Is comet 3I/ATLAS alien technology? NASA, scientists debate

Technology Nov 10, 2025

Scientists are puzzled by comet 3I/ATLAS after new photos showed it missing its usual tail—a classic comet feature.
Snapped by a Spanish observatory on November 5, the images have sparked debate as the comet heads toward a close pass by Earth in December (about 167 million miles away).

The contrasting views on the comet's nature

Harvard's Avi Loeb thinks 3I/ATLAS might actually be alien tech, pointing to its super unusual orbit (rarely this close to our solar system's main plane), massive size (a million times bigger than 'Oumuamua), and odd metal makeup.
But NASA isn't convinced—scientists there say natural causes could explain everything.
For now, experts are keeping an open mind as more data comes in.