Alien threat? Interstellar object to hide near sun this November
The object, named 3I/ATLAS, was discovered on July 1 and is traveling at a blistering 130,000 mph. It's expected to reach its closest point to the sun in November 2025 — when it will also be hidden from Earth's view.
The paper, published on arXiv and co-authored by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, theorizes that 3I/ATLAS might be a disguised extraterrestrial spy probe. Loeb gained attention in 2017 for proposing that another interstellar object, ʻOumuamua, could be alien technology. He and collaborators Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl suggest 3I/ATLAS's unusual speed and trajectory could support its alien origin.
Scientists Consider Possibility of Alien Attack on Earth in November: In a paper published on July 22, researchers propose that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS may be an artificial alien spacecraft maneuvering for a potential attack on Earth… pic.twitter.com/gKsyDjB8o1 — UFO mania (@maniaUFO) July 25, 2025
The paper speculates that 3I/ATLAS may make close passes to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, potentially planting surveillance gadgets. Its timing — being closest to the sun when it can't be seen from Earth — is seen as suspicious by the authors, who cite the dark forest hypothesis, which claims alien civilizations hide to avoid detection or confrontation.
However, most astronomers disagree. Experts like Samantha Lawler and Chris Lintott argue it is likely just a natural comet ejected from another solar system. Loeb himself admitted the alien theory is unlikely but worth exploring scientifically.
The paper has not been peer-reviewed and remains a controversial take on what is otherwise being called a historic astronomical discovery.
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Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Alien threat? Interstellar object to hide near sun this November
A shocking new study suggests that an interstellar object hurtling toward the sun could be a "possibly hostile" alien spacecraft. The object, named 3I/ATLAS, was discovered on July 1 and is traveling at a blistering 130,000 mph. It's expected to reach its closest point to the sun in November 2025 — when it will also be hidden from Earth's view. The paper, published on arXiv and co-authored by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, theorizes that 3I/ATLAS might be a disguised extraterrestrial spy probe. Loeb gained attention in 2017 for proposing that another interstellar object, ʻOumuamua, could be alien technology. He and collaborators Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl suggest 3I/ATLAS's unusual speed and trajectory could support its alien origin. Scientists Consider Possibility of Alien Attack on Earth in November: In a paper published on July 22, researchers propose that the recently discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS may be an artificial alien spacecraft maneuvering for a potential attack on Earth… — UFO mania (@maniaUFO) July 25, 2025 The paper speculates that 3I/ATLAS may make close passes to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus, potentially planting surveillance gadgets. Its timing — being closest to the sun when it can't be seen from Earth — is seen as suspicious by the authors, who cite the dark forest hypothesis, which claims alien civilizations hide to avoid detection or confrontation. However, most astronomers disagree. Experts like Samantha Lawler and Chris Lintott argue it is likely just a natural comet ejected from another solar system. Loeb himself admitted the alien theory is unlikely but worth exploring scientifically. The paper has not been peer-reviewed and remains a controversial take on what is otherwise being called a historic astronomical discovery.
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Third interstellar object detected racing through solar system
This handout image obtained on May 23, 2024 courtesy of NASA/ESA/CSA shows space telescope Euclid's new image of star-forming region Messier 78 (the central and brightest region), a vibrant nursery of star formation enveloped in a shroud of interstellar dust. The European Space Agency (ESA) unveiled on May 23, 2024 a first batch of scientific images of the cosmos taken by the Euclid space telescope, which will observe two billion galaxies over six years in an attempt to unravel the mystery of elusive dark matter. (AFP) Listen to article Astronomers on Wednesday confirmed the discovery of an interstellar object racing through our solar system — only the third ever spotted, though scientists suspect many more may slip past unnoticed. The visitor from the stars, designated 3I/Atlas, is likely the largest yet detected and has been classified as a comet, or cosmic snowball. 'It looks kind of fuzzy,' said Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation. 'It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail.' Originally known as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, the object poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency. 'It will fly deep through the solar system, passing just inside the orbit of Mars,' but will not hit our neighboring planet. Excited astronomers are still refining their calculations, but the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second. Read: Netflix, NASA team up for space content This would mean it is not bound by the Sun's orbit, unlike objects that remain within the solar system. Its trajectory also 'means it's not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again,' Moissl said. 'We think that probably these little ice balls get formed associated with star systems,' added Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 'And then as another star passes by, tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us.' A Chile-based observatory that is part of the NASA-funded ATLAS survey first discovered the object on Tuesday. Professional and amateur astronomers across the world then searched through past telescope data, tracing its trajectory back to at least June 14. The object is currently estimated to be roughly 10–20 kilometers wide, Moissl said, which would make it the largest interstellar interloper ever detected. But the object could be smaller if it is made out of ice, which reflects more light. Veres said the object will continue to brighten as it nears the Sun, bending slightly under the pull of gravity, and is expected to reach its closest point — perihelion — on October 29. An artist's impression of 'Oumuamua', the first known visitor from the stars to our Solar System. Photo: AFP It will then recede and exit the solar system over the next few years. This marks only the third time humanity has detected an object entering the solar system from the stars. The first, ʻOumuamua, was discovered in 2017. It was so strange that at least one prominent scientist became convinced it was an alien vessel — though this has since been contradicted by further research. Our second interstellar visitor, 2I/Borisov, was spotted in 2019. Read more: Pakistani astronaut to embark on space mission with China There is no reason to suspect an artificial origin for 3I/Atlas, but teams around the world are now racing to answer key questions about things like its shape, composition, and rotation. Mark Norris, an astronomer at the UK's University of Central Lancashire, that the new object appears to be 'moving considerably faster than the other two extrasolar objects that we previously discovered.' The object is currently roughly around the distance from Jupiter away from Earth, Norris said. Norris pointed to modeling estimating that there could be as many as 10,000 interstellar objects drifting through the solar system at any given time, though most would be smaller than the newly discovered object. If true, this suggests that the newly online Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile could soon be finding these dim interstellar visitors every month, Norris said. Moissl said it is not feasible to send a mission into space to intercept the new object. Still, these visitors offer scientists a rare chance to study something outside of our solar system. For example, if we detected precursors of life such as amino acids on such an object, it would give us 'a lot more confidence that the conditions for life exist in other star systems,' Norris said.
Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Christopher Nolan faces challenge casting Matt Damon as Odysseus in The Odyssey adaptation
As Christopher Nolan prepares to bring The Odyssey to the big screen, a major question looms: can Matt Damon convincingly portray the epic transformation of Odysseus? With a $250 million budget and a high-profile cast, Nolan's adaptation of Homer's legendary poem faces high expectations—and significant creative hurdles. This transformation, central to Homer's narrative, hinges on both visual deception and emotional payoff. While the scale and spectacle of the project promise cinematic grandeur, some experts point to a subtler yet critical challenge. Harvard Professor Gregory Nagy, a scholar of Greek literature, highlighted in an interview with Screen Rant the difficulty of portraying Odysseus' dramatic physical and emotional shift. After two decades away—ten years at war and ten years lost at sea—Odysseus returns to Ithaca in disguise as a beggar. This descent from royal hero to apparent outcast is essential to the story's impact. Nagy emphasized that in Homer's tale, Odysseus' appearance changes so drastically that even his son barely recognizes him, likening him to a radiant, youthful groom. Making such a transformation believable, especially with a well-known Hollywood actor like Damon, will be a demanding task for the production. The success of this arc depends on selling the full contrast between Odysseus' lowest and highest moments—both visually and emotionally. Despite these challenges, excitement around the project remains high, especially with the release of the film's first teaser trailer. Currently playing in select theaters ahead of Jurassic World Rebirth, the teaser offers a sweeping vision of ancient Greece. It features Tom Holland as Telemachus and a brief shot of Damon's Odysseus adrift at sea. Set to release on July 17, 2026, Nolan's The Odyssey promises epic storytelling—but must also overcome the unique challenge of transforming a modern movie star into a mythic hero torn down and reborn.
