Neil deGrasse Tyson Has 'No Idea' What Mysterious Metal Ball in Japan Is, Jokes It May Be 'Godzilla's Egg'

NHK World News/Twitter Large metal sphere found in Japan on Enshu Beach

Not everybody can have all the answers all the time.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was recently asked if he could shed some light on the large metal sphere that mysteriously turned up on a beach in Japan, puzzling authorities and leading to some far-fetched theories about what it could be.

Without mincing words, he told CNN's Don Lemon on Thursday that he didn't have any inside information.

"I have no idea," he said, laughing as he added, "Why does everybody have to know everything at all times?"

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As for some of the possible explanations, he said that "it could be a hoax, somebody put it in the ocean and had it wash up" — or, he joked, it could be "Godzilla's egg."

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"I'd be delighted when we learn what it is," he added, warning that unfortunately, the truth may not be that entertaining. "People's imaginations just run wild, and that's fun, that makes great fiction and great science fiction stories. But usually it's something less interesting."

RELATED VIDEO: Mystery in Japan: Authorities Are Perplexed After a Large Metal Sphere Appeared on a Beach

The large metal ball was spotted on Enshu Beach in the coastal city of Hamamatsu, and the area was initially blocked off by local police wearing hazmat suits, according to The New York Times. A bomb squad was even called in to inspect it, per the BBC.

However, officials quickly determined that there was no danger of it exploding — or being tied to espionage, according to The Guardian.

Although officials in Japan have yet to provide a definitive answer to the mystery, in the words of one expert who talked to The New York Times, "it's just a normal buoy."

Another expert told the newspaper that given its size, lack of markings, and the fact that it wasn't covered in debris found in the water, it likely came from somewhere nearby and wasn't used for scientific research.

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However, one thing's for certain: the metal ball isn't going to stick around.

The sphere has since been removed from the beach and is currently being stored locally, according to the BBC.

As for its future, "the ball is going to be scrapped eventually," a local official told the Times on Friday.