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The mystery object is on a stealth path through the inner Solar System, and Earth’s fastest rockets aren’t nearly quick enough to intercept it
An artist’s impression of what the interstellar object in the Solar System could be. (Image: NASA)
A strange object the size of a small city is hurtling through our Solar System, and a team of scientists think it might not be just a comet. In fact, they’re toying with a far more dramatic possibility: that it could be alien technology, potentially even “hostile”, hiding behind the Sun.
The object, officially named 3I/ATLAS (and earlier known as A11pl3Z), was first spotted on July 1 by a telescope in Chile. Within 24 hours, scientists confirmed it had come from outside our Solar System, making it just the third known interstellar visitor ever recorded, according to Live Science.
It’s not small either. Estimates say it measures 10 to 20 kilometres wide, making it potentially larger in area than Manhattan, and it’s tearing through space at over 130,000 mph (60 km per second). Over the next few months, it’s expected to swing past Jupiter, Mars and Venus, before disappearing behind the Sun in late November, out of sight from Earth.
Is It Just A Rock Or Something More?
A new, non-peer-reviewed scientific paper published on July 16 has turned heads for suggesting that this might not be a comet at all, but an extraterrestrial spacecraft on a stealth mission.
The study was written by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, known for his bold claims about alien life, along with researchers Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London.
They’re not claiming this is definitely alien, but they are proposing a testable theory. In their words, it’s “an interesting exercise in its own right,” worth exploring “irrespective of its likely validity.” Still, they warn that if the theory does hold true, the consequences could be serious, even requiring “defensive measures,” though they admit those might not be effective.
A Suspicious Flight Path?
So why the suspicion?
Loeb and his co-authors point to the object’s trajectory, which is oddly precise. It’s moving faster than the last interstellar visitor, ʻOumuamua’, and it entered the Solar System from a different angle, which, they suggest, could offer “various benefits to an extraterrestrial intelligence.”
Even more puzzling, the object’s orbital path is aligned with Earth’s within just 5 degrees. Loeb told Newsweek that the odds of this happening randomly are only 0.2 per cent. In his view, this could mean the object is deliberately targeting the inner Solar System, something one might expect from alien tech.
Then there’s the route itself. 3I/ATLAS is set to make close passes by three major planets — Venus, Mars and Jupiter — which scientists say is highly improbable without calculated guidance. According to the Mirror UK, the chances of such a path occurring by chance are less than 0.005 per cent.
The timing also raises eyebrows. In late November, the object will pass behind the Sun, making it invisible to Earth-based telescopes. Loeb speculates this might not be a coincidence. “This could be intentional to avoid detailed observations from Earth-based telescopes when the object is brightest or when gadgets are sent to Earth from that hidden vantage point,” he wrote in a blog post.
They even suggest the planetary flybys could allow for “gadgets” to be planted, spy tech dropped off on Mars, Venus or Jupiter en route.
Unfortunately, even if Earth wanted to investigate, we simply can’t catch up. Loeb notes that our fastest rockets can only reach a third of 3I/ATLAS’s speed, making a rendezvous impossible with current technology.
Scientists Push Back
The theory has sparked curiosity online, but not everyone is convinced.
Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at Canada’s University of Regina, says the evidence points clearly to a natural comet, one that was simply ejected from another solar system, as billions of others likely have been.
Others were more critical. Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford, who helped trace the object’s galactic origin, dismissed the alien theory outright, calling it “nonsense on stilts” and saying it undermines the real science being done by teams worldwide.
Even Loeb concedes the most probable explanation is that 3I/ATLAS is just another icy interstellar wanderer. “By far, the most likely outcome will be that 3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet,” he said.
This Isn’t Loeb’s First Rodeo
This isn’t the first time Loeb has floated the idea of alien probes in our cosmic neighbourhood.
Back in 2022, he revived global buzz around ʻOumuamua’, the cigar-shaped interstellar object spotted in 2017. He suggested it could be a “lightsail” — a spacecraft powered by light particles — or even a deliberately sent probe from an alien civilisation.
“Oumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilisation,” he wrote at the time.
So What Now?
For now, astronomers across the world are closely tracking 3I/ATLAS as it continues its journey toward the Sun. Whether it turns out to be a piece of cosmic spyware or just an unusually fast space rock, it has already reignited one of humanity’s oldest questions — are we really alone out here?
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
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