,840 but uh Paula 509 00:25:59,750 --> 00:25:57,000 Antonelli summarized her vision with 510 00:26:06,070 --> 00:26:03,149 she said love the 511 00:26:08,269 --> 00:26:06,080 aliens and what she meant is that we 512 00:26:11,909 --> 00:26:08,279 should love each 513 00:26:15,830 --> 00:26:11,919 other especially when we are different 514 00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:15,840 frankly I am INF fluctuated 515 00:26:22,149 --> 00:26:18,520 by others that might be smarter than I 516 00:26:27,070 --> 00:26:24,710 them so I promised Paula that I will 517 00:26:30,510 --> 00:26:27,080 bring if we find anything in the next 518 00:26:32,190 --> 00:26:30,520 Expedition and I'll bring it for exhibit 519 00:26:34,230 --> 00:26:32,200 at the Museum of Modern Art because it 520 00:26:38,590 --> 00:26:34,240 would represent modernity for us even 521 00:26:45,149 --> 00:26:42,029 senders at an event we went 26 times 522 00:26:48,029 --> 00:26:45,159 across this error box and in some 523 00:26:51,990 --> 00:26:48,039 control regions to figure out the 524 00:26:54,149 --> 00:26:52,000 background and um here you on the left 525 00:26:56,669 --> 00:26:54,159 you can see the Whiteboard where we 526 00:26:59,630 --> 00:26:56,679 wrote the number of 50 we thought that's 527 00:27:03,070 --> 00:26:59,640 amazing we found 50 ferals molten 528 00:27:04,110 --> 00:27:03,080 droplets but uh we shipped the entirety 529 00:27:08,590 --> 00:27:04,120 of the 530 00:27:10,590 --> 00:27:08,600 materials um with FedEx to my home but 531 00:27:13,269 --> 00:27:10,600 um here you see an image from the 532 00:27:15,389 --> 00:27:13,279 microscope that demonstrates how 533 00:27:16,630 --> 00:27:15,399 distinct are these spheros they look 534 00:27:19,230 --> 00:27:16,640 like metallic 535 00:27:23,389 --> 00:27:19,240 marbles uh relative to the background 536 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:23,399 sand and we pick them with twizz and 537 00:27:29,590 --> 00:27:26,720 when I posted these images on medium uh 538 00:27:32,190 --> 00:27:29,600 my daughter saw them and said uh could 539 00:27:35,590 --> 00:27:32,200 you please uh thread one of them on a 540 00:27:37,389 --> 00:27:35,600 necklace for me and I said uh well they 541 00:27:39,669 --> 00:27:37,399 are millimeter in size and they're made 542 00:27:41,710 --> 00:27:39,679 mostly of iron it's not practical she 543 00:27:43,990 --> 00:27:41,720 was very 544 00:27:46,110 --> 00:27:44,000 disappointed uh and so we delivered 545 00:27:49,430 --> 00:27:46,120 those babies uh what you see is the 546 00:27:51,950 --> 00:27:49,440 delivery room which uh looks like a 547 00:27:55,669 --> 00:27:51,960 white container white 548 00:27:58,430 --> 00:27:55,679 box uh and we put the babies instead of 549 00:28:00,710 --> 00:27:58,440 in their beds we put them in in vials 550 00:28:07,230 --> 00:28:00,720 and we marked we labeled those 551 00:28:10,149 --> 00:28:07,240 vials uh 50 speros Shi them to my home 552 00:28:13,470 --> 00:28:10,159 and you can see on the right hand side 553 00:28:15,149 --> 00:28:13,480 the uh suitcase that they were in and 554 00:28:17,110 --> 00:28:15,159 when I received it and opened it I 555 00:28:18,950 --> 00:28:17,120 realized well FedEx took a few extra 556 00:28:20,509 --> 00:28:18,960 days to deliver it but it's nothing 557 00:28:24,509 --> 00:28:20,519 compared to the billions of years that 558 00:28:26,710 --> 00:28:24,519 he took the material to arrive here so 559 00:28:30,430 --> 00:28:26,720 it's not a big delay and what you see on 560 00:28:33,630 --> 00:28:30,440 the left is is the team examining the 561 00:28:36,990 --> 00:28:33,640 sled on a rainy night the funer is 562 00:28:38,669 --> 00:28:37,000 actually to my right in a black raincoat 563 00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:38,679 Charles 564 00:28:43,789 --> 00:28:41,200 hoskinson and so I brought the materials 565 00:28:47,070 --> 00:28:43,799 to my colleague at Harvard Stein 566 00:28:49,710 --> 00:28:47,080 Jacobson who has a one of the best mass 567 00:28:52,549 --> 00:28:49,720 spectrometers in the world you see it in 568 00:28:56,029 --> 00:28:52,559 front of us uh 569 00:28:58,870 --> 00:28:56,039 and uh on the other side of me in this 570 00:29:02,110 --> 00:28:58,880 photo you can see my summer intern 571 00:29:05,269 --> 00:29:02,120 Sophie Bergstrom who decided to Shadow 572 00:29:07,029 --> 00:29:05,279 me this summer and um write about how I 573 00:29:10,269 --> 00:29:07,039 do my science because she wants to 574 00:29:12,630 --> 00:29:10,279 become a science journalist but at some 575 00:29:14,710 --> 00:29:12,640 point she said um could I help you with 576 00:29:17,190 --> 00:29:14,720 a science and I said sure and I gave her 577 00:29:18,830 --> 00:29:17,200 a pair of twizzles and the microscope 578 00:29:20,509 --> 00:29:18,840 she went through the materials again and 579 00:29:24,269 --> 00:29:20,519 found 600 580 00:29:25,909 --> 00:29:24,279 spheral so I gave her the honorary title 581 00:29:29,430 --> 00:29:25,919 The spheral 582 00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:29,440 Hunter and we have many more now so alt 583 00:29:37,029 --> 00:29:33,440 together nearly 800 spheros out of which 584 00:29:41,950 --> 00:29:37,039 we analyzed only 57 publicly and we are 585 00:29:45,269 --> 00:29:41,960 currently these days analyze the um 586 00:29:48,990 --> 00:29:45,279 we're analyzing 93% of the sample that 587 00:29:53,230 --> 00:29:49,000 we have so most of it is not yet uh 588 00:29:56,509 --> 00:29:53,240 analyzed but when we made a map of the 589 00:29:59,190 --> 00:29:56,519 distribution of spheral um this is a map 590 00:30:02,230 --> 00:29:59,200 of the yield of ferals per amount of 591 00:30:04,110 --> 00:30:02,240 mass that was retrieved and this map was 592 00:30:06,470 --> 00:30:04,120 produced by Laura dummin who is in the 593 00:30:08,870 --> 00:30:06,480 audience here a member of the Galileo 594 00:30:12,149 --> 00:30:08,880 project uh what we found is that near 595 00:30:15,470 --> 00:30:12,159 the meteor path which is delineated in 596 00:30:18,990 --> 00:30:15,480 Orange um I mean the left side is the 597 00:30:22,029 --> 00:30:19,000 zoomed out map and the right side is the 598 00:30:24,750 --> 00:30:22,039 zoomed in map of the meteor path uh what 599 00:30:27,350 --> 00:30:24,760 we found is that there are enhancements 600 00:30:30,830 --> 00:30:27,360 in the yield in in these yellow regions 601 00:30:33,789 --> 00:30:30,840 close to the meteor path relative to the 602 00:30:35,590 --> 00:30:33,799 background and so it means that we were 603 00:30:38,710 --> 00:30:35,600 in the right 604 00:30:40,669 --> 00:30:38,720 spot and U on the first day as we came 605 00:30:43,029 --> 00:30:40,679 back from the Expedition we passed 606 00:30:45,990 --> 00:30:43,039 through San Francisco Airport went to 607 00:30:48,549 --> 00:30:46,000 Burkley and used a scanning electron 608 00:30:50,590 --> 00:30:48,559 microscope to look at the inside of some 609 00:30:52,990 --> 00:30:50,600 of the spheral and what we found is 610 00:30:56,149 --> 00:30:53,000 amazing there are spheres inside spheres 611 00:30:59,389 --> 00:30:56,159 just like Russian dolls and the idea is 612 00:31:02,430 --> 00:30:59,399 that uh the small spheres solidified 613 00:31:06,789 --> 00:31:02,440 first and then they were engulfed with 614 00:31:09,029 --> 00:31:06,799 molten iron that glued them 615 00:31:10,950 --> 00:31:09,039 together here is a sphere that looks 616 00:31:13,470 --> 00:31:10,960 like a soccer 617 00:31:16,110 --> 00:31:13,480 ball and another one that looks like a 618 00:31:18,950 --> 00:31:16,120 merger of three 619 00:31:20,870 --> 00:31:18,960 spheres and this one was particularly 620 00:31:23,990 --> 00:31:20,880 interesting because it was in a yellow 621 00:31:29,029 --> 00:31:24,000 region it was one of the biggest that we 622 00:31:30,470 --> 00:31:29,039 had 1.3 mm in the diameter so we decided 623 00:31:34,190 --> 00:31:30,480 to analyze it 624 00:31:36,710 --> 00:31:34,200 first and what we found is that the iron 625 00:31:41,230 --> 00:31:36,720 Isotopes have a ratio that is very 626 00:31:42,070 --> 00:31:41,240 different from rocks on Earth or Mars or 627 00:31:44,990 --> 00:31:42,080 the 628 00:31:47,789 --> 00:31:45,000 moon but most importantly we looked at 629 00:31:50,669 --> 00:31:47,799 the concentration of elements in the 630 00:31:54,230 --> 00:31:50,679 periodic table starting from lithium on 631 00:31:57,269 --> 00:31:54,240 the left going to Uranium on the right 632 00:31:59,830 --> 00:31:57,279 and we normalize the abundances relative 633 00:32:02,470 --> 00:31:59,840 to the standard solar composition so 634 00:32:06,070 --> 00:32:02,480 that's the composition of the stuff that 635 00:32:09,470 --> 00:32:06,080 made the solar system that's marked by 636 00:32:13,629 --> 00:32:09,480 one on this plot and what we found is 637 00:32:17,710 --> 00:32:13,639 that elements like berum lanthanum and 638 00:32:20,509 --> 00:32:17,720 uranium have a higher abundance by 639 00:32:22,110 --> 00:32:20,519 factors of hundreds to a thousand 640 00:32:24,310 --> 00:32:22,120 relative to the standard solar 641 00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:24,320 composition and it's not just these 642 00:32:30,990 --> 00:32:26,120 three elements you can see many in 643 00:32:33,830 --> 00:32:31,000 between uh and um we decided since this 644 00:32:35,710 --> 00:32:33,840 abundance pattern was never seen never 645 00:32:37,669 --> 00:32:35,720 reported in the literature the 646 00:32:40,669 --> 00:32:37,679 scientific literature we had to give it 647 00:32:44,190 --> 00:32:40,679 a new name which 648 00:32:45,750 --> 00:32:44,200 we um decided would be below for berum 649 00:32:48,350 --> 00:32:45,760 lanum and 650 00:32:49,830 --> 00:32:48,360 uranium that's a new type of speros 651 00:32:52,350 --> 00:32:49,840 never seen 652 00:32:54,950 --> 00:32:52,360 before and here are five of them that 653 00:32:57,110 --> 00:32:54,960 have this Bellow composition and here we 654 00:32:59,830 --> 00:32:57,120 plot the elements based on their vola 655 00:33:02,470 --> 00:32:59,840 ility meaning that elements on the right 656 00:33:05,470 --> 00:33:02,480 can be easily lost as a result of 657 00:33:09,830 --> 00:33:05,480 evaporation during an explosion during 658 00:33:12,389 --> 00:33:09,840 an air burst and indeed they are missing 659 00:33:15,669 --> 00:33:12,399 those elements have a lower 660 00:33:19,430 --> 00:33:15,679 abundance uh than expected and so that 661 00:33:22,269 --> 00:33:19,440 demonstrates that the Bellow ferals were 662 00:33:25,710 --> 00:33:22,279 associated with an 663 00:33:33,710 --> 00:33:29,629 meteor now now in recent days this week 664 00:33:36,110 --> 00:33:33,720 you must have heard those bloggers and 665 00:33:39,230 --> 00:33:36,120 scientists astronomers or people that 666 00:33:42,549 --> 00:33:39,240 call themselves astrophysicist they're 667 00:33:48,310 --> 00:33:42,559 not real scientists um who say that what 668 00:33:54,549 --> 00:33:52,509 Ash and that's a bit strange I was asked 669 00:33:56,549 --> 00:33:54,559 by a reporter this morning I said look 670 00:33:58,470 --> 00:33:56,559 we were using a magnetic sled with 671 00:34:03,110 --> 00:33:58,480 magnets 672 00:34:10,349 --> 00:34:07,310 iron so you know if you are smart you 673 00:34:13,230 --> 00:34:10,359 choose the battles that you fight that 674 00:34:15,589 --> 00:34:13,240 you are willing to die on but apparently 675 00:34:18,349 --> 00:34:15,599 these people were willing to die on a on 676 00:34:21,310 --> 00:34:18,359 a botle that makes no sense whatsoever I 677 00:34:23,909 --> 00:34:21,320 just don't understand why they are doing 678 00:34:27,510 --> 00:34:23,919 it and in fact we you can see here a 679 00:34:30,270 --> 00:34:27,520 plot that shows at one corner the iron 680 00:34:34,869 --> 00:34:30,280 abundance another silicon at the third 681 00:34:38,950 --> 00:34:34,879 one magnesium and the Bellow ferals are 682 00:34:40,750 --> 00:34:38,960 located very far away from fly ash which 683 00:34:45,550 --> 00:34:40,760 is in the 684 00:34:46,589 --> 00:34:45,560 upper corner so no way that we could 685 00:34:50,550 --> 00:34:46,599 have 686 00:34:54,310 --> 00:34:50,560 confused fly ash with the Bellow 687 00:34:57,069 --> 00:34:54,320 ferals and you know it's really strange 688 00:34:58,829 --> 00:34:57,079 that there is there are those people who 689 00:35:00,950 --> 00:34:58,839 jump up and down and I'm not talking 690 00:35:03,790 --> 00:35:00,960 about one or two I'm talking about a lot 691 00:35:07,150 --> 00:35:03,800 of people cheering up to what they 692 00:35:09,109 --> 00:35:07,160 said uh saying the problem is solved 693 00:35:12,990 --> 00:35:09,119 this Expedition 694 00:35:14,630 --> 00:35:13,000 found our own 695 00:35:18,190 --> 00:35:14,640 coal 696 00:35:21,670 --> 00:35:18,200 um it's to me very sad to see that 697 00:35:24,710 --> 00:35:21,680 because it shows how thisinformation can 698 00:35:28,470 --> 00:35:24,720 propagate even on matters of Science and 699 00:35:32,030 --> 00:35:28,480 one of these bloggers when I 700 00:35:34,430 --> 00:35:32,040 said that he calls himself an 701 00:35:36,310 --> 00:35:34,440 astrophysicist but he never he didn't 702 00:35:39,670 --> 00:35:36,320 publish a single scientific paper over 703 00:35:43,349 --> 00:35:39,680 the past decade so how dare he talk 704 00:35:45,510 --> 00:35:43,359 about it I mean as if he is a practicing 705 00:35:48,470 --> 00:35:45,520 scientist uh he's a 706 00:35:50,990 --> 00:35:48,480 pretender how can he represent the way 707 00:35:53,109 --> 00:35:51,000 science is done how can he tell 708 00:35:55,710 --> 00:35:53,119 practicing scientists what to do it's 709 00:35:58,309 --> 00:35:55,720 like commentators telling soccer players 710 00:36:02,270 --> 00:35:58,319 how to pass the ball 711 00:36:05,190 --> 00:36:02,280 um and he saw this and put it on his 712 00:36:09,270 --> 00:36:05,200 Twitter handle the 713 00:36:11,670 --> 00:36:09,280 title a blogger who did not publish for 714 00:36:14,109 --> 00:36:11,680 a decade so he is proud of his 715 00:36:17,510 --> 00:36:14,119 incompetence and my point is really 716 00:36:20,030 --> 00:36:17,520 simple my point is simple those who are 717 00:36:22,710 --> 00:36:20,040 proud of their 718 00:36:26,790 --> 00:36:22,720 incompetence will not 719 00:36:28,510 --> 00:36:26,800 terrorize real scientists I don't give a 720 00:36:30,990 --> 00:36:28,520 damn about what he 721 00:36:37,390 --> 00:36:31,000 says it's all about paying attention to 722 00:36:43,790 --> 00:36:39,910 data so then the question is where did 723 00:36:47,870 --> 00:36:43,800 this Bellow composition originate from 724 00:36:51,470 --> 00:36:47,880 and I have two alternative scenarios one 725 00:36:54,589 --> 00:36:51,480 is a natural explanation and uh one can 726 00:36:56,710 --> 00:36:54,599 explain it imagining a planet outside 727 00:37:00,150 --> 00:36:56,720 the solar system because this was not 728 00:37:03,550 --> 00:37:00,160 not found on Earth Mars the moon 729 00:37:08,230 --> 00:37:03,560 asteroids so imagine an exoplanet that 730 00:37:11,150 --> 00:37:08,240 had a magma ocean and an iron core some 731 00:37:14,190 --> 00:37:11,160 elements would sink to the center of the 732 00:37:16,390 --> 00:37:14,200 planet and others will be left behind in 733 00:37:20,430 --> 00:37:16,400 the crust those are the elements that we 734 00:37:23,990 --> 00:37:20,440 see enhanced so if there is a planet an 735 00:37:25,589 --> 00:37:24,000 exop planet that was a magma ocean and 736 00:37:29,030 --> 00:37:25,599 was ripped 737 00:37:31,190 --> 00:37:29,040 apart then perhaps this meteor came from 738 00:37:34,790 --> 00:37:31,200 it and in 739 00:37:37,109 --> 00:37:34,800 fact if you take the Earth we all know 740 00:37:39,510 --> 00:37:37,119 about the tide that the moon raises in 741 00:37:41,309 --> 00:37:39,520 the ocean so just imagine replacing the 742 00:37:44,150 --> 00:37:41,319 moon with the 743 00:37:47,270 --> 00:37:44,160 sun even if you put the Earth next to 744 00:37:50,390 --> 00:37:47,280 the sun it will not be disrupted by the 745 00:37:52,430 --> 00:37:50,400 tidal force of the sun because the 746 00:37:53,670 --> 00:37:52,440 density of the sun is less than the 747 00:37:56,790 --> 00:37:53,680 density of 748 00:37:59,910 --> 00:37:56,800 rock but if you consider the most 749 00:38:01,829 --> 00:37:59,920 abundant type of stars dwarf stars the 750 00:38:05,109 --> 00:38:01,839 nearest one is Proxima centari the 751 00:38:07,349 --> 00:38:05,119 nearest star 12% of the mass of the Sun 752 00:38:09,910 --> 00:38:07,359 about a tenth of the radius of the sun 753 00:38:12,309 --> 00:38:09,920 such stars are a 100 times denser than 754 00:38:15,030 --> 00:38:12,319 Rock so if you take a planet like the 755 00:38:16,309 --> 00:38:15,040 Earth and bring it close to such a star 756 00:38:18,990 --> 00:38:16,319 it would get 757 00:38:21,430 --> 00:38:19,000 spaghettified elongated into a stream of 758 00:38:23,990 --> 00:38:21,440 rocks half of which will be ejected to 759 00:38:27,230 --> 00:38:24,000 Interstellar space at a speed that we 760 00:38:29,510 --> 00:38:27,240 calculated is similar to this meteor 761 00:38:32,630 --> 00:38:29,520 so here is a natur possible natural 762 00:38:35,030 --> 00:38:32,640 origin but of course it's also possible 763 00:38:37,950 --> 00:38:35,040 that it was artificial in 764 00:38:41,430 --> 00:38:37,960 origin and I want to emphasize that this 765 00:38:44,990 --> 00:38:41,440 expedition was risky it was not obvious 766 00:38:47,510 --> 00:38:45,000 that we'll get funded at1 and A5 767 00:38:50,150 --> 00:38:47,520 million uh I might not have been 768 00:38:53,109 --> 00:38:50,160 successful at recruiting qualified 769 00:38:54,870 --> 00:38:53,119 engineers and Navigators for this task 770 00:38:58,589 --> 00:38:54,880 our Machinery might not have 771 00:39:01,109 --> 00:38:58,599 accomplished the task perhaps the the 772 00:39:03,309 --> 00:39:01,119 sled would not sit on the ocean floor so 773 00:39:06,150 --> 00:39:03,319 we would never collect anything and this 774 00:39:09,190 --> 00:39:06,160 meteor might have not had enough Mass to 775 00:39:11,430 --> 00:39:09,200 provide us with enough spheral for us to 776 00:39:13,910 --> 00:39:11,440 find and moreover my colleague at 777 00:39:17,069 --> 00:39:13,920 Harvard might have told me that he's too 778 00:39:21,030 --> 00:39:17,079 busy uh and he cannot help me and then 779 00:39:25,950 --> 00:39:23,670 composition so what I'm trying to say is 780 00:39:27,790 --> 00:39:25,960 to in order to find new knowledge we 781 00:39:30,150 --> 00:39:27,800 really need to take 782 00:39:32,710 --> 00:39:30,160 risks and our goal in the next 783 00:39:36,109 --> 00:39:32,720 Expedition is potentially to visit that 784 00:39:38,550 --> 00:39:36,119 site again and look for bigger pieces 785 00:39:41,670 --> 00:39:38,560 and here I am standing next to Art 786 00:39:44,190 --> 00:39:41,680 Wright the party chief of this 787 00:39:47,230 --> 00:39:44,200 Expedition who was the commander of a 788 00:39:49,990 --> 00:39:47,240 destroyer during the Vietnam war he's 85 789 00:39:52,270 --> 00:39:50,000 years old I really liked him because he 790 00:39:53,390 --> 00:39:52,280 didn't say much but everything he said 791 00:39:55,990 --> 00:39:53,400 was 792 00:39:58,630 --> 00:39:56,000 right and we were looking at the sunset 793 00:40:01,349 --> 00:39:58,640 on the last last day and planning the 794 00:40:05,190 --> 00:40:04,430 Expedition so in summary I just wanted 795 00:40:07,990 --> 00:40:05,200 to 796 00:40:12,270 --> 00:40:08,000 mention the guiding principles that I 797 00:40:19,430 --> 00:40:15,589 experience first of all most important 798 00:40:21,230 --> 00:40:19,440 is to follow evidence by collecting data 799 00:40:24,190 --> 00:40:21,240 with state-ofthe-art 800 00:40:26,470 --> 00:40:24,200 instruments that are fully under control 801 00:40:28,790 --> 00:40:26,480 and are well calibrated in other words 802 00:40:30,829 --> 00:40:28,800 instruments that you 803 00:40:34,430 --> 00:40:30,839 understand that's the way science is 804 00:40:39,510 --> 00:40:34,440 done not by polling how many people like 805 00:40:44,390 --> 00:40:42,349 X and I'm I'm sure that Elon Musk is not 806 00:40:45,750 --> 00:40:44,400 putting such a poll because I'm not sure 807 00:40:47,550 --> 00:40:45,760 how he 808 00:40:49,470 --> 00:40:47,560 will be 809 00:40:53,430 --> 00:40:49,480 ranked 810 00:40:56,309 --> 00:40:53,440 um and then the 811 00:40:58,309 --> 00:40:56,319 principle that FIFA the football 812 00:41:01,190 --> 00:40:58,319 Association 813 00:41:02,829 --> 00:41:01,200 Advocates listen to eyewitnesses that's 814 00:41:06,190 --> 00:41:02,839 perfectly fine you know if a player 815 00:41:09,430 --> 00:41:06,200 comes along and says I thought that the 816 00:41:12,790 --> 00:41:09,440 ball really went past the the goal you 817 00:41:14,750 --> 00:41:12,800 know uh you can listen to that and you 818 00:41:17,270 --> 00:41:14,760 what but what you do to decide what 819 00:41:18,910 --> 00:41:17,280 really happened is to go to the cameras 820 00:41:21,309 --> 00:41:18,920 and 821 00:41:23,950 --> 00:41:21,319 check that's what FIFA 822 00:41:26,030 --> 00:41:23,960 does they don't decide based on what the 823 00:41:27,309 --> 00:41:26,040 players tell them or the audience tells 824 00:41:28,870 --> 00:41:27,319 them 825 00:41:31,390 --> 00:41:28,880 because we all know that when there is a 826 00:41:34,349 --> 00:41:31,400 car accident different people give very 827 00:41:36,670 --> 00:41:34,359 different reports about what 828 00:41:40,390 --> 00:41:36,680 happened so science is done by 829 00:41:45,630 --> 00:41:40,400 instruments to avoid a bias 830 00:41:51,309 --> 00:41:48,309 have and then another principle from 831 00:41:54,829 --> 00:41:51,319 sports that is advocated by basketball 832 00:41:57,150 --> 00:41:54,839 coaches keep your eyes on the ball not 833 00:42:01,109 --> 00:41:57,160 on the audience I'm looking at the 834 00:42:04,950 --> 00:42:01,119 audience but I should um and what I mean 835 00:42:06,589 --> 00:42:04,960 by that is that I have no footprint on 836 00:42:09,190 --> 00:42:06,599 social 837 00:42:15,069 --> 00:42:09,200 media I don't care how many likes I get 838 00:42:20,349 --> 00:42:16,589 irrelevant 839 00:42:24,630 --> 00:42:20,359 because if you listen to too many 840 00:42:30,790 --> 00:42:24,640 people you basically reduce yourself to 841 00:42:36,829 --> 00:42:32,309 and another 842 00:42:39,710 --> 00:42:36,839 important phenomenon that I um obviously 843 00:42:42,270 --> 00:42:39,720 witnessed is those Pretenders who 844 00:42:44,390 --> 00:42:42,280 pretend to protect science they say that 845 00:42:47,750 --> 00:42:44,400 they are pro 846 00:42:49,349 --> 00:42:47,760 science but they ignore facts that 847 00:42:51,829 --> 00:42:49,359 disagree with their 848 00:42:53,750 --> 00:42:51,839 models and so for example two 849 00:42:55,510 --> 00:42:53,760 astronomers on the day that I came back 850 00:42:57,950 --> 00:42:55,520 from the Expedition published the paper 851 00:43:01,309 --> 00:42:57,960 in the astrophysical IAL Journal saying 852 00:43:03,270 --> 00:43:01,319 that the government measured the speed 853 00:43:05,630 --> 00:43:03,280 incorrectly it was three times smaller 854 00:43:08,309 --> 00:43:05,640 this object was actually a stone from 855 00:43:10,230 --> 00:43:08,319 the solar system they did it at the time 856 00:43:17,230 --> 00:43:10,240 that I was bringing back the 857 00:43:24,150 --> 00:43:21,270 wait another important uh principle 858 00:43:25,069 --> 00:43:24,160 don't mud wrestle because those who call 859 00:43:32,190 --> 00:43:25,079 you 860 00:43:35,430 --> 00:43:32,200 so just ignore 861 00:43:38,270 --> 00:43:35,440 it and Rise instead to the greatest 862 00:43:41,309 --> 00:43:38,280 Heights of scientific practice where the 863 00:43:44,950 --> 00:43:41,319 oxygen level is too low for these 864 00:43:48,829 --> 00:43:44,960 critics My Hope Is that they will drop 865 00:43:50,309 --> 00:43:48,839 off just like crows that drop off the 866 00:43:53,710 --> 00:43:50,319 back of an 867 00:43:56,510 --> 00:43:53,720 eagle and stop pecking at its neck I 868 00:43:59,030 --> 00:43:56,520 should say they haven't stopped yet I'm 869 00:44:02,270 --> 00:43:59,040 doing my best to get rid of 870 00:44:04,230 --> 00:44:02,280 them and as I mentioned before it's 871 00:44:06,829 --> 00:44:04,240 important to be an optimist because life 872 00:44:09,710 --> 00:44:06,839 is a self-fulfilling prophecy and