Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb says the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows several anomalies — large apparent size, unusual chemical signatures and jet-like streams — that deserve closer scrutiny. He expects NASA may soon release higher-resolution images taken from Mars on Oct. 2 that were possibly delayed by a government shutdown. NASA maintains the object is a comet and says it poses no threat; it will pass about 170 million miles from Earth in mid-December. Other scientists urge caution but credit Loeb with stimulating broader discussion.
Avi Loeb Says Skeptics Lack Imagination as He Highlights Anomalies in 3I/ATLAS
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb says the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows several anomalies — large apparent size, unusual chemical signatures and jet-like streams — that deserve closer scrutiny. He expects NASA may soon release higher-resolution images taken from Mars on Oct. 2 that were possibly delayed by a government shutdown. NASA maintains the object is a comet and says it poses no threat; it will pass about 170 million miles from Earth in mid-December. Other scientists urge caution but credit Loeb with stimulating broader discussion.
06:17 PM, 11/16/2025Science
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has criticized colleagues who quickly dismiss the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS as an ordinary comet, pointing to a list of unusual features he says merit closer study.
Loeb’s concerns and evidence
For months Loeb has urged the scientific community and the public to consider alternative explanations for 3I/ATLAS. He highlights several anomalies: an unusually large apparent size, atypical chemical signatures, and stream-like jets on the surface that he says resemble controlled rocket "thrusters." Loeb has compiled these observations on his blog as a checklist for further investigation.
"The verdict is still out, and I’m very much looking forward to getting more data in the coming weeks," Loeb told NewsNation Prime. "Any of my colleagues who claim to know it’s a comet of a type familiar to us is not really curious or imaginative about nature."
New data expected
Loeb said he has learned NASA may soon release higher-resolution images of 3I/ATLAS taken from Mars on Oct. 2. He suggested those files might have been delayed during the recent government shutdown and said the agency could publish them within days. "Let’s just keep our fingers crossed," he added.
NASA and other experts
NASA continues to classify 3I/ATLAS as a comet and says it poses no danger to Earth; the object will pass roughly 170 million miles from our planet at its closest approach in mid-December. Other scientists caution that some of Loeb’s interpretations may be overstated, but several acknowledge that his public arguments have helped broaden discussion and public interest in studying interstellar visitors.
Why it matters
Whether 3I/ATLAS proves to be an unconventional comet, an engineered object, or something else entirely, the debate underscores how limited data can lead to competing hypotheses and the value of new observations. The coming release of NASA’s images and additional measurements may clarify the object’s nature and trajectory.
Reporting referenced: NewsNation. For more, see Loeb's blog and official NASA statements.