Prof Avi Loeb on what 'Oumuamua tells us about the problem with modern physics

<p>In 2017, the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii spotted an interstellar object passing by Earth for the first time. Shortly after, Harvard’s&nbsp;Prof Avi Loeb&nbsp;was met with a backlash from the scientific community for suggesting it could be of alien origin.</p><p>Now, several years on, he has written a book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extraterrestrial-Search-Intelligent-Beyond-Earth/dp/1529304822?tag=bbcsciencefoc-21&amp;ascsubtag=sciencefocus-73112" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth</em></a>, outlining why we still can’t out rule the possibility, and why scientists should always keep an open mind.</p><p>We speak to Avi on this week's episode of the <em>Science Focus Podcast</em>. He tells us why he believes the object, 'Oumuamua, was of alien origin, and what problems this reveals about the way modern physics is conducted.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sciencefocus.com/books/prof-avi-loeb-could-oumuamua-be-our-first-recorded-brush-with-alien-technology/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Read an edited excerpt of this interview</strong></a></li></ul><p>Let us know what you think of the episode with a review or a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.</p><ul><li><strong>Subscribe</strong>&nbsp;to the&nbsp;<em>Science Focus Podcast</em>&nbsp;on these services:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acast.com/science-focus-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Acast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/science-focus-podcast/id1296673906?mt=2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iTunes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/immediate-media-2/science-focus-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stitcher</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://rss.acast.com/science-focus-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RSS</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1296673906/science-focus-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Overcast</a></li><li><