Mystery of 6kg ball that fell from the sky

A handout photo provided by the National Forensic Science Institute shows a giant metallic ball with a circumference of 110 centimetres weighing some 6 kilograms that fell out of the sky on a remote grassland in Namibia, prompting baffled authorities to contact NASA and the European space agency (ESA).

A handout photo provided by the National Forensic Science Institute shows a giant metallic ball with a circumference of 110 centimetres weighing some 6 kilograms that fell out of the sky on a remote grassland in Namibia, prompting baffled authorities to contact NASA and the European space agency (ESA).

Published Dec 23, 2011

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It left locals baffled when it fell from the sky without explanation.

Now police have notified Nasa and the European Space Agency of this mysterious metal ball, which landed in northern Namibia.

It weighs around 6 kilograms and has a circumference of 1.1metres, according to police forensics director Paul Ludik.

He said it left a hole 30cm deep and nearly 4 metres wide when it hit the ground.

Locals claimed to have heard several explosions in the days before it was discovered by a farmer on his land.

Ludik said the noise could have been a sonic boom or just the sound of the object hitting the ground.

The find sparked speculation on the internet that it could be proof of extra terrestrial life.

However, a more likely theory is that it is a hydrazine tank, used on satellites to store the flammable chemical.

Ludik said that more tests needed to be done before any conclusions about its origins could be reached.

He said that the ball was discovered a month ago but it had only now been made public.

It was said to be made from a “sophisticated material”, which appeared to be a “metallic compound normally used in space vehicles”.

Police deputy inspector general Vilho Hifindaka said that the ball, which landed 480 miles from the Namibian capital Windhoek, did not pose any danger.

He said:”It is not an explosive device, but rather hollow, but we had to investigate all this first.” - Daily Mail and Sapa

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