there was an interesting retcon of that story in one of niven's later works, where it was pointed out that any spacefaring race would know instantly what killed

there was an interesting retcon of that story in one of niven's later works, where it was pointed out that any spacefaring race would know instantly what killed him. it was just better PR to pretend that it was a huge mystery, and that their hull wasn't vulnerable to some stupidly obvious danger but rather to something no one could have foreseen.