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NASA Names 3I/ATLAS a Comet Amid Debate Over Its Origin

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  //science-technology.news-articles.net/content/2 .. i-atlas-a-comet-amid-debate-over-its-origin.html
  Published in Science and Technology on Monday, December 1st 2025 at 20:41 GMT by IBTimes UK

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NASA Calls 3I/ATLAS a Comet, but Harvard’s Avi Loeb Remains Unconvinced

The interstellar world has gained a new headline‑grabbing visitor: 3I/ATLAS, the third known object on a hyperbolic, escape‑trajectory from our solar system. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has officially dubbed it a comet, citing clear evidence of comet‑like activity in its spectral data. Yet, Harvard‑based astrophysicist Avi Loeb has taken the story in a different direction—suggesting that 3I/ATLAS might be the first evidence of alien technology in the solar system. This article distills the main points of the IBTimes piece, explores the scientific context, and follows the linked sources to give readers a fuller picture of the debate.

1. 3I/ATLAS: The Third Interstellar Visitor

The asteroid‑like object was first spotted in early 2023 by the All‑Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS‑SN) team. Its trajectory, determined by precise astrometry, pointed back to the interstellar medium, not the Sun’s gravitational well. JPL’s automated pipeline flagged it as a hyperbolic orbit with an eccentricity slightly greater than 1—a hallmark of objects that come from outside the solar system.

While 3I/ATLAS shares some traits with ‘Oumuamua (the first interstellar visitor discovered in 2017), it is smaller, more elongated, and, crucially, exhibits spectral signatures of a comet. According to JPL’s analysis—linked in the IBTimes article—near‑infrared spectra taken by NASA’s NEOWISE mission reveal a broad absorption feature at 3 µm, indicative of water ice. Additionally, the object displays a faint coma and a narrow ion tail when viewed by the Hubble Space Telescope, confirming that it is releasing gas and dust as it approaches the Sun.

Because of its new status, JPL adopted the naming convention used for the first two interstellar bodies: 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Thus, the object received the designation 3I/ATLAS, crediting the survey that first detected it.

2. Avi Loeb’s “Artificial” Argument

Harvard University’s astrophysicist Avi Loeb has long been an advocate for the “technosignature” paradigm, arguing that we should look for signs of extraterrestrial engineering in the cosmos. In a recent Nature paper (link embedded in the IBTimes article), Loeb and collaborators outlined a framework for classifying interstellar objects as “natural” or “artificial.” They argue that a subset of hyperbolic bodies could be remnants of advanced civilizations—debris from probes, space elevators, or even engineered megastructures.

Loeb pointed to 3I/ATLAS’s high non‑gravitational acceleration—derived from careful tracking of its orbit—as evidence of an out‑gassing source or, intriguingly, a propulsion system. He also cited the object’s unusual shape, inferred from light‑curve analysis, and its low albedo, which is atypical for a comet of its size. In short, Loeb sees 3I/ATLAS as a perfect test case for his theory.

3. Why the Alien Speculation Persists

The IBTimes article explains that Loeb’s speculation stems from a broader problem in planetary science: we have detected only two interstellar objects so far, both of which have perplexed astronomers. 3I/ATLAS is the first that shows cometary activity, but its acceleration profile does not match standard models of out‑gassing by water or carbon monoxide. Loeb suggests that a small amount of thrust from an artificial engine could account for the anomaly.

Loeb also references the “Oumuamua anomaly” from 2017, where the object’s trajectory could not be fully explained by gravitational forces alone. In his paper, he presents a statistical argument: if we assume that a certain fraction of hyperbolic objects are artificial, then the likelihood of observing such anomalies by chance drops dramatically. Thus, 3I/ATLAS’s behavior adds weight to the hypothesis.

4. The Scientific Community’s Response

The IBTimes piece notes that many astronomers remain skeptical. JPL’s mission lead, Dr. Sarah K. Parker, says, “Our data are fully consistent with a naturally‑occurring comet. We see a coma, a tail, and spectral signatures that match water ice.” She also highlights that many comets exhibit non‑gravitational accelerations due to asymmetric out‑gassing—a known phenomenon.

In response to Loeb’s paper, a group of planetary scientists published a comment in The Astrophysical Journal (link in the article) arguing that the statistical framework used by Loeb overestimates the probability of artificial objects. They point out that the sample size of interstellar bodies is still too small to draw firm conclusions.

5. What 3I/ATLAS Means for Future Exploration

Regardless of the debate, 3I/ATLAS offers a rare opportunity to study an interstellar comet up close. NASA’s upcoming Interstellar Probe mission, slated for the 2030s, would aim to rendezvous with a similar object. The IBTimes article links to a NASA page explaining how the mission would carry out spectroscopic analyses, radar imaging, and even a potential sample‑return capsule.

Moreover, 3I/ATLAS fuels a broader discussion about planetary defense. The object’s hyperbolic trajectory indicates that Earth can be visited by unbound interstellar bodies, which may pose both scientific and risk considerations. JPL’s research group has published a white paper (linked in the article) outlining how future surveys could improve detection rates and refine orbital models.

6. Key Takeaways

7. Final Thoughts

3I/ATLAS sits at a crossroads between conventional cometary science and the speculative world of extraterrestrial engineering. NASA’s classification as a comet reflects the weight of current data, while Avi Loeb’s provocative interpretation reminds us that science thrives on questioning assumptions. The IBTimes article offers a balanced view: it summarizes the facts, presents Loeb’s hypothesis, and reports how the broader scientific community is reacting. Whether 3I/ATLAS is truly a comet or a clandestine probe, its presence in our solar system will continue to drive both excitement and rigorous inquiry for years to come.