August M
3I/ATLAS: comet or cosmic visitor with a mission?
3I/ATLAS: comet or cosmic visitor with a mission?
A mysterious visitor from beyond the stars?
Space often brings surprises, but few are as unsettling — or fascinating — as a giant object hurtling toward Earth from outside the solar system.
The comet, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, is the third known interstellar visitor in recorded history.
Now, some scientists suggest it may not be a natural object at all. While most experts urge calm, the potential implications are keeping astronomers and conspiracy theorists alike on edge.
Scientists spot a potential ‘black swan event’
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has warned that 3I/ATLAS could represent a rare and unpredictable phenomenon — what he calls a potential “black swan event.” As LADbible reports, that term refers to highly unlikely events with far-reaching consequences.
In this case, the comet might not behave like ordinary space debris — and could even be artificial in origin.
A comet… or a spacecraft?
According to LADbible, Loeb and his Harvard colleagues published a paper proposing a bold hypothesis: that 3I/ATLAS might be a technological artefact with active intelligence.
Loeb speculates that the object could have deployed “braking thrust” to slow down as it nears our solar system — behavior that would strongly suggest artificial control.
Alien intentions? Two possible scenarios
Loeb’s theory doesn’t leap straight to alien invasion. As he explained in his paper, “If this is the case, then two possibilities follow. First, that its intentions are entirely benign and second, they are malign.”
In other words, even if the object is artificial, we don’t know its purpose — and that’s where the uncertainty lies. For now, it remains pure speculation.
NASA confirms the object’s course
Discovered on July 1 by NASA, the comet is roughly the size of New York City. NASA confirms that it will reach its closest point to the Sun on October 30.
Comparisons to ‘Oumuamua resurface
According to LADbible, this isn’t the first time an interstellar object has sparked theories. In 2017, the object known as ‘Oumuamua made headlines.
Loeb previously suggested that ‘Oumuamua could have been a “thin craft pushed by the reflection of sunlight.” Other astronomers reject that idea.
What comes next? Eyes on November 2
As LADbible reports, 3I/ATLAS will remain out of sight until November 2, when the European Space Agency’s JUICE spacecraft is expected to observe it again. A
Fascination or fiction — it’s worth watching
While the chances of 3I/ATLAS being an alien craft are slim, the intrigue it has stirred reflects how little we still understand about interstellar visitors.
As history has shown, the universe has a habit of surprising us. Whether comet 3I/ATLAS is an icy rock, a rogue probe, or just another cosmic tourist, astronomers will be watching closely when it reemerges from behind the Sun.
This article is made and published by August M, who may have used AI in the preparation
