Oumuamua ‘alien’ asteroid may reveal how solar systems are formed
Rare space rock could provide clues about where we came from

A cigar-shaped asteroid that passed near the sun last month did not originate in our solar system and may provide clues about the possibility of life in other solar systems, Nasa said yesterday.
“While its elongated shape is quite surprising, and unlike asteroids seen in our solar system, it may provide new clues into how other solar systems formed,” according to the US space agency.
Astronomers have named the asteroid 1I/2017 U1, or ‘Oumuamua - a Hawaiian word that roughly means “a messenger that reaches out from the distant past”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“It’s just a rock, not an ET, but it’s one that could tell us profound things about where we came from,” The Independent says.
‘Oumuamua has an unusual shape - with its length about ten times its width - and a deep colour that suggests it may contain carbon-based molecules.
“It is thought to be an extremely dark object, absorbing 96% of the light that falls on its surface, and it is red,” The Guardian writes. “This colour is the hallmark of organic (carbon-based) molecules. Organic molecules are the building blocks of the biological molecules that allow life to function.
“It is widely thought that the delivery of organic molecules to the early Earth by the collision of comets and asteroids made life here possible. ‘Oumuamua shows that the same could be possible in other solar systems.”
Astronomers say it could be one of 10,000 interstellar asteroids lurking in our cosmic neighbourhood.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
The treasure trove of platinum on the moon
Under the radar This kind of bounty could lead to commercial exploitation
-
Why Elon Musk's satellites are 'dropping like flies'
Under The Radar Fierce solar activity destroying Starlink satellites
-
Why is Nasa facing a crisis?
Today's Big Question Trump administration proposes 25% cut to national space agency's budget in 'extinction-level event'
-
Full moon calendar 2025: when is the next full moon?
In depth When to see the lunar phenomenon every month
-
How to see the Lyrid meteor shower
The explainer A nice time to look to the skies
-
Katy Perry, Gayle King visit space on Bezos rocket
Speed Read Six well-known women went into lower orbit for 11 minutes
-
Space ads could be coming to a sky near you
Under the radar Making space for commercial profits
-
We could be living in a black hole
Under the radar And our universe may not be the only one