Manhattan-sized object spotted in space 'could be alien spacecraft heading to attack Earth'
An object the size of Manhattan could potentially be a hostile alien spacecraft set to attack Earth in November, according to a worrying recent study.
Earlier this month, experts confirmed the sighting of a rare interstellar visitor, only the third ever detected, speeding through our Solar System at an incredible pace. The comet is known as 3I/ATLAS, and was formerly referred to as A11pl3Z.
A draft scientific paper published on Tuesday suggests that the object might actually be extraterrestrial technology planning a surprise attack on our planet. The researchers propose that the object's orbit is such that it would allow an intelligent alien craft to approach Earth undetected.
The report alleges that when it reaches its closest point to the Sun in late November, the object will be concealed from Earth's view, enabling it to execute a covert high-speed manoeuvre to decelerate and remain in the Solar System, secretly preparing for an attack.
Scientists note that 3I/ATLAS follows an unusual trajectory that brings it very close to planets like Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, an event highly unlikely to occur by chance, with less than a 0.005 per cent probability, reports the Mirror.
One of the authors of the paper, which has yet to undergo peer review, is Avi Loeb, a renowned Harvard astrophysicist recognised for his controversial research and outspoken views on the search for extraterrestrial 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
His co-authors are Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London. The authors emphasise that their paper is a theoretical exercise rather than a reflection of their personal beliefs.
They state: "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."
However, the authors warn: "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)."
The study further adds: "The hypothesis is an interesting exercise in its own right, and is fun to pursue, irrespective of its likely validity."
The celestial body, now officially named 3I/ATLAS (), is thought to originate from a distant star system and is hurtling through space at speeds exceeding 60 kilometres per second.
The object was initially detected on July 1 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope located in Río Hurtado, Chile.
It's estimated that 3I/ATLAS measures between 10 and 20 kilometres across, although it could appear smaller if it's largely made up of reflective ice.
Last month, a Scottish teenager was left stunned after spotting a 'UFO' in the skies over Midlothian. Kyle Jackson, 16, and his two pals saw the mysterious floating object overhead at around 11.10pm on Friday, June 6.
The trio were walking near Newbattle High School in Easthouses, just outside Edinburgh, when they looked up and were left gobsmacked by what they saw.
Kyle said the round and "completely silent" black object appeared to be moving below the clouds at speeds faster than a plane.
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