The Dogon People Knew About Sirius B - Apparently.
The Dogon people, an ancient tribe from Mali, possessed knowledge of the star Sirius B, a white dwarf companion to Sirius A, which was only discovered in the 20th century. According to their oral traditions, the Dogon believed that Sirius B was a small, dark star that orbited Sirius A. This knowledge was documented by French anthropologist Marcel Griaule in the 1930s. The Dogon's understanding of the star's existence and characteristics is all the more remarkable given that it was not until 1956 that the star was officially discovered by astronomers.