Police and residents in a coastal town in Japan were baffled when a giant iron ball washed up on a local beach, leading to intense speculation online and fears it could be a stray mine. But x-rays found it hollow. What is it?
Mysterious orb washes up on beach in Japan
Police and residents were baffled after a mysterious iron ball, about 1.5 meters in diameter, washed up on a beach in Japan. Speculation has ranged from a stray mine, spy balloon, or UFO. What is it?
A large, iron sphere washed up on Enshu beach in the city of Hamamatsu on the country’s Pacific coast on Tuesday, measuring roughly 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) in diameter, orange-brown in color appeared to be patches of rust, with two raised handles on its surface, the Guardian reported. The southern coastal city is located roughly 155 miles from Tokyo.
With immediate fears that the metal ball could possibly be a stray mine, officials wasted no time in cordoning off the area and bringing in explosive experts and protective clothing to further investigate the object.
However, fears were believed when x-ray technology examined the interior of the orb and discovered it was hollow.
After a spy balloon flew over the US, and two more objects were shot down over American skies, as well as one over Canada in recent weeks, speculation rose that the object could be some type of surveillance device.
However, the x-rays also eliminated speculation that the object could be a spy device from China or North Korea.
One local man told public broadcaster NHK that he regularly runs on the beach and has seen the object there for a while. He didn’t understand why it suddenly had drawn so much attention.
“It’s been there for a month,” the man said. “I tried to push it, but it wouldn’t budge.”
Officials now believe they have identified the orb and its function
After much research, officials believe they have identified what the mysterious ball-shaped objects with large handles on each side is and what function it serves.
Experts determined the giant orb is similar to a steel buoy made by Chinese shipbuilding company Nantong Yangfan, Metro reported. Its reddish-orange-brown patches appeared to be rust, suggesting the object is made out of iron. Photos of the Chinese-made buoys showed they are bright yellow in color when new, and when compared to the object on the beach in Japan, it becomes apparent that the worn and rusted orb is likely what one of these buoys would look like after aging.
