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Harvard astrophysicist pressures NASA over interstellar comet images
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb is urging NASA to release high-resolution images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, claiming that the Manhattan-sized object might be extraterrestrial technology rather than a natural visitor from another star system. This demand has reignited debate surrounding Loeb’s controversial theories.
Allegations of withheld evidence
Speaking on "The Joe Rogan Experience," Loeb alleged that NASA has critical photographs of 3I/ATLAS, captured by the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on October 2, when the comet came within 30 million kilometers of Mars. Loeb stated that he directly contacted the HiRISE principal investigator for the data but received no response.
“Surprisingly, the best image was taken on October 2, 2025, during the comet’s close approach to Mars,” Loeb told Rogan. When asked if NASA might be withholding important discoveries, he quipped, “It’s far more likely to be terrestrial stupidity than extraterrestrial intelligence.”
NASA has neither confirmed the existence of such images nor responded to accusations of data withholding. The agency maintains its official stance that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth and follows a predictable trajectory.
Brightness and trajectory spark new questions
The controversy deepened when 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach to the Sun on October 29, traveling at a record-breaking speed of 68 kilometers per second. Loeb had speculated that the object might execute an artificial maneuver during this optimal window, but the comet followed its expected hyperbolic path without deviation.
However, new observations revealed unusual behavior. As the comet neared the Sun, it brightened significantly, becoming "far more luminous than any previous solar system comet" and appearing distinctly bluer than the Sun in color photometry. “Why would it be bluer than the Sun?” Loeb questioned in an interview with Newsmax.
This sudden increase in brightness and unusual color contrasts with typical comet behavior, which usually involves dust making such objects appear redder due to their cooler surface temperatures. Scientists have noted that the comet's brightness evolved at an unexpectedly abrupt rate, differing from prior observations.
Scientific community remains unconvinced
Loeb has documented eight anomalies regarding 3I/ATLAS, including its emission of four grams of nickel per second without detectable iron and its "anti-tail" pointing toward the Sun. Despite these findings, the broader scientific community remains skeptical, asserting that the object is a natural comet. Both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) continue to monitor 3I/ATLAS as it approaches its closest point to Earth on December 19.
Brian Cox, a physicist at the University of Manchester, dismissed Loeb's claims, stating, “The comet 3I/ATLAS is indeed a comet, composed of carbon dioxide, water ice, and various other materials. Its origin is entirely natural.” The comet will remain visible to telescopes starting November 11 before exiting the solar system permanently.