U-Avi Loeb, ugqirha we-physics kwiYunivesithi yaseHarvard, ubeka umzobo kwindawo yokugcina izinto kufutshane neofisi yakhe eCambridge, MA ngoJanuwari 29, 2019.UAdam Glanzman / KwiWashington Post ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso kaFetty Ngaba sisodwa? Lowo ngomnye wemibuzo ebangela umdla kwindalo iphela, ukanti akukho sazinzulu sikwazi ukuwuphendula. Ngapha koko, uninzi lwezazi ngeenkwenkwezi ziye zaziqhela ngabom emsebenzini onxulumene ne-SETI, okanye zikhangela ubukrelekrele obungaphandle, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokoyika ukunxulunyaniswa nenzululwazi okanye ngenxa yokuba beqinisekile ukuba sisizathu sokugwetyelwa… ubuncinci de umntu omnye aphume elo lungu liphakathi.
Ngokuka-Avi Loeb, ongusihlalo weSebe lezeNzululwazi ngeYunivesithi yaseHarvard, ukukhangela ubomi bamanye amazwe ayisiyonjongo efanelekileyo kuphela, kodwa kukuqinisekisa impumelelo, ngokwezibalo. Ubuncinane kukho iibhiliyoni ezine zeenkwenkwezi ezifana nelanga kwiMilky Way kuphela, kwaye izazinzulu ziqikelela ukuba isiqingatha sazo singqongwe ziiPlanethi ezifana noMhlaba ezinokugcina ubomi. Izibalo zemathematika zichasene nathi ukuba sisodwa, kwaye ukuba ufuna ubungqina obuninzi obubambekayo, isiqwenga sobukrelekrele basemzini sinokuba besivele sisindwendwele kutshanje, ngophando lukaLoeb.
Ngo-Okthobha i-19, i-2017, iteleskopu yePan-STARRS1 eHawaii yafumanisa into engaqhelekanga esibhakabhakeni: into ehamba amaxesha amane isantya se-asteroid kwaye ihamba kumgaqo ongabanjwanga ngamandla elanga womxhuzulane wedwa. Idatha yokujonga kamva iveze ukuba le nto ivela kwicala likaVega, inkwenkwezi ekufutshane iminyaka eyi-25 yokukhanya ukusuka eMhlabeni, kwaye yathintela inqwelomoya yethu yendlela ejikelezayo elangeni ekuqaleni kukaSeptemba. Yenze eyona ndlela yokusondela elangeni ngoSeptemba 9. Kwaye, nge-7 ka-Okthobha, yadutyulwa nguMhlaba ngesantya esimalunga ne-60,000 yeekhilomitha ngeyure ngaphambi kokuya kwikroza lePegasus kunye nobumnyama ngaphaya.
Izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zazingazange zayibona into enje ngaphambili. Ngokusekwe kwisantya sayo esingaqhelekanga kunye nendlela eya kuyo, bagqiba kwelokuba mayibe yinto yeenkwenkwezi. Yaziwa njenge 'Oumuamua (ebizwa oh-mooah-mooah), ethetha iscout ngesiHawaii.
Kodwa yintoni emhlabeni? Kulapho izimvo zesayensi ziye zahluka khona. U-Loeb akaqinisekanga kwiithiyori ezininzi, zamkhokelela kulo mbuzo: Bekuya kuthini ukuba ibingeyonto yendalo kodwa ibubugcisa obuvela kwinkcubeko yabaphambukeli? Kwincwadi yakhe entsha, Indawo engaphaya komhlaba: Umqondiso wokuqala woBomi obuKrelekrele ngaphaya koMhlaba, Unjingalwazi ucacisa ukuba kutheni le nto inokwenzeka kwaye yintoni enokwenziwa luluntu lwenzululwazi ukufumana oko.
Kwangoko kulenyanga, u-Braganca wenza udliwanondlebe noLoeb malunga neminye imibuzo efuna ukwazi malunga ne-'Oumuamua, ukubaluleka kokufumanisa kunye nokukhathazeka kwakhe kukunganyanzeleki koluntu lwenzululwazi ukukhangela ubomi ngaphaya koMhlaba. Apha ngezantsi kukho umbhalo ohleliweyo wodliwanondlebe.
Makhe sithethe ngo-'Oumuamua kuqala. Yeyiphi impawu malunga nale nto ekwenza uqiniseke ukuba ayinakuba yinto yendalo?
Ayifani nayiphi na into esiyibonileyo ngaphambili. Ukuqaqamba 'kuka-Oumuamua utshintsha kalishumi zonke iiyure ezisi-8, okuthetha ukuba ubume bayo kufuneka bubugqithise kakhulu, ubude bayo ubuncinci buzihlandlo ezihlanu ukuya kwezilishumi ububanzi. Kuyafana nento obuya kuyibona xa ushiya iphepha elinciphileyo eliwela umoya.
NgoJuni 2018, kwaxelwa ukuba 'u-Oumuamua ubonise ipush eyongezelelweyo kude nelanga. Umbuzo ngulo, uyinike ntoni le Push? Ayinakuba yimpembelelo ye-rocket evela kumsila we-comet, kuba asibonanga nasiphi na umsila. Ndicebise ukuba inokuba kukukhanya kwelanga okubonakalisileyo okunike ukutyhala, uhlobo olunjengeseyile kwisikhephe. Lowo ngumbono weseyile elula. Kodwa ukuze kube njalo, kuya kufuneka ukuba into ibhitye kakhulu, ibe ngaphantsi kwe-millimeter ubukhulu. Ingxaki kukuba, indalo ayenzi ezi ntlobo zezinto. 
Umfanekiso weteleskopu odibeneyo wento yokuqala ye-interstellar `u-Oumuamua (ujikeleze) ngombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka njengomthombo wamanqaku ongasonjululwanga embindini.UKUBA
Sekunjalo, izazinzulu ezininzi azivumelani nawe. Kwaye naphakathi kwabo, kukho iingcamango ezahlukeneyo malunga nokuba ingaba yintoni. Zithini iingxoxo eziphambili phaya?
Okokuqala, kukho indawo enkulu yabantu abaqhelekileyo abangazikhathaleliyo iziphene. Oko, kum, lilishwa. Kodwa phakathi kwezazinzulu ezazinoxanduva ngokwaneleyo lokuzimasa iinkcukacha zika-Oumuamua, abanye bacebisa ukuba mhlawumbi yi-hydrogen iceberg-isuntswana le-hydrogen efriziwe-kwimeko apho ungawuboniyo umsila wegesi nokuba ungumphunga njenge-comet, kuba ihydrogen iyabonakala. Ingxaki ngaloo hypothesis, nangona kunjalo, kukuba asikaze siyibone i-hydrogen icebergs. Kunzima kakhulu ukucinga indlela abaya kubumba ngayo. Ngokwenyani ndinephepha elibonisa ukuba i-hydrogen icebergs iyakonyuka ngumphunga ngokukhawuleza njengoko ihamba kwisithuba se-interstellar, ngenxa yoko ngekhe basinde kuhambo ukusuka kwenye inkqubo yeenkwenkwezi ukuya kwinkqubo yelanga.
Esinye isindululo yayikukuba ngumvundla wothuli, okanye ingqokelela yamasuntswana othuli. Kwimeko apho, uthuli kuya kufuneka lunqabe kakhulu kwaye lube nomhlwa ukuze ukukhanya kwelanga kubonakalise. Uya kufuna into elingana nebala lebhola ekhatywayo ephindwe kalikhulu ngaphantsi komoya. Ndinobunzima bokucinga ukuba into enjalo ingasinda kuhambo lwe-interstellar ngokunjalo.
Kwakukho nesiphakamiso sokuba isenokuba sisiqwenga sokuphazanyiswa kwento enkulu yinkwenkwezi. Ingxaki yile yokuba ithuba lokuba into enkulu idlule ngokusondeleyo kwinkwenkwezi ukuze iphazamiseke incinci kakhulu. Naxa kusenzeka, ungaphela ngamaqhekeza athe xhaxhe, emile okwe-cigar. Kodwa 'idatha ka-Oumuamua ibonisa ukuba iipesenti ezingama-90 zinokuthi zibe zithe tyaba, zimile ipanekuku, zingafani ne-cigar.
Ke, ezi zezinye zeengcebiso kuncwadi. Bonke babonakala kum ngokungathandabuzekiyo kunokuba 'u-Oumuamua eyinto yobuchwephesha betekhnoloji yelinye ilizwe. Yiyo loo nto ndicinga ukuba yinto enokwenzeka kakhulu.
Yintoni ukubaluleka koku kufunyanwa ukuba eyakho I-hypothesis iqinisekisiwe ngenye imini?
Kubaluleke kakhulu, kuba kuya kuthetha ukuba asisodwa. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku asinabungqina ngokuthe ngqo bobomi kwezinye iiplanethi. Kodwa ndiyakholelwa ukuba asisodwa. Kwaye ayithelekeleli kwaphela. Sele siyazi ukuba isiqingatha sazo zonke iinkwenkwezi ezinjengelanga zineplanethi efana noMhlaba ejikeleza kumgama ofanayo ukusuka kwinkwenkwezi. Kukho amawaka ezigidi zeenkqubo ezinjalo kumnyele iMilky Way kuphela, ke ukuba uqengqa idayisi ngamawaka ezigidi, liliphi ithuba lokuba sithi kuphela? Incinci kakhulu.
Kwaye eneneni ndinomdla kumbuzo wesibini: Ukuba asisodwa, ngaba singoyena mntwana unobuqili kwibhloko? Mhlawumbi akunjalo. Ukuba 'u-Oumuamua ngu into evela kwimpucuko yelinye ilizwe, sinokufunda ukuba zihambele phambili kangakanani iitekhnoloji zabo kwaye, ukuba azisekho, singafunda ukuba kutheni.
UStephen Hawking ulumkise ngokudumileyo ngokujonga ubomi basemzini kuba ucinga ukuba kungasibeka engozini. Ngaba ukhuthaza okwahlukileyo?
Wayethetha malunga nokuba sinxibelelane na kwaye kufuneka simamele kodwa singathethi. Ndivumelana ngokupheleleyo naye kuloo nto. Yayingeyonto intle ukuyenza kuba asazi ukuba ngubani ongaphandle.
Alikashiywa lixesha, nangona kunjalo? I-NASA ithumele ezintlanu Iinkqubo ze-interstellar . Kwaye ezimbini zazo (iVoyager 1 kunye neVoyager 2) sele zifikile kwindawo yeenkwenkwezi.
Oh ewe. Ngokwenyani besithetha malunga nenkulungwane ngokuthumela amaza kanomathotholo. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, bafikelele kubude beminyaka yokukhanya eyi-100. Ke nabani na ongaphakathi kwesi sithuba singqukuva esineteleskopu yerediyo efana nale sinayo uya kwazi ukuba sikhona.
Ukhankanyile kwincwadi ethi iteleskopu yePan-STARRS efumanise ukuba 'u-Oumuamua akazange aqhubele phambili ngokwaneleyo ukufumana olu hlobo lwento kude kube yi-2014. Ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba sinokuphulukana neendwendwe ezininzi zasemzini ngaphambili? Ngaba kuya kubakho okungakumbi kwixesha elizayo?
Ngokuqinisekileyo! Kuthatha amashumi amawaka eminyaka kwinto efana no-'Oumuamua ukutyhutyha yonke inkqubo yelanga, ke ngalo naliphi na ixesha kukho inani elikhulu lezinto ezinjalo-i-quadrillion zezinto ezinjalo-kwinkqubo yelanga.
Iindaba ezimnandi zezokuba siza kuba namathuba amaninzi okujonga ngakumbi ezi zinto kwixesha elizayo xa zisiza. 'U-Oumuamua ufana nendwendwe lesidlo sangokuhlwa esishiye umnyango wangaphambili ngelixesha ufumanisa ukuba likhethekile. Kwiminyaka emithathu, kuyakubakho iteleskopu entsha yophando ebizwa ngokuba yiVera C. Rubin Observatory enovakalelo kakhulu kunePan-STARRS. Ngokwezibalo zethu, kuya kufuneka ibone ubuncinci into enye 'u-Oumuamua inyanga nenyanga.
Ngokucacileyo kukho isixa esikhulu somdla ekufuneni i-ET kuluntu. Umxholo ubonakaliswe kakhulu kwinkcubeko ye-pop, kwifilimu nakwezinye izinto eziyinyani zesayensi. Ukanti, njengoko sele utshilo, indawo ephambili yesayensi ibikade ingazinanzi iinzame zeSETI. Uzilungelelanisa njani ezi nyaniso ziphikisanayo?
Okokuqala, andiyithandi intsomi kuba zihlala ziphula imithetho ye-physics kwaye zibonakala ngathi ziyintlekisa kum. Kodwa loo nto ayikuthinteli isifundo ukuba sifanelwe sisifundo esifanelekileyo sesayensi. Izazinzulu akufuneki zikhathalele malunga nezinto ezingezizo iingcali ezithethileyo ngezi zifundo. Inqaku leli lokuba abantu abaninzi bafuna ukwazi impendulo kwaye bazimisele ukuxhasa ngezenzululwazi ukwenza loo nto. Bavuma njani oososayensi ukwala ukuthatha lo msebenzi? Andiqondi.
Unokucinga ukuba yi-conservatism. Kodwa andicingi njalo. Ngenxa yokuba zininzi iinkqubo ezinje ngelanga noMhlaba kwindalo iphela, ndicinga ukuba olona luvo lulondolozayo iya kuba kukucinga ukuba ubomi basemzini bukhona kwaye ujonge imiqondiso.
Ukuba akuyiyo i-conservatism, ucinga ukuba ukuxhathisa kuvela phi?
Ndikhumbula ukuya kwisemina malunga no-'Oumuamua nomlingane wam kwiminyaka embalwa edlulileyo. Xa siphuma egumbini, wathi, Le nto iyothusa, ndinqwenela ukuba ingaze ibekho. Oko kubonisa uphawu. Abo bantu basebenza kwizinto abaziqhelileyo iminyaka. Kwaye xa kuvela into engaqhelekanga, abafuni nje ukuba yahluke kakhulu. Kungenxa yoko le nto ndidibana nezinto ezininzi ezibuyiswayo kunye nokuchaswa.
Kodwa ezona zinto zinomdla ziyafunyanwa xa utshintsha indlela ocinga ngayo. Ukuba ucinga malunga ne-quantum mechanics eyanyanzelwa kuthi yimifuniselo, eyatshintsha ngokupheleleyo isiseko se-physics, kwaye asikasiqondi ngokupheleleyo. Ke, ngenxa yokuba siziva singonwabanga ngezinto ezicelomngeni iinkolelo zethu oko akuthethi ukuba akufuneki siyihlole.
Ngaba unayo nayiphi na imiyalezo yokugqibela kuluntu lwenzululwazi okanye kwisizukulwana esilandelayo seenzululwazi ezinokuthi zitshintshe imeko?
Okokuqala nokuphambili, indawo yezenzululwazi kufuneka ilungise ikhosi yayo. Kanye njengenkqubo yokuhambisa inqanawa iya kubala kwakhona indlela xa usiya kwicala elingelilo, ndicinga ukuba uluntu lwenzululwazi ludinga ukubala kwakhona kuba ngoku sazi lukhulu ngendalo iphela kunangaphambili.
Uluntu lweenkwenkwezi lwaluhamba nohlaziyo olukhulu kwiminyaka edlulileyo. Eyona yakutshanje yindalo yomxhuzulane. Ngaphambi koko yayikukufunyanwa kwe exoplanets. Kwimeko nganye kwezi, bekukho uxhathiso oluninzi kutshintsho, kwaye ukufumanisa okubalulekileyo kulibazisekile ngenxa yoko. Kwaye bekusoloko kukho umntu osindise usuku. Kwimeko ye-LIGO, ngabalawuli be-National Science Foundation (NSF) abakubonayo ukukhanya baqonda ukuba kukhethekile.
Ke, kuya kufuneka ulwe idabi lokunyuka xa ufuna ukwenza utshintsho olubalulekileyo kwicandelo lakho. Enye into ekufuneka uyigcinile engqondweni kukuba inyani ayipheli. Sonke sinokuvumelana phakathi kwethu ukuba 'u-Oumuamua sisiqwenga nje samatye kwaye uyavuya kukungazi kwethu. Kodwa ayinamsebenzi. Inzululwazi ayikhathali nokuba sivumelana okanye asivumelani ngani.
Incwadi entsha kaLoeb, Indawo engaphaya komhlaba: Umqondiso wokuqala woBomi obuKrelekrele ngaphaya koMhlaba , uhlasela amashalofu ngoMvulo, Januwari 26.
