A Strange Extraterrestrial Space
Rock unearthed in the Sahara Desert could be the first evidence on Earth for a rare type of supernova.
The Chemical Composition Of
The Hypatia stone, which was first discovered in Egypt in 1996, suggests it may contain dust and gas that once surrounded an enormous type of supernova,
Type Ia Supernovas Typically Take
Place inside dust clouds where a white dwarf, or the shriveled husk of a collapsed star, shares an orbit with a larger, younger star that still has some fuel to burn.
To Figure Out Where The Rock Came
From, the researchers performed a chemical analysis of a tiny sample of the Hypatia stone using non-destructive techniques.
These Revealed That The Rock
Had unusually low amounts of silicon, chromium and manganese — elements that are rare in the inner solar system
Statement By Scientists
"We found a consistent pattern of trace element abundances that is completely different from anything in the solar system. Objects in the asteroid belt and meteors don’t match this either,"