Scientists reveal desperate six-word plea for interstellar object ahead of Earth encounter
The object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is traveling on a rare retrograde path and will reach its closest point to the sun on October 29, 2025, which Harvard physicist Avi Loeb suggested could be an ideal window for a covert approach on Earth.
While Loeb is not 100 percent sure 3I/ATLAS is of alien origin, he proposed communicating with it as a precaution and crafted a six-word message for the occasion.
The physicist told the Daily Mail that he wants to beam, 'Hello, welcome to our neighborhood. Peace!'
'The only way to reach it now is with a beam of light,' Loeb explained, suggesting a radio message could be sent in hopes of detecting a response.
Loeb warned that if the object is an alien probe, it could reach Earth by Christmas 2025, giving humanity only months to prepare for a possible encounter.
However, he also acknowledged the risks, noting that any intelligent life aboard might see the signal as a threat.
'A visitor to our backyard, like 3I/ATLAS, can easily enter our home planet, Earth, within a travel time of less than a few months,' Loeb said.
NASA detected the object, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, on July 1, sparking a flurry of scientific analysis to determine its origin.
While more than 200 researchers have concluded it is likely a comet, Harvard physicist Avi Loeb has raised doubts in a newly released pre-print paper, pointing to one glaring omission: 3I/ATLAS has no visible tail.
'There were claims of a tail,' Loeb said, 'but since 3I/ATLAS is accelerating and its current size is not much larger than the angular resolution of Earth-based telescopes, it is not easy to avoid fictitious elongation of the image as a result of the object's motion.'
He also questioned the object's unusual lack of gas emissions and its precise, retrograde trajectory, which aligns suspiciously well with the inner solar system.
Loeb has developed what he calls the 'Loeb Scale', a ranking system to evaluate the likelihood that an object is artificial, and gave 3I/ATLAS a six out of ten.
That suggests it is more likely than not to be engineered, though he emphasized that this score may change as more data becomes available.
'During an exchange with 3I/ATLAS, we could use the Turing Test as a measure of the intelligence with which we communicate, as long as the two sides develop a common language for communication,' Loeb shared in a blog post.
'Our side of the communication channel can be assisted by our most advanced artificial intelligence systems to decode the messages we receive.
'But as anyone who went on a blind date knows, exchanging text messages could be a very different experience than an actual encounter 'in person.''
Among his more provocative theories, Loeb suggested 3I/ATLAS could be an alien mothership releasing small probes to intercept Earth.
'The more likely scenario from an engineering perspective involves a mothership that releases mini-probes which perform a reverse Oberth maneuver to slow down at perihelion and intercept Earth,' Loeb wrote.
This type of maneuver uses the sun's gravitational pull at the object's closest approach to adjust the trajectory efficiently, enabling the probes to reach Earth without large amounts of fuel.
Chris Lintott, an astronomer at the University of Oxford, dismissed Loeb's theory as 'nonsense on stilts,' calling it 'an insult to the exciting work going on to understand this object.'
However, Loeb said his analysis remains rooted in observational data.
His latest paper, based on ground-based telescope readings between July 2 and 29, revealed reddening colors in 3I/ATLAS, usually interpreted as surface dust or organic compounds.
Loeb noted that spectroscopic data from this and three previous studies show no signs of atomic or molecular gas in a coma, a feature typically expected in comets.
While the reddening may suggest dust, it could also mean the object simply has a naturally red surface, much like D-type asteroids or other ancient space rocks.
'Continued monitoring around perihelion is necessary to track changes in activity and color,' the study concluded, 'which will provide insights into the evolution of interstellar materials under solar radiation.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Trump orders relaxed rules for rocket launches, appearing to benefit Musk and Bezos
Donald Trump is looking to relax environmental rules for commercial spaceship companies. In an executive order titled 'enabling competition in the commercial space industry' that he signed on Wednesday, he said it's imperative to national security that the private rocket-ship industry increase launches 'substantially' by 2030. That would mean, according to the executive order, that those companies may be able to forgo the environmental reviews that are required under the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa). Private space companies are required to get launch permits from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). And, as part of that process, companies are subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Sean Duffy, the US secretary of transportation, which oversees the FAA, called Trump's executive order 'visionary'. The FAA has faced criticism from space companies for taking too long to review launch permits while environmental groups have lambasted the agency for not using Nepa reviews to require more protections at launch sites. These environmental reviews are required because rocket launches and landings can be massively disruptive to local towns and residents, along with the natural surroundings. Exhaust, smoke plumes and sonic booms created at launch can injure and kill endangered species, and detritus from exploded rocket parts returning to Earth can harm fish and marine animals with hazardous material spills, fuel slicks and falling objects. Trump's executive order appears to especially benefit Elon Musk and his company SpaceX. SpaceX has been seeking to increase its rocket-ship launches and landings around the country. The company has been involved in a lawsuit brought by environmental groups for violating the National Environmental Policy Act; they say the FAA did not do a thorough enough environmental assessment of SpaceX's impact to endangered species regarding its rocket launches in Boca Chica, Texas. The lawsuit looked at the first launch of SpaceX's massive Starship rocket in Texas in April 2023. The spaceship, which is designed to one day make it to Mars, pulverized its launchpad on takeoff, sending chunks of concrete flying 6 miles (10km) away. The blast ignited a grassfire that burned nearly 4 acres (1.5 hectares) of state park and, from what is known, destroyed a nest of bobwhite quail eggs and a collection of blue land crabs. 'This reckless order puts people and wildlife at risk from private companies launching giant rockets that often explode and wreak devastation on surrounding areas,' said Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit. 'Bending the knee to powerful corporations by allowing federal agencies to ignore bedrock environmental laws is incredibly dangerous and puts all of us in harm's way,' Margolis added. 'This is clearly not in the public interest.' The FAA announced in May that it had given SpaceX permission to increase its number of Starship launches in Texas from five per year to 25. SpaceX has also been seeking to increase launches of its smaller Falcon rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California from 50 per year to 95. Trump's executive order would facilitate an expedited review process to get these and other launch permits. Along with SpaceX, the order would benefit commercial space companies like Jeff Bezos's Blue Horizon, which has also been aiming to increase rocket launches. The White House touted the order on Wednesday as being the latest 'deregulatory action' to reform the National Environmental Policy Act and eliminate 'burdensome DEI requirements'.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Trump orders easing of commercial spaceflight rules, in boon to Musk's SpaceX
WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to streamline federal regulation governing commercial rocket launches, a move that could benefit Elon Musk's SpaceX and other private space ventures. Trump's order, among other things, directs the U.S. transportation secretary to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch licenses administered by the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House said in a statement. The declaration also calls on the secretary to do away with "outdated, redundant or overly restrictive rules for launch and reentry vehicles." "Inefficient permitting processes discourage investment and innovation, limiting the ability of U.S. companies to lead in global space markets," the executive order states. While Musk and Trump had a high-profile falling out months ago, the billionaire entrepreneur's SpaceX rocket and satellite venture potentially stands to be the single biggest immediate beneficiary of Trump's order on Wednesday. SpaceX, though not mentioned by name in Trump's order, easily leads all U.S. space industry entities, including NASA, in the sheer number of launches it routinely conducts for its own satellite network, the U.S. space agency, the Pentagon, and other enterprises. Jeff Bezos' private rocket company Blue Origin and its space tourism business could also gain from a more relaxed regulatory regime. Musk has repeatedly complained that environmental impact studies, post-flight mishap investigations and licensing reviews required by the FAA have needlessly slowed testing of SpaceX's Starship rocket, under development at the company's South Texas launch facility. Starship is the centerpiece of Musk's long-term SpaceX business model, as well as a core component of NASA's ambitions for returning astronauts to the moon's surface, establishing a permanent human lunar presence and ultimately sending crewed missions to Mars. Musk has viewed FAA oversight as a hindrance to his company's engineering culture, considered more risk-tolerant than many of the aerospace industry's more established players. SpaceX's flight-test strategy is known for pushing spacecraft prototypes to the point of failure, then fine-tuning improvements through frequent repetition. This has appeared to run afoul at times with the FAA's mission of safeguarding the public and the environment as it exercises its regulatory jurisdiction over commercial spaceflight. Earlier this year, the FAA grounded Starship test flights for nearly two months after back-to-back post-launch explosions rained debris over Caribbean islands and forced dozens of airliners to change course. The FAA ended up expanding the aircraft hazard zone along Starship's launch trajectories before licensing future flights.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Dirty habit followed by 18 million Americans linked to alarming surge of schizophrenia
The 18 million Americans who use cannabis daily have drastically increased their odds of developing schizophrenia, a serious mental disorder that can lead to death. The grim findings come from a new report by the Canadian Medical Association Journal which revealed that patients needing hospitalization because of cannabis-related health problems were 14 times more likely to develop schizophrenia within three years. These symptoms could range from severe psychiatric symptoms such as paranoia or panic attacks to overdosing on THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis that gives users its signature 'high' feeling. Researchers found that the risk for schizophrenia was a staggering 241 times higher among people needing hospitalization for cannabis-induced psychosis. This temporary mental health condition triggered by cannabis use causes hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. The report found that the main cause of this major health risk was the significant rise in the levels of THC within cannabis, which has gone from just four percent 20 years ago to 20 percent today. Dr Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa said: 'Cannabis from the 2000s is not the same as in 2025.' While schizophrenia itself is not a fatal condition, it can lead to life-threatening situations as these patients have a higher risk of dying by suicide due to severe symptoms such as depression. The new report from CMAJ pooled the results from five separate studies on cannabis use in Canada. These studies included data gathered from a large population-based study in Ontario involving 9.8 million people. That specific dataset helped researchers find the growing connection between cannabis-induced health issues and schizophrenia. Study authors warned that the higher potency of cannabis today showed a direct link to psychosis risk, especially among younger users, men, and those with a history of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Overall, the report revealed that about 0.47 percent of cannabis users end up experiencing symptoms of psychosis. That's roughly one in every 200 users. However, up to 76 percent of those who do experience these symptoms for more than 24 hours end up needing emergency care - sending their chances of developing schizophrenia skyrocketing. Schizophrenia is treated with a combination of antipsychotic medications, therapy, and support. Antipsychotic drugs, like risperidone and olanzapine can help manage symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions by balancing brain chemicals. Therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help patients cope with symptoms and improve their daily functioning. As for regular cannabis users who haven't developed mental health problems, study authors said there is one definitive way to reduce their risk: stop using cannabis. Moreover, the report warned that continuing to use cannabis after an initial episode of psychosis led to an increased risk that the symptoms would return. Using cannabis, especially high-potency products with more than 20 percent THC, can cause some people to experience severe nausea and vomiting. Rapid heart rate, chest pains that mimic a heart attack, or fainting can also occur and require an urgent trip to the hospital. Overdosing on THC, particularly from consuming edibles or using vapes, can lead to extreme confusion, agitation, or a loss of coordination, all of which can increase the risk of a serious accident. Among users with pre-existing mental health conditions, cannabis-related health problems can include worsening symptoms of anxiety or depression, such as severe mood swings or suicidal thoughts. Cannabis' status in the US has been complex for years, with recreational use legal in 24 states and Washington DC, and medical use allowed in 38 states as of 2025. However, it remains a Schedule I drug federally, classified as highly dangerous with no accepted medical use. The Biden administration proposed moving cannabis to Schedule III in May 2024, recognizing its potential as a medical treatment, but a January 2025 hearing was canceled, leaving the decision to the Trump administration.
