- September 16, 2025
- 4:16 pm
- World News
The mysterious 3I/ATLAS sparked rumors about aliens. NASA explained: before us is an interstellar comet, albeit with unusual behavior.
Where the sensation began
In July 2025, astronomers noticed a new interstellar object. Its speed turned out to be record-breaking, and the size of the core was about 5.6 km.
It seemed like an ordinary discovery. But it was these features that triggered a wave of speculation and headlines in the media.
The “ship” theory
Israeli-American astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested: 3I/ATLAS could be an artificial probe.
According to his version, the object is capable of changing trajectory, hiding, and even approaching Earth.
The scientist referred to the “Dark Forest” concept: in the Universe, civilizations live on alert and may perceive each other as a threat.
What NASA says
The agency’s chief specialist on small bodies, Tom Stetler, gave an explanation on September 15, 2025:
“3I/ATLAS behaves like a comet. We see the formation of a coma, the release of dust and gas. These are natural signs, not related to artificial origin.”
It was these “ordinary” cometary properties that led NASA to reject the idea of an alien ship.
Facts about the object
Discovery date: July 1, 2025
Core size: ~5.6 km
Speed: almost twice that of ‘Oumuamua
Features: dust coma, gas emissions, interstellar trajectory
How is this different from usual comets?
Scientists acknowledge: 3I/ATLAS has details that do not match the behavior of ordinary bodies in the Solar System. But this rather expands knowledge about the nature of interstellar objects than proves its “artificiality.”
Why interest does not fade
The scientific conclusion is simple: we have a comet.
However, public interest is fueled by several factors:
Speed and size — everything is unusual.
Previous experience with ‘Oumuamua showed that interstellar objects can surprise.
Loeb’s hypotheses provided fodder for the media and made the story loud.
Israeli accent
For Israel, this story is also important because Avi Loeb, a professor with Israeli roots, became the main source of discussion. His hypotheses divided the scientific community but attracted the attention of the world press.
NAnews — News of Israel reminds: even if NASA dismissed the version of a ship, the dialogue about life in the Universe remains at the center of attention, and Israeli scientists play a significant role in it.
Conclusion
3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet flying through our system.
Rumors about an “alien ship” turned out to be more a reflection of human imagination and expectations than scientific facts.
Nevertheless, each new celestial body of such scale reminds us: space holds secrets, and the answers to them are not always on the surface.