Hypatia: An ‘extraterrestrial’ stone found in the Sahara desert unlike anything ever found
In the study carried out, it is suggested that some rocky compounds formed before the sun existed.
In 1996, an Egyptian geologist known as Aly Barakat discovered a rare small stone. Its appearance was a bit strange and it was located in the Sahara desert, specifically to the east. But was it a simple stone? This was Hypatia, one of Earth’s greatest enigmas.
The Mysterious Features of “Hypatia Stone”
This stone that Barakat discovered measures approximately 3.5 centimeters at its widest point. In addition, it barely exceeds 30 grams of maximum weight. Today it is popular by the name of “Stone of Hypatia”, a title that honors a philosopher and mathematician, Hypatia of Alexandria. Many scientists were intrigued by the characteristics of this stone. And it is the most mysterious of all the specimens found to date. So much so that, since 1996, the origin of this finding has been investigated.
Did it come from a meteorite?
Initially, it was discovered that the mysterious stone had an extraterrestrial origin. Likewise, it was concluded that its appearance on Earth was due to a meteorite. However, later studies showed that its structure did not correspond to any of the meteor categories.
Now, on December 28, 2017, something interesting was published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. In the study carried out, it is suggested that some rocky compounds formed before the sun existed.
Is this conclusion logical?
This data seems logical, since its micro-compounds and particles do not match the elements found in the solar system. It is also likely that these components existed before the formation of planets.
What’s more, if we specifically refer to the chemical composition of this unique stone, there is nothing like it. Hypatia pebble is unique and there is no other compound that possesses its qualities. Likewise, scientists who study comets and meteorites are of the same opinion.
It is a fact that this rock has no similarities with any element obtained on planet Earth.
Where could this unique stone have been formed?
According to some beliefs, their formation originated at the beginning of the solar nebula. Research indicates that it is a huge cloud of homogeneous interstellar dust. In addition, it is said that the planets and the Sun emerged from this same nucleus. In another order of ideas, this unique stone has the following basic materials: aluminum, silicon, iron and carbon. While it is true that these elements are present in the earth, pebble contains very different proportions from ordinary ones.
Microscopic details of the “extraterrestrial” stone
The highlight of this stone is not just its physical appearance, it goes far beyond that. The researchers took time to dig deep to get answers to the questions. For example, these rocks have some sparse portions of diamond inside. These tiny pieces were observed at the microscopic level to detail their composition. So, it was concluded that they were the product of the impact that is generated with the earth’s crust or atmosphere. These details are small but significant and give greater certainty of their origin.
Main questions about its origin
True, when news broke that the stone was unlike anything else, researchers were excited. Furthermore, when the ‘Hypatia Stone’ was first discovered, it was a sensational report for many enthusiasts across the world. Even so, new studies were conducted and produced different results.
A representation of knowledge?
As for the astronauts’ theories of the past, they believe it to be a simple representation of ancestral knowledge. But be that as it may, scientists will continue to investigate further into the mystery of this incredible rock.
There are still a huge amount of unanswered questions about this rock, who knows what new discoveries we might get through it with time after further studies.
