According to controversial new research by a tiny group of scientists, a strange intergalactic object might be a “hostile” alien spacecraft that is scheduled to assault our planet in November.
“The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity,” the researchers wrote in the inflammatory paper, which was published July 16 to the preprint server arXiv, South West News Service reported.
The interstellar object, known as 3I/ATLAS, was found on July 1 hurtling at over 130,000 mph towards the sun, according to Live Science. It was verified as an interstellar object less than twenty-four hours later, although first observations indicated that it might be a comet, larger than Manhattan, with a diameter of up to fifteen miles.
The three researchers, however, hypothesised in the new report that it might be a disguised piece of alien spy gear.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, known for linking space objects to alien life, previously suggested that the 2017 object ʻOumuamua might be an alien probe. Now, alongside Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl, Loeb believes 3I/ATLAS could also be of extraterrestrial origin due to its unusual speed and trajectory. He speculates that its path—passing Jupiter, Mars, and Venus—might allow aliens to discreetly deploy surveillance “gadgets.” Loeb also notes the object will be hidden from Earth-based observation during its closest approach to the Sun in November, possibly on purpose.
Still, many astronomers, like Samantha Lawler, dismiss the idea, calling it a natural comet. Loeb himself admits the alien theory is unlikely but worth exploring. Their paper hasn’t been peer-reviewed and is viewed by critics as a far-fetched thought experiment rather than real science. Oxford’s Chris Lintott even called the claim “nonsense on stilts,” emphasizing the serious global effort to study 3I/ATLAS.
