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Alien Comet May Have Infiltrated the Solar System

Posted by kdawson on from the starseed-lure dept.

New Scientist has a piece about Comet Machholz 1, whose uncommon molecular composition suggests, but does not prove, that it may be an interloper from another star system. "Comet Machholz 1 isn't like other comets. David Schleicher of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, measured the chemical makeup of 150 comets, and found that they all had similar levels of the chemical cyanogen (CN) except for Machholz 1, which has less than 1.5% of the normal level. Along with some other comets, it is also low on the molecules carbon-2 and carbon-3."

11 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, no, Alien Comet! by to6o · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure the other comets are freaking out

    --
    "People's problem is not that they are mortal, but that they are suddenly mortal" Terry Pratchett
  2. Entry is Free. by retech · · Score: 5, Funny

    It entered our system the moment it heard Obama had Nasa's budget on the chopping block. Coincidence? I think not.

    1. Re:Entry is Free. by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Funny

      What is the escape velocity for getting out of a star system?

      African or European?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    2. Re:Entry is Free. by Ihmhi · · Score: 5, Funny

      I could go for some three-bodies interaction.

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
    3. Re:Entry is Free. by rbanffy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Is the comet carrying coconuts?

      --
      http://www.dieblinkenlights.com
  3. Alien bastards by LockeOnLogic · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, am sick to death of these alien comets just waltzing into our solar system taking jobs away from good hard working comets of our own solar system!

  4. Re:Nuke it! Nuke it now! by master5o1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Only if it is on a collision course with Earth and we can send Bruce Willis up there to do the drilling.

    --
    signature is pants
  5. Re:Nuke it! Nuke it now! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Could we just send him up anyway?

  6. Naquadah by CarpetShark · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, if it's made of naquadah, they'll WANT you to nuke it.

    1. Re:Naquadah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      sorry, retry with a startrek reference

  7. In related news.. by Max+Littlemore · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists have discovered a Buddhist monk who is not human.

    Tensing Abowtaleven isn't like other humans. Hans Gripperpienis of the Starbucks, somewhere, measured the chemical makeup of 150 humans, and found that they all had similar levels of the C8H10N4O2H2O except for Abowtaleven, which had less than 0.5% of the normal level. Along with some other humans, he is also low on the molecules C2H5OH and Coc.

    food for thought...

    --
    I don't therefore I'm not.