Eccentric billionaire Elon Musk has broken his silence on something that has been puzzling experts and the public for a while. He recently spoke to Joe Rogan about an interstellar visitor that some corners of the internet have been hyping up as something more than a comet.
Elon Musk and Joe Rogan discuss all things space and the strange object in our solar system
Musk is never one to shy away from a topic he’s well-versed in. Space is naturally a frontier he’s enamored with. The SpaceX chief addressed it head-on during his latest appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. The conversation flowed. They touched on things like rockets and aliens.
Finally, to the icy object moving through the solar system. Rogan pressed him on the theories, claiming that 3I/ATLAS, the object in question, might not be natural. This rumor has gained traction. This is mainly because it’s on a high-speed hyperbolic path.
What Elon Musk had to say about the strange object known as 3I/ATLAS
Musk wasn’t dismissive about the topic. He didn’t make light of it but also didn’t allow for the rumor to grow any more than it has. Musk brushed aside the alien-craft angle, pointing out that the object behaves exactly like a comet should. Science does back his response.
Scientists at observatories looking at 3I/ATLAS have described it as a normal interstellar comet. Not some engineered machine zipping around the sun. But Rogan pushed him a little further. At which point Musk said something that shaped the entire conversation.
Elon Musk’s ominous response to Joe Rogan—”I will reveal it”—has people buzzing
In the now viral interview, Musk told Rogan, very plainly, “One thing I can say is like, look, if I was aware of any evidence of aliens, Joe, you have my word. I will come on your show, and I will reveal it on the show.” Musk wasn’t talking about 3I/ATLAS specifically.
Musk was simply making a broader promise about alien evidence in general. If aliens existed, if some government vault had proof, if SpaceX had picked up something weird out there, he’d be sure to spill it out right there in Rogan’s studio. Rogan circled back a few times to 3I/ATLAS, but Musk was unwavering.
Why 3I/ATLAS garnered so much attention online in the first place
Musk was adamant that he had nothing on aliens. He doubled down on this and made sure to tell Rogan that if he did know something, he would tell Rogan first. It seemed more like he was tired of discussing aliens but still keen on the conversation he was having on Rogan’s famed podcast.
The strange object, 3I/ATLAS, is still quite interesting, however. It’s received so much attention largely because it’s similar to another strange object that passed through our solar system. 1I/‘Oumuamua. It passed by a few years ago. Anything that enters our system from outside becomes instant conspiracy fuel. 3I/ATLAS is moving fast. Its orbit is hyperbolic. Its long, faint tail made it look unusual in some early images.
This was enough for the internet to latch on to. Factions emerged, with one side of the issue claiming that it looks engineered. Astronomers and experts maintain that 3I/ATLAS is icy and dusty. It follows normal physics. Nothing suggests artificial structure. This is what Musk placed an emphasis on in his interview with Rogan.
Musk hasn’t outrightly mocked the rumors and speculation, but he has clarified that the scientists are probably on the right track. Apparently, he trusts the data on the comet and the astronomers who are tracking its path. And he made it clear that nothing about 3I/ATLAS hints at alien tech. His comments were more grounded than people expected, especially considering how many viral clips tried to twist his words into dramatic meaning.