Nasa scientists dismissed a controversial claim by a Harvard astronomer that a newly discovered interstellar comet could be an alien probe with “potentially dire” consequences for Earth. Avi Loeb, head
of Harvard University’s Galileo Project, suggested in a July paper that Comet 3I/Atlas, which is set for a close pass with Mars next month, may not be natural in origin. The comet, discovered on July 1 by the Atlas survey telescope in Río Hurtado, is only the third known object to have entered the solar system from interstellar space.
Avi Loeb’s Hypothesis: A Technological Artifact?
Avi Loeb argued that 3I/Atlas exhibits unusual characteristics which include no detectable gaseous tail, a non-standard trajectory and an exceptionally high velocity of 130,000 mph (209,000 km/h). He raised the possibility that the object could be a “technological artifact” of extraterrestrial origin, even speculating it might perform a hidden maneuver while behind the sun in late October before setting course for Earth.
“The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity, and would possibly require defensive measures to be undertaken, though these might prove futile,” Avi Loeb wrote in a blogpost accompanying his paper.
Though Avi Loeb admitted he does not fully subscribe to the theory himself, he argued that such ideas deserve analysis rather than dismissal, urging scientists to “maintain our childhood curiosity and seek evidence rather than pretend to be the adults in the room that know the answers in advance.”
Nasa Responds
Nasa scientists, however, firmly rejected the suggestion of alien origins. The space agency has been tracking 3I/Atlas with ground and space-based telescopes, including the Hubble, since its discovery. Tom Statler, Nasa’s lead scientist for solar system small bodies, said, “It looks like a comet. It does comet things. It very, very strongly resembles, in just about every way, the comets that we know. It behaves like a comet. And so the evidence is overwhelmingly pointing to this object being a natural body.”
Nasa says the object will not approach closer to Earth than about 170 million miles, though it will make near passes with Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. What makes 3I/Atlas significant, Tom Statler added, is not its threat but its rarity. He said, “We’ve just recently had the ability to discover these interstellar comets, and we’ve discovered only three so far. This gives us a window we’ve never had before, directly into the composition of other solar systems.”
