The Interstellar Visitor

Artist's representation of Oumuamua – oh-mu-ah-mu-ah, Hawaiian for "messenger" – an asteroid that is visiting our solar system from somewhere else in the galaxy. We know this because of its orbit and 40,000 mph speed, which will carry it right back into interstellar space again. It is the same dark red color as many objects from the Oort Cloud at the edge of the solar system, and since it is spinning around its long axis it must be made of solid rock; ice would fly apart under the strain. Sadly for fans of Rendezvous with Rama and Pushing Ice, it seems to be a natural object. But then aliens advanced enough to send interstellar probes would have no difficulty fooling our primitive sensors, would they?