Earth’s Ice Reveals Traces of a Local Interstellar Cloud
TL;DR Summary
New Antarctic ice analyses show trace iron-60, a signature of stellar explosions, was delivered to Earth as the solar system moves through the Local Interstellar Cloud. The measured iron-60 levels are lower than some predictions, but the dating (about 40,000–80,000 years ago) aligns with recent estimates that our solar system has been passing through the cloud within roughly 40,000–124,000 years, meaning Antarctica preserves a geological record of this interstellar journey.
Topics:science#antarctica#astrophysics#interstellar-cloud#iron-60#solar-system#space-and-spaceflight
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