Not A Comet, Harvard Scientist Claims Spooky Space Object Is Alien Spaceship
He said images from the Hubble Space Telescope show a glow in front of the object, but no tail behind it. Usually, comets display a bright tail of dust and gas pointing away.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has once again ignited a debate with his latest claim about interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. The object is currently hurtling toward the inner solar system. Most astronomers agree it is a comet. But Loeb believes it is an alien spaceship sent by an advanced civilisation.
This is only the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system. Loeb says its presence could be more than chance. He argues that it may even be a kind of test set by extraterrestrials.
A 'Turing Test" for Humanity
In a new blog post, Loeb compared the object to a Turing Test. He wrote that aliens might be judging human intelligence by how we respond to such a mystery. If scientists dismiss it as just a space rock, he says, aliens could see that as proof that humans do not deserve a 'high status" among civilisations in the Milky Way.
Loeb pointed to Oxford astronomer Chris Lintott, who had called his idea 'nonsense on stilts." According to Loeb, an alien civilisation would likely see such dismissal as a failure of imagination and understanding.
Most astronomers argue that the dust is evaporating from the Sun-facing side of the object. But Loeb disagrees. He claims the object is creating its light. He even suggested it could be a spacecraft powered by nuclear energy. The dust in front of it, he wrote, might be dirt that gathered during its long journey through interstellar space.
Experts Remain Sceptical
So far, almost every other expert has dismissed Loeb's claim. To them, 3I/ATLAS is just another comet. But Loeb insists that scientists are overlooking key details.
The debate highlights a wider question about science and imagination. Should unusual space objects always be explained as natural, or should the possibility of alien technology be considered? For now, 3I/ATLAS remains a mystery in the sky.
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