Scientists from Australia have recently discovered stardust in freshly melted Antarctic snow, finding rare isotope, in huge amounts which is not usually found on Earth.
The possibility of the iron-60 being found in the snow due to human action has been ruled out. In fact as per, the journal Physical Review Letters, it could be particulates of some interstellar falling rock.
Iron-60 contains four more neutrons than the Iron found abundantly on the Earth. Iron-60 may be seen in the Earth's crust, however, the stardust wouldn't be the same as it was found in snow which has been there for just a few years.
About 1100 pounds of snow was melted wherein the creation of iron-60 through nuclear plants and weapon tests has been completely ruled out.
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They also are studying other isotopes to see whether the iron-60 was generated because of cosmic rays after their interaction with meteorites.
Meteorites from the interstellar are rare and as per these researchers, the iron-60 source could be a supernova, not as close by as to kill but not far enough to have been diluted in space.
Since the Earth travels through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a 30-light-year region of space that our solar system is currently passing through, particles may have picked from there.
More research is needed to know-how, and when did the iron-60 came to Earth and they will need to dig deeper to know more.
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