The interstellar object known as ‘Oumuamua plunged into our solar system in 2017, leaving a trail of mystery in its wake. Scientists who make big claims can be seen as capitalizing on media hype, and the rest of us sometimes blame the media itself for playing a part. Among scientists — and, in this case, astronomers specifically — the boundaries of how outlandish one can be are limited by our commitment to careful measurement and moderate interpretations. Most people are interested for the same reason scientists are: It came from outside the solar system! Moreover, outlandish ideas are not demons, called into being by someone voicing their name — we should neither fear them, nor give them more power than they’re due.

Source: Washington Post February 26, 2019 11:03 UTC