‘Interstellar invader’: Is Earth in danger from incoming ‘alien spacecraft’?

A ‘hostile’ alien spacecraft might try to attack Earth in November, according to a controversial new study.

The group of scientists believe a strange intergalactic object may be a possible threat.

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In their draft paper, they suggest the object, known as 3I/ATLAS, could be a piece of alien technology that might strike Earth unexpectedly.

According to the researchers, the object’s path makes it easier for an intelligent spacecraft to come near Earth without drawing attention.

But what exactly is this object? Should you be worried?

This is what the new study explains:

What is the ‘hostile’ alien spacecraft?

According to the scientists, a rare interstellar object, the third ever spotted, is speeding through our Solar System at an extremely high velocity.

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Called 3I/ATLAS, the object was first detected on July 1 as it moved towards the Sun at more than 130,000 mph, Live Science reported.

Within a day, it was confirmed to be an interstellar visitor. Early observations indicated it might be a comet roughly 15 miles wide, bigger than the Manhattan region in New York City.

The newly identified ‘interstellar invader’ 3I/ATLAS contains large amounts of water ice. Scientists believe this water may have been trapped inside the object for as long as seven billion years, making it older than the solar system itself, Space.com reported.

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The team also detected a mix of organic molecules, silicates, and carbon-based minerals on 3I/ATLAS. These features suggest the object shares similarities with asteroids located on the outer edge of the solar system’s main asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter.

However, the researchers behind the new study proposed that the object may not be a comet at all, but instead a form of alien surveillance equipment disguised as a natural body.

One of the researchers, Avi Loeb, a Harvard astrophysicist known for connecting unusual space objects to possible alien life, had earlier suggested that ʻOumuamua, the interstellar object seen in 2017, could have been an artificial probe sent by an alien civilisation, due to its strange shape and unexplained acceleration.

In this new paper, Loeb teamed up with Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London to argue that 3I/ATLAS may also have an alien origin, based on its path through space.

The three researchers pointed out that its higher speed, which is much faster than ʻOumuamua and other similar objects, and its unusual entry angle into the Solar System may provide “various benefits to an extraterrestrial intelligence,” Loeb explained in a blog post.

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Should you be worried?

According to Loeb, 3I/ATLAS will pass close to Mars, Jupiter and Venus, which he suggests could give aliens a chance to place surveillance ‘gadgets’ on those planets quietly.

When the object reaches its closest point to the Sun in late November, it will no longer be visible from Earth.

“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 said.

He added that if the object turns out to be a “technological artefact,” it might support the dark forest theory. This idea suggests alien life stays hidden to avoid detection, either to protect itself or to remain unnoticed by others.

Loeb has cautioned that if this theory is correct, a possible attack cannot be ruled out, and “defensive measures” might be needed.

However, there is a catch: 3I/ATLAS is moving too quickly for any spacecraft from Earth to reach it before it leaves the Solar System.

Other scientists remain unconvinced by the alien theory. Many believe 3I/ATLAS is simply a comet.

Samantha Lawler, an astronomer from the University of Regina in Canada who studies the motion of objects in the Solar System, told Live Science, “All evidence points to this being an ordinary comet that was ejected from another solar system, just as countless billions of comets have been ejected from our own solar system.”

Even Loeb acknowledged in his blog post that his alien probe idea might be unlikely: “By far, the most likely outcome will be that 3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet.”

The researchers also urged readers not to take the paper as final, adding that it has not yet been reviewed by other scientists.

Some critics have gone further, calling the study an insult to serious scientific work, pointing out that there is strong evidence suggesting 3I/ATLAS is not a sign of alien contact, The New York Post reported.