Kathrine Frich
A mysterious interstellar comet has reignited a fierce debate among astronomers, and now, Elon Musk has entered the fray.
The SpaceX founder shared his take after a Harvard scientist suggested the object, known as 3I/ATLAS, might not be naturally formed.
Third visitor from afar
NASA scientists confirmed that 3I/ATLAS is only the third known object to enter our solar system from beyond its borders.
Its name references both its order of discovery and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) team that spotted it in early July using the Hubble Space Telescope.
The comet’s unusual behaviour has prompted speculation that it might not be just a lump of rock and ice.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb proposed in a research paper that there’s a 30–40 per cent chance the object could be “technological in origin,” possibly showing signs of an artificial power source.
Loeb told LADbible that certain characteristics “could be related to a power supply that is not natural, that is technological in origin, some kind of an engine.”
His comments followed Hubble images revealing a teardrop-shaped dust cloud around the comet’s icy core, roughly the size of Manhattan.
Divided scientific views
NASA has maintained that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth and will remain a safe distance away.
But not all researchers agree that the comet is easily explained. Some have pointed to its strange tail and “anti-tail,” features that deviate from typical comet behaviour.
Astronomer David Jewitt of UCLA compared observing the object to “glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second,” saying its speed makes determining its origin nearly impossible.
While Loeb concedes that a natural interstellar comet is still the most likely explanation, he argues that scientists should remain open-minded about other possibilities, including the remote chance of alien technology.
Musk’s cosmic take
During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk addressed the theories swirling around 3I/ATLAS.
Before diving into the details, he stressed one personal point:
“One thing I can say is, if I was aware of any evidence of aliens, Joe, you have my word that I will come on your show and reveal it. I keep my promises.”
He added, “I’m never committing suicide, to be clear. Ever!”
The SpaceX CEO then discussed the comet’s chemical makeup, noting that nickel vapour had been found in its gas cloud.
Musk explained that some of Earth’s richest nickel and cobalt deposits trace back to ancient asteroid and comet impacts.
A heavy visitor
Musk said the presence of nickel doesn’t confirm anything alien but does suggest the comet would be catastrophic if it collided with Earth.
“It would be a very heavy spaceship if you made it all out of nickel,” he said.
“That’s a heavy spaceship. It would, like, obliterate a continent type of thing. Maybe worse.”
NASA’s Acting Administrator Sean Duffy, meanwhile, reaffirmed that there are “no aliens” and “no threat to life here on Earth.”
Sources: LADbible, NASA, The Joe Rogan Experience, Reuters.
