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The enigmatic warning of a Harvard scientist to "take vacations before October 29" has fuelled cyber speculation regarding an unknown interstellar object traversing our solar system. Nicknamed 3I/ATLAS, the object has raised interest due to its enormous size, abnormal chemical makeup, and cryptic motion defying standard astronomical explanations.
What makes 3I/ATLAS so unusual?
First detected in July, 3I/ATLAS measures nearly 5.6 kilometres across and weighs an estimated 33 billion tonnes. Moving at an extraordinary speed, it travels almost twice as fast as previous interstellar visitors like ‘Oumuamua and Borisov. Its highly accurate path, aligned within five degrees of the ecliptic plane of the planets, was pointed out by astronomers. Such accuracy, scientists say, is rarely seen in natural celestial objects and could hint at something out of the ordinary.
The object’s chemical makeup has raised even more questions. Observations from Hawaii’s Keck II telescope revealed that 3I/ATLAS emits nickel tetracarbonyl, a compound previously known only from industrial processes on Earth. The telescope data showed that it releases around four grams of nickel every second, with no trace of iron—a combination never before recorded in any comet or asteroid.
Is 3I/ATLAS a natural object or something more?
Dr Avi Loeb, a Harvard astrophysicist who has made headlines with his unorthodox ideas, suspects the object may be man-made. Speaking to The New York Post, he said, “There is only one place where that is known to exist and that is in industrially produced nickel alloys. This was never observed for any other object.”
Loeb points out that 3I/ATLAS behaves differently from typical comets. Instead of releasing gas away from the Sun, its jet points directly toward it. He contends that its trajectory and chemical composition may be indicative of purposeful design over happenstance natural forces. Loeb has also expressed scepticism about NASA's candour, suggesting the agency is suppressing some information and photographs about the object.
How has the scientific community responded?
The discovery has divided astronomers. 3I/ATLAS has been viewed by some scientists as a potential sign of intelligent design, while others maintain it is a natural phenomenon. NASA, however, maintains that the object poses no danger to Earth and will safely pass through the inner solar system.
Scientists from Spain’s University of A Coruña have offered a more conventional explanation. Their simulations, currently under peer review, found no sign of artificial interference. The team identified 93 possible stellar encounters in the object’s past, concluding that it likely originated in the galaxy’s thin disk, a region thought to be around 10 billion years old. “Each observation is like opening a window into the Universe’s past,” said Dr Pérez Couto, one of the study’s authors.
Despite these findings, Loeb remains unconvinced. He continues to argue that science should stay open to unconventional possibilities. “If it was designed by intelligence, you would not be able to predict exactly what it would do,” he said. Loeb also hinted that his “vacation” warning may align with new data expected later this month, potentially shedding more light on the object’s true nature.
For now, 3I/ATLAS remains an enigma—an interstellar visitor that could either reshape out
