Alien technology may have overtaken Earth in 2017, says Harvard professor

Avi Loeb, chairman of Harvard’s astronomy department, is releasing a new book called “Alien: The First Sign of Intelligent Life” on Jan. 26.

The book presents Loeb’s theory that a mysterious space object discovered in October 2017 was, in fact, “a piece of cutting edge technology created by a distant alien civilization” (via Fox News).

The mysterious object, nicknamed “Oumuamua” – which means “scout” or “scout” in Hawaiian – is said to be a 900-foot-long, shiny cigar-shaped object that astronomers have assumed to be an oddly shaped comet.

Oumuamua left our solar system in early 2018, but astronomers and researchers have spent hundreds of hours studying the features of the object while it was still within range.

According to the New York Post, the object’s odd dimensions, intense brightness, and unusual speed are the main reasons Loeb is convinced that Oumuamua is alien technology.

Astronomy Magazine recently published an artist’s depiction of a mysterious object on Twitter:

Loeb, however, was not a fan of the object’s classification as a comet. The professor said that assuming the object is a comet could allow “the familiar to define what we might discover,” according to the New York Post.

The professor clarified his point with a question. “What if a caveman saw a cell phone?” He asked. “He’s seen rocks his whole life, and he would have thought it was just a shining rock.

Loeb is well aware that his theory has sparked a bit of controversy in the scientific community. A review in Publishers Weekly calls the new book a “controversial manifesto,” according to Business Insider.

The professor noted that many people in his field “don’t want to discuss the possibility that there are other civilizations. They believe we are special and unique. I think it’s a prejudice that should be dropped, ”he said, according to Fox News.

However, some experts do offer support. On the cover of the book “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life”, readers can find a short presentation written by Anne Wojcicki, CEO and co-founder of 23andMe.

Wojcicki wrote (via Business Insider):

“(Loeb’s book) convinces you that scientific curiosity is the key to our future success,” she wrote. Wojcicki added that the book is an “exciting and telling case that we may have seen a sign of intelligent life near Earth – and that we should look further.”