An interstellar visitor known as 3I/ATLAS, currently hurtling toward its closest approach to the Sun, has ignited a debate among astronomers (and enthusiasts) over its true nature: is it a natural black swan comet from another star system, or, as a Harvard scientist suggests, a potential piece of alien technology (or both)? The hubbub has escalated to the point that the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), a United Nations-endorsed body, has launched its first-ever systematic monitoring campaign for an interstellar object.
First discovered in July, 3I/ATLAS is the third confirmed object to enter our solar system from beyond, following 'Oumuamua (2017) and Borisov (2019). However, this object, estimated to be roughly the size of Manhattan, has displayed characteristics that defy conventional cometary physics.
These peculiarities have propelled Dr. Abraham Loeb, a professor of science and director of the Institute for Theory and Computation at Harvard University, to argue that 3I/ATLAS may be artificial. Dr. Loeb has publicly proposed the possibility that the object is a "mothership" set on releasing mini-probes near the Sun's gravity well, set for October 29. Dr. Loeb's call for the public to "take vacations before October 29" has further fueled online speculation and debate.
While most of the scientific community maintains that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, albeit an unusual one, the unique challenges it presents spurred an unprecedented response from planetary defense organizations. IAWN has thus initiated the Comet Astrometry Campaign to sharpen global detection and monitoring techniques for such a rare, potentially high-impact object. This campaign will run from late 2025 into early 2026, using global assets to better understand the object's trajectory and composition.
NASA officials have consistently reassured the public that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth. It is set to make its closest approach to our planet on December 19, passing at a safe distance of about 1.8 times the space between the Earth and the Sun.