Interstellar comet or alien tech: Is 3I/ATLAS dropping gadgets near other planets? Here's what a Harvard astronomer says
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This time, a mysterious object from beyond our solar system, 3I/ATLAS, has ignited a new wave of excitement about the possibility of alien life in space. Since its discovery on July 1, 2025, the interstellar visitor has intrigued astronomers with its high speed and unusual trajectory. Some researchers believe it may be one of the oldest comets ever observed, while a small group, including Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, from UK's Initiative for Interstellar Studies in a preprint uploaded to arXiv on July 16, 2025.
This paper has controversially suggested it could be a piece of extraterrestrial technology sent by an advanced civilization.
Does extra-terrestrial civilisation remain elusive?
Loeb, who also leads the Galileo Project, an initiative dedicated to finding signs of alien life, described the theory as a 'pedagogical exercise,' meant more as a thought experiment than a confirmed claim. He wrote in a blog post that if 3I/ATLAS were a 'technological artifact,' it might support the dark forest hypothesis, which suggests extraterrestrial civilizations remain silent to avoid detection by potential threats.
'The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity,' he warned.
However, scientists strongly disagree. According to Darryl Seligman, an astronomer at Michigan State University, 'There have been numerous telescopic observations of 3I/ATLAS suggesting that it's displaying classical signatures of cometary activity,' as reported by Live Science. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina, added that 3I/ATLAS is most likely 'an ordinary comet that was ejected from another solar system.
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NASA has confirmed the discovery of a new interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, speeding through our solar system. Spotted by a telescope in Hawaii, the object is likely the biggest yet. It will pass near Mars in October and offers scientists a rare look at materials from another star system.
What sets this comet apart from others of its type?
The object, traveling at over 2,10,000 km/h, appears to be a massive comet with a coma or an envelope of gas and dust stretching up to 24 km, according to the International Gemini Observatory. Astronomers believe it could be as much as 3 billion years older than our solar system.
The paper's authors point to 3I/ATLAS's strange trajectory and speed, noting it entered the solar system from a different angle than previous interstellar visitors like 'Oumuamua or Comet Borisov.
Loeb also speculated that the object could avoid detection when closest to the Sun in October by staying hidden on the far side, suggesting it may be dropping off alien 'gadgets' near other planets.
Despite Loeb admitting that the alien theory is a long shot, many experts have criticized the speculation. Chris Lintott of the University of Oxford called it 'nonsense on stilts,' saying, 'It's an insult to the exciting work going on to understand this object,' as quoted by Live Science.
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Agencies Born in Israel, Loeb earned his PhD in physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem by the age of 24. A mysterious interstellar object named 3I/ATLAS, discovered on July 1, 2025, has triggered intense discussion among astronomers worldwide. Hurtling through space at over 210,000 km/h and sporting a glowing gas envelope roughly 24 km wide, the object is believed to be billions of years older than our solar system. While many researchers consider it an unusually ancient comet, a provocative theory has come from Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who suggested it might be more than just ice and dust. In a preprint paper shared on July 16 via arXiv, Loeb — along with a small team of scientists from the UK's Initiative for Interstellar Studies — proposed that 3I/ATLAS could potentially be a technological artifact from an advanced alien civilization. 'The hypothesis in question is that [31/ATLAS] is a technological artifact, and furthermore has active intelligence. If this is the case, then two possibilities follow. First, that its intentions are entirely benign and second, they are malign,' Dr. Loeb, Adam Drowl, and Adam Hibberd, wrote in a paper published on July 17. Loeb later clarified that the idea is a 'pedagogical exercise' rather than a confirmed theory, he warned that if the hypothesis were true, it could lend credibility to the Dark Forest hypothesis — the unsettling notion that alien civilizations stay silent to avoid hostile contact. In a blog post, he cautioned that the consequences for humanity could be dire if we were indeed being observed. Other scientists have pushed back firmly. Darryl Seligman of Michigan State University and Samantha Lawler from the University of Regina have both emphasized that 3I/ATLAS exhibits classical cometary features. Lawler called it 'an ordinary comet ejected from another solar system,' dismissing the alien technology theory as unlikely. Avi Loeb is one of the most well-known — and controversial — voices in astrophysics today. He serves as the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, and is the Director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Loeb also leads the Galileo Project, which seeks scientific evidence of extraterrestrial technology near Earth. Born in Israel, Loeb earned his PhD in physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem by the age of 24. He went on to become a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and has contributed over 1,000 scientific papers, with an h-index of 131. He has written several popular books, including Extraterrestrial and Interstellar , which explore the possibility of alien life and humanity's place in the cosmos. Loeb previously chaired Harvard's Department of Astronomy (2011–2020) and helped launch the Black Hole Initiative. He has advised institutions ranging from the White House's President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative, a project aimed at interstellar travel. Loeb is known not only for his academic achievements but also for his willingness to challenge conventional thinking — especially on the subject of extraterrestrial intelligence. Whether or not 3I/ATLAS proves to be a sign of alien life, Avi Loeb has once again sparked a global conversation.
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A mysterious interstellar object named 3I/ATLAS , discovered on July 1, 2025, has triggered intense discussion among astronomers worldwide. Hurtling through space at over 210,000 km/h and sporting a glowing gas envelope roughly 24 km wide, the object is believed to be billions of years older than our solar system. While many researchers consider it an unusually ancient comet, a provocative theory has come from Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who suggested it might be more than just ice and dust. In a preprint paper shared on July 16 via arXiv, Loeb — along with a small team of scientists from the UK's Initiative for Interstellar Studies — proposed that 3I/ATLAS could potentially be a technological artifact from an advanced alien civilization. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MBA Product Management Degree Data Science Data Analytics Technology Public Policy Others Digital Marketing CXO Leadership others Cybersecurity Management MCA Project Management Design Thinking healthcare Healthcare Data Science Finance Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details 'The hypothesis in question is that [31/ATLAS] is a technological artifact, and furthermore has active intelligence. If this is the case, then two possibilities follow. First, that its intentions are entirely benign and second, they are malign,' Dr. Loeb, Adam Drowl, and Adam Hibberd, wrote in a paper published on July 17. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Raisinghnagar: 1 Trick to Reduce Belly Fat? Home Fitness Hack Shop Now Loeb later clarified that the idea is a 'pedagogical exercise' rather than a confirmed theory, he warned that if the hypothesis were true, it could lend credibility to the Dark Forest hypothesis — the unsettling notion that alien civilizations stay silent to avoid hostile contact. In a blog post, he cautioned that the consequences for humanity could be dire if we were indeed being observed. Other scientists have pushed back firmly. Darryl Seligman of Michigan State University and Samantha Lawler from the University of Regina have both emphasized that 3I/ATLAS exhibits classical cometary features. Lawler called it 'an ordinary comet ejected from another solar system,' dismissing the alien technology theory as unlikely. Live Events Who is Avi Loeb? Avi Loeb is one of the most well-known — and controversial — voices in astrophysics today. He serves as the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, and is the Director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Loeb also leads the Galileo Project , which seeks scientific evidence of extraterrestrial technology near Earth. Born in Israel, Loeb earned his PhD in physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem by the age of 24. He went on to become a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton and has contributed over 1,000 scientific papers, with an h-index of 131. He has written several popular books, including Extraterrestrial and Interstellar , which explore the possibility of alien life and humanity's place in the cosmos. Loeb previously chaired Harvard's Department of Astronomy (2011–2020) and helped launch the Black Hole Initiative. He has advised institutions ranging from the White House's President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative, a project aimed at interstellar travel. Loeb is known not only for his academic achievements but also for his willingness to challenge conventional thinking — especially on the subject of extraterrestrial intelligence . Whether or not 3I/ATLAS proves to be a sign of alien life, Avi Loeb has once again sparked a global conversation.
