EPISODE · Oct 21, 2026 · 34 MIN
New Data From the Sea
from Finding MH370 · host Jeff Wise
When the first piece of MH370 debris washed ashore on La Réunion in July, 2015, investigators immediately realized that creatures living on its surface -- a species of goose barnacle called Lepas anatifera -- could yield clues as to where the plane had crashed. There was a big problem, however: they didn't know how these barnacles really grow in the open ocean. A few days ago, a volunteer collected a scientific drifter buoy that was covered in these organisms, and in today's episode we discuss how they provide a new understanding of the aircraft debris and of the fate of the plane itself. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Embed this episode
What this episode covers
A newly recovered drifter buoy from Mauritius shows for the first time how barnacles like the ones found on MH370's flaperon grow during more than two years at sea. The new data suggests a new methodology for determining how long the debris floated in the sea -- and whether it's plausible that the plane really did crash land in the remote ocean.
Ready to play
New Data From the Sea
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.