A Bern’s famous clock tower B couldn’t read his notes C to his walking partner D when inspiration struck E had been added F had a wild dream G proposed the idea H then relaxing your mind I were not welcome J eventually was adopted K were the norm 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 D Explore writing 1: A summary Read the information about ’Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object, which was detected in 2017. Discuss the questions below. 26 Avi Loeb, a Harvard University astrophysicist, has produced pioneering and provocative research on black holes, gamma-ray bursts, the early universe and other standard topics of his field. But for more than a decade he has also researched a more controversial subject – namely, space aliens, including how to find them. In late 2017, when astronomers around the world tried to study an enigmatic interstellar visitor – the first ever seen – that briefly came within range of their telescopes. The object’s discoverers named it ’Oumuamua – a Hawaiian term that roughly translates to “scout.” The examinations of this celestial passerby showed it had several properties that could not be defined as occurring naturally. ’Oumuamua’s apparent shape – which was like a 100-meter-long cigar or pancake – did not closely resemble any known asteroid or comet. Neither did its brightness, which revealed ’Oumuamua was at least 10 times more reflective than one of our solar system’s typical space rocks – shiny enough to suggest the gleam of burnished metal. Most strangely, the object sped up faster than could be explained by our star’s decreasing gravitational grip alone. To Loeb, the most plausible explanation was as obvious as it was sensational: taken together with its possibly pancake-like shape and high reflectivity, ’Oumuamua’s unusual acceleration made perfect sense if the object was in fact a light sail – perhaps a derelict from some long-expired galactic culture. He even argued that ’Oumuamua had been nothing less than humanity’s first contact with an artifact of extraterrestrial intelligence … 1 Do you think there’s life on other planets? 2 Is exploring the universe a worthwhile activity? 3 What do you think about ’Oumuamua? Could it have been sent from another civilisation? You’re going to listen to a podcast on Avi Loeb’s hypothesis and its reception worldwide. What did Avi Loeb experience? Work with a partner and write a list of key facts. Listen again to check. 27 a 5 3k8rv3 b 17 Language skills Extras Explore 1 Discovery Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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