A metal sphere of unknown origin has washed up on a beach in Japan, prompting officials to block off the area in order to investigate it. The sphere has been compared to spheres from various sci-fi films, such as War of the Worlds and Godzilla.
According to an Asahi News report, a local woman reported the sphere to the police on Tuesday. The ball washed up on Enshu Beach in Hamamatsu City, the outlet reported, and it is described as being an "iron ball" with a diameter of 1.5 meters.
Officials quickly restricted access to an area encompassing a 200-meter radius while they investigated. The object has a handle-like protrusion that would allow it to be hooked to something else and is rusted, hence the assumption that it is made of iron.
The officials were dressed in protective gear and surrounded the object with equipment. An X-ray scan revealed that the sphere was hollow. Officials determined that there was no risk of an explosion and lifted restrictions at 4 pm, but have not yet determined what it is, FNN reported.
The object closely resembles mooring buoys that are typically used as an alternative to anchors. These types of buoys usually have a metal shell. Still, commenters on social media speculated wildly about what the ball could be.
Similarity with the US balloon
Earlier this week, the US shot down unidentified objects that are suspected to be Chinese spy balloons. However, not all of these objects have extraterrestrial or even military significance—President Biden announced that the objects shot down were most likely ordinary research balloons. China has also claimed that the alleged spy balloon was merely meant for civilian research.
In all likelihood, the drama surrounding the unidentified sphere in Japan will come to a similarly unspectacular conclusion.
