Federal agencies investigate potential space debris found in Minnesota cornfield

Federal agencies are investigating whether a piece of metal debris found in a Minnesota cornfield fell from space, UPI and Yahoo reported. Deputies from the Stevens County Sheriff Office responded to the site after the object was found on October 14 in a Scott Township cornfield. [1][2]

The Stevens County Sheriff Office stated in a social media post that deputies confirmed the presence of a large, metallic object in the cornfield. The object measures approximately 11 feet in diameter and is presumably a space object, according to UPI. [1]

The metallic object was removed from the cornfield on Thursday, UPI reported. Multiple federal agencies are currently assisting local authorities to determine where the object originated. [1]

Most space debris burns up in the atmosphere, but larger items can reach the ground intact. According to NASA, an average of one cataloged piece of debris has fallen back to Earth every day over the past 50 years. [4]