In the heart of the Pacific Ocean, among the sediments that keep the memory of our planet, the scientists detected an unprecedented radioactive anomaly. Samples taken from the depths of the central and northern basins have revealed an unusually high concentration of Beerillium-10a radioactive isotope that is usually formed in the terrestrial atmosphere due to the interaction between the cosmic rays and the elements present in the air, such as oxygen and nitrogen.
What surprised the scientific community is the quantity detected in the ocean seabed: almost double compared to the expected levels. Such a accumulation, never observed before, could represent the signature of a big -reach cosmic event occurred millions of years ago. The study, published on Nature Communicationswas led by Dr. Dominik Koll of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossandorf, in Germany:
This discovery was completely unexpected. The Beerillium-10 It is commonly used to date geological sediments, but in our samples we have identified an anomalous peak that dates back to the late Miocene, between 10 and 12 million years ago. Now we have to understand what the cause of this anomaly was.
Scientists are evaluating several hypotheses. A possible scenario involves variations in the ocean currentswhich may have concentrated beryllium-10 in specific Pacific areas. However, some experts believe that the explanation could be even more fascinating: the signal of a cosmic event that has influenced our planet.
A supernova or a cosmic interference?
Among the most suggestive theories, scholars speculate that anomaly can be linked toexplosion of a supernova occurred near the solar system. An event of this type could have altered the flow of cosmic raysintensifying the production of beryllium-10 and favoring its accumulation in marine sediments.
Another possibility is that the earth, during its orbit in the galaxy, has crossed one dense interstellar clouda phenomenon that may have influenced the amount of cosmic radiation received from our planet. If this hypothesis were confirmed, the beryllium-10 in the ocean seabed could represent a natural trace of astrophysical events that have had a direct impact on earth.
To verify these theories, further analyzes will be needed. If similar anomalies were found in other geographical areas, it could be a phenomenon on a global scalelinked to a cosmic event. If, on the other hand, the abnormal accumulation of beryllium-10 was limited to the Pacific, an origin linked to variations in ocean currents or other local geological processes would be more likely.
Whatever the explanation, this discovery could be a New geological markeruseful for reconstructing the history of the earth with greater precision and cosmic factors that influenced it. Scientists will continue to investigate, adding a new piece to the great mosaic of planetary evolution.
