Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, in a recent conversation regarding the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, stirred global debate. Loeb, who had earlier claimed that 2017’s ‘Oumuamua could be alien technology, now argues that 3I/ATLAS might also be of artificial origin, setting off another storm in the scientific community.
Harvard Professor of Science Avi Loeb talks about 3I/ ATLAS
Here are five major claims Loeb has made about 3I/ATLAS:
3I/ATLAS may be a “technological artifact,” not a natural object
Loeb has suggested that 3I/ATLAS could have been “manufactured” rather than formed through natural cosmic processes. He wrote on his Medium blog that the object’s composition, brightness, and trajectory hint at non-natural origins. It could possibly be a remnant or probe sent by extraterrestrial intelligence.
“If it were built by another civilization, it would change how we see our place in the universe,” Loeb told The New York Post.
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The “anti-tail” and chemical composition are potential red flags
According to Loeb, 3I/ATLAS displays an “anti-tail.” The object has a bright jet of dust and gas pointing toward the Sun instead of away from it. It is an anomaly which is rarely seen in nature.
He also cited recent spectral analyses in his interviews and medium articles, showing nickel emissions without corresponding iron, calling this combination “physically inconsistent” for a conventional comet.
A possible ‘black swan’ event with global implications
Loeb stated that the discovery of an artificial interstellar object could represent a “black swan event.” He sees this as a rare, high-impact revelation that would fundamentally alter humanity’s understanding of life beyond Earth.
He cautioned that dismissing such anomalies too quickly could cause the scientific community to miss crucial evidence.
“If this object turns out to be artificial, it will redefine not just astronomy, but civilization itself,” he said in an interview with Live Science.
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Loeb alleges NASA may be withholding key data
Loeb has hinted that NASA and other space agencies are not fully disclosing observational data about 3I/ATLAS. He is urging for complete transparency, saying that the raw telescope imagery and spectroscopic readings should be made publicly available for peer verification.
NASA, in a public statement, has denied any such withholding, emphasizing that data from major observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope are shared through open-access scientific archives.
Its unusual trajectory and velocity make it a possible “mothership”
Loeb noted that its hyperbolic trajectory mirrors the behavior of ‘Oumuamua. Unlike most comets or asteroids, 3I/ATLAS entered the Solar System at a steep, high-velocity path, making its orbit difficult to reconcile with typical interstellar dynamics.
Astronomers observing the object have confirmed its erratic course but maintain that it could still be a natural interstellar comet.