October 28, 2025

Hold on tight, space fans! The strange visitor 3I/ATLAS from beyond our solar system just did something that blew scientists' minds. This interstellar comet, zooming through space, seemed to hit reverse right when it vanished behind the Sun. Yes, you read that right – reverse thrust! According to The Daily Mail, this odd move adds to the growing mystery that 3I/ATLAS might not be your everyday comet from another star. Harvard’s star scientist Avi Loeb is turning heads with a bold claim. He says 3I/ATLAS shows signs that it might be controlled by some unknown intelligence. Could this curious comet actually be an alien spaceship wearing a comet disguise? Loeb told the Daily Mail, “If 3I/ATLAS comes out of this blind spot in a completely different place than gravity was taking it, it would be a clear sign the object was artificial and likely powered by some kind of engine.” Wow! Most astronomers are skeptical and think Loeb’s ideas are too wild. But he argues that many scientists care more about their reputations than chasing mind-blowing questions. “Here we are talking about a potential for something that could affect humanity in the future in a dramatic way, and so you shouldn't apply the same approach of being as conservative as possible,” Loeb explained. He added, “I don’t want to be their therapist, but they’re trying to obviously protect their reputation, not take risks, and also pretend that they know the answer in advance.” Bold words! The plot thickened in August when a study from astrophysicists in Chile revealed something fishy. Unlike natural comets, which spit out nickel together with iron, 3I/ATLAS was shedding only nickel—about five grams every second—and cyanide too, which soared as it neared the Sun. This strange chemistry makes scientists think it might not be a comet at all! Loeb also raises the size surprise—3I/ATLAS is huge! Bigger than the asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs 66 million years ago. He said, “It would have been on the order of 10 million times more massive than Oumuamua and 10,000 times more massive than Borisov.” Such big space objects from interstellar realms are extremely rare. Even NASA is keeping a close eye. Though 3I/ATLAS isn’t heading our way to crash, it’s been added to a major planetary defense list. Over 227 observatories around the world are tracking it. What’s next? October 29 is the big day when 3I/ATLAS will zoom closest to the Sun. Then, on December 19, it will pass near Earth. NASA plans to get extra close in 2026 by studying it via the Juno spacecraft near Jupiter. Loeb says, “We should not miss an opportunity, because this is a gift from interstellar space.” He believes the arrival of 3I/ATLAS and fellow traveler Oumuamua just eight years ago are clues, not coincidences. “What nature is trying to tell us is that we don't understand something.” Are we on the edge of discovering a cosmic secret? Stay tuned!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: 3i/atlas, Interstellar comet, Avi loeb, Space mystery, Nasa, Alien life,