The exact location of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 maybe determined by barnacles on the recovered debris. 

According to the International Business Times, German scientists believe the search crew is looking in the wrong place for the plane based on the barnacles found on the flaperon that was recovered in July off the coast of the island of Reunion. They concluded the barnacles did not live in the area where the search efforts are taking place. 

German scientists Jonathan Durgadoo told Der Spiegel the plane is not in the area.

"Our results show that the current focus of the search for the airplane southwest of Australia could lie too far to the south," he said.

Scientists also concluded it is near impossible for the search crew to narrow down an area based on the location of one piece of debris. 

According to The Local, scientists believe the focus of the search should be shifted to the northern part of the southern Indian Ocean.

Flight 370 disappeared on March 9, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew members on board. In July, debris from a plane was found on the island of Reunion where it was analyzed. Analysts concluded the flaperon found on the island is indeed a part of Flight 370. 

The scientists didn't have the opportunity to analyze the barnacles in person but based their evidence on photographs of the wreckage. 

There are many different theories on what was the fate of the plane. Some believe the plane crashed into the deepest part of the Indian Ocean, and some believe the plane was hijacked and was taken to an undisclosed location. 

The year-long search already has sunk $150 million dollars, which makes it the most expensive search in aviation history. 

China, Malaysia and Australia will meet later this month to discuss redirecting the search.