Mystery object zooming towards Sun may be ‘hostile alien probe' – but experts brand Harvard prof's claims as ‘nonsense'
The research, from a small group of scientists including a renowned alien-hunting Harvard University astronomer, argues that object 3I/ATLAS is actually an extraterrestrial probe in disguise.
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5
An artist's impression of interstellar object ʻOumuamua
Credit: ESA
5
On 1 July, astronomers spotted a highly unusual object zooming towards our Sun at roughly 245,000 kilometres per hour - or 68km a second.
With a "short tail" and a "fuzziness" around it,
Judging by its bizarre orbit, experts determined that the super-fast space traveller had come from outside our solar system.
That would make it the third interstellar object to pass Earth on record, following the rare visits of the famous 1I/ʻOumuamua asteroid in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.
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READ MORE ON SPACE
But Harvard astrophysics professor Avi Loeb and his colleagues suggest it could be something more advanced than an interstellar rock.
"In this paper we present additional analysis into the astrodynamics of 3I/ATLAS, and hypothesise that this object could be technological," they write in their
The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, added that the technology could even be "possibly hostile".
Loeb and his colleagues say this would "be expected from the 'Dark Forest' resolution to the 'Fermi Paradox'" - a theory that alien civilisations exist throughout the universe but are both silent and hostile.
Advertisement
Most read in Science
'Dark Forest' theorists believe aliens remain hidden for fear of being destroyed by other intelligent lifeforms.
It is one of many possible explanations of the
Fermi Paradox
, which aims to answer why humans have not yet found alien life.
Why We Haven't Met Aliens Yet: 9 Theories
Loeb is a controversial figure among astronomers and astrophysicists, having previously suggested that interstellar object 1I/ʻOumuamua may have also been an alien craft in 2017.
Now 3I/ATLAS is showing signs it could be of alien origin as well, according to Loeb.
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5
The object's orbit, for example, brings it suspiciously close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter, Loeb writes in his study
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The object's orbit, for example, brings it suspiciously close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter, Loeb writes in his study.
Yet separate experts told
They insist that the available evidence points toward the object being completely natural.
Advertisement
What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet?
Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa...
Asteroid:
An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth)
Meteoroid:
When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids
Meteor:
If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up
Meteorite:
If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite
Comet:
Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing)
If it is natural like most researchers say, then 3I/ATLAS appears to be a comet older than our solar system - a whopping 7.6billion years old.
The space rock is estimated to be up to 20km in size.
Its current trajectory suggests it came from the Milky Way's 'thick disk' – a field of ancient stars.
No comet from that region has ever graced Earth with a flyby, according to astronomers.
Advertisement
5
'Dark Forest' theorists believe aliens remain hidden for fear of being destroyed by other intelligent lifeforms
Credit: Alamy
To figure out whether 3I/ATLAS really is an alien probe - similar to Earth's Voyager 1 and 2 - scientists will have to continue monitoring it.
Radio waves coming from the object would be strong evidence that the object is of alien origin - assuming the probe was still in working order.
Any signs of manoeuvring or propulsion would also be a good indicator that it's more than cosmic debris.
Advertisement
Plus, if it were to approach to Earth - a rare planet in the grand schemes of the universe - in a stable orbit.
Our planet, with its water, healthy atmosphere, strong magnetic field and life, would be of great interest to other intelligent life.
But for now, evidence mostly points towards 3I/ATLAS being an ancient, icy and speedy comet.
5
An artist's impression shows the first-known interstellar object to visit the solar system, 'Oumuamua, which was discovered on 19 October, 2017
Credit: Reuters
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How many moons does
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How many moons does
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway-sized object in space 'may be alien spacecraft coming to attack'
A mysterious object the size of Galway could potentially be an aggressive alien spacecraft set to attack Earth in November, a new study suggests. Earlier this month, experts confirmed the discovery of a rare interstellar visitor, only the third ever detected, speeding through our Solar System at an extraordinary pace. A draft scientific paper published on Tuesday proposes that the object, known as 3I/ATLAS, might be extra-terrestrial technology and could launch a surprise attack on our planet. The researchers suggest that the object's orbit is such that it would make it easier for an intelligent alien craft to approach Earth undetected. The report claims that when it gets closest to the Sun in late November, the object will be hidden from Earth's view, allowing it to execute a covert high-speed manoeuvre to slow down and remain in the Solar System to secretly prepare for an attack. Scientists also note that 3I/ATLAS has an unusual trajectory that brings it very close to planets like Venus, Mars and Jupiter, something highly unlikely to occur by chance, with less than a 0.005% probability. An artist's impression of what the interstellar object in the Solar System could be (Image: NASA / SWNS) Comet 3I/ATLAS streaks across a dense star field in this image captured by the Gemini North telescope's Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (Image: NSF NOIRLab/ Ob et al. / SWNS) One of the authors of the paper, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is Avi Loeb, a renowned Harvard astrophysicist known for his controversial research and outspoken views on the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. He gained widespread attention for suggesting that the 2017 interstellar object 'Oumuamua might be an artificial probe created by an alien civilisation, based on its unusual acceleration and shape, reports the Mirror. Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl, both from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London, have teamed up with their colleague to pen a paper that delves into the realm of the hypothetical regarding interstellar objects. The trio clarify their stance in the paper: "This paper is contingent on a remarkable but, as we shall show, testable hypothesis, to which the authors do not necessarily ascribe, yet is certainly worthy of an analysis and a report." Despite the speculative nature of their work, they caution: "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)." They also note the intrinsic value of their hypothesis, stating: "The hypothesis is an interesting exercise in its own right, and is fun to pursue, irrespective of its likely validity." The celestial body in question, now catalogued as 3I/ATLAS (formerly known as A11pl3Z), is thought to originate from a far-flung star system and hurtles through space at speeds exceeding 60 kilometres per second. First detected on July 1 by the ATLAS survey telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, 3I/ATLAS has sparked curiosity and speculation. It's estimated to measure somewhere between 10 and 20 kilometres across, though it could present a smaller profile if it's predominantly made up of reflective ice. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Mystery object zooming towards Sun may be ‘hostile alien probe' – but experts brand Harvard prof's claims as ‘nonsense'
THE mysterious interstellar object blazing through our solar system could be a piece of "possibly hostile" alien technology, according to a controversial new study. The research, from a small group of scientists including a renowned alien-hunting Harvard University astronomer, argues that object 3I/ATLAS is actually an extraterrestrial probe in disguise. Advertisement 5 An artist's impression of interstellar object ʻOumuamua Credit: ESA 5 On 1 July, astronomers spotted a highly unusual object zooming towards our Sun at roughly 245,000 kilometres per hour - or 68km a second. With a "short tail" and a "fuzziness" around it, Judging by its bizarre orbit, experts determined that the super-fast space traveller had come from outside our solar system. That would make it the third interstellar object to pass Earth on record, following the rare visits of the famous 1I/ʻOumuamua asteroid in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. Advertisement READ MORE ON SPACE But Harvard astrophysics professor Avi Loeb and his colleagues suggest it could be something more advanced than an interstellar rock. "In this paper we present additional analysis into the astrodynamics of 3I/ATLAS, and hypothesise that this object could be technological," they write in their The study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, added that the technology could even be "possibly hostile". Loeb and his colleagues say this would "be expected from the 'Dark Forest' resolution to the 'Fermi Paradox'" - a theory that alien civilisations exist throughout the universe but are both silent and hostile. Advertisement Most read in Science 'Dark Forest' theorists believe aliens remain hidden for fear of being destroyed by other intelligent lifeforms. It is one of many possible explanations of the Fermi Paradox , which aims to answer why humans have not yet found alien life. Why We Haven't Met Aliens Yet: 9 Theories Loeb is a controversial figure among astronomers and astrophysicists, having previously suggested that interstellar object 1I/ʻOumuamua may have also been an alien craft in 2017. Now 3I/ATLAS is showing signs it could be of alien origin as well, according to Loeb. Advertisement 5 The object's orbit, for example, brings it suspiciously close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter, Loeb writes in his study Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The object's orbit, for example, brings it suspiciously close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter, Loeb writes in his study. Yet separate experts told They insist that the available evidence points toward the object being completely natural. Advertisement What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet? Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa... Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth) Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing) If it is natural like most researchers say, then 3I/ATLAS appears to be a comet older than our solar system - a whopping 7.6billion years old. The space rock is estimated to be up to 20km in size. Its current trajectory suggests it came from the Milky Way's 'thick disk' – a field of ancient stars. No comet from that region has ever graced Earth with a flyby, according to astronomers. Advertisement 5 'Dark Forest' theorists believe aliens remain hidden for fear of being destroyed by other intelligent lifeforms Credit: Alamy To figure out whether 3I/ATLAS really is an alien probe - similar to Earth's Voyager 1 and 2 - scientists will have to continue monitoring it. Radio waves coming from the object would be strong evidence that the object is of alien origin - assuming the probe was still in working order. Any signs of manoeuvring or propulsion would also be a good indicator that it's more than cosmic debris. Advertisement Plus, if it were to approach to Earth - a rare planet in the grand schemes of the universe - in a stable orbit. Our planet, with its water, healthy atmosphere, strong magnetic field and life, would be of great interest to other intelligent life. But for now, evidence mostly points towards 3I/ATLAS being an ancient, icy and speedy comet. 5 An artist's impression shows the first-known interstellar object to visit the solar system, 'Oumuamua, which was discovered on 19 October, 2017 Credit: Reuters Advertisement All you need to know about planets in our solar system Our solar system is made up of nine planets with Earth the third closest to the Sun. But each planet has its own quirks, so find out more about them all... How old is How many moons does What colour is How far away is How big is How many moons does Does How many moons does How big is How hot is the
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
UK-led plan to build 4,000mph hypersonic plane ‘The Sabre' that flies on edge of space going from London to NY in 60mins
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