❓WHAT HAPPENED: A controversial study has suggested that an intergalactic object, 3I/ATLAS, might be a hostile alien spacecraft potentially slated to attack Earth.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The study was authored by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, along with Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London, England.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The object was discovered on July 1, and the study was published on July 16 on the preprint server arXiv.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
🎯IMPACT: The study has sparked debate among scientists, with many dismissing the alien theory as unfounded and others urging caution.
A group of scientists claims an interstellar object, aa, has been identified as potentially being a hostile alien spacecraft in a new study by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb and researchers Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl. The paper, published on July 16 on the preprint server arXiv, has stirred controversy among scientists worldwide. “The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
The object, discovered on July 1 and traveling at over 130,000 mph, was initially thought to be a comet with a diameter of up to 15 miles. However, Loeb and his colleagues speculate that its trajectory and speed suggest it could be extraterrestrial spy technology. Loeb, who has previously linked interstellar objects to alien life, theorized that 3I/ATLAS’s behavior could serve strategic purposes for an alien intelligence.
“This could be intentional to avoid detailed observations from Earth-based telescopes when the object is brightest or when gadgets are sent to Earth from that hidden vantage point,” Loeb wrote in a blog post. He also warned that the object’s potential alien origins might support the “dark forest hypothesis,” which posits that extraterrestrial civilizations remain hidden to avoid threats. Loeb suggested this could necessitate defensive measures.
Critics, however, have dismissed the claims. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina, stated, “All evidence points to this being an ordinary comet that was ejected from another solar system.” Chris Lintott, an astronomer at the University of Oxford, added, “Any suggestion that it’s artificial is nonsense on stilts, and is an insult to the exciting work going on to understand this object.”
Even Loeb acknowledged that the alien theory is unlikely, admitting, “By far, the most likely outcome will be that 3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet.” The researchers also cautioned that their paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, should be taken with a grain of salt.
Image: Olivier Hainaut et al./European Southern Observatory (processed by Nrco0e).
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