Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb has proposed that the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS may be a relic from an extraterrestrial civilization. Recent observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope revealed an unexpectedly high ratio of carbon dioxide to water and a highly irradiated ice core, fueling theories that the object was sent toward the inner solar system by design.
H2 Anomalous Chemical Composition
Data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has provided new insights into the nature of 3I/ATLAS. While the object was widely believed to be a comet, Futurism reports that astronomers discovered an unexpectedly high ratio of carbon dioxide to water. The object also features a highly irradiated ice core, which complicates the standard cometary model.
H2 Proximity to Mars and the Inner Solar System
The trajectory of 3I/ATLAS has drawn scrutiny due to its proximity to several major planets. Loeb noted that the object’s path brings it near Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Specifically, the interstellar visitor is expected to come within 1.67 million miles of the path Mars follows around the Sun.
H2 Evaluating Artificial Signatures
The possibility of technological intervention has been a central theme in the analysis of the object. In a research paper, Loeb and colleague Adam Hibberd calculated that a small nudge—an orbit correction of between 6.2 and 9.3 miles per second during September 2025—could have resulted in a collision with Mars. Loeb suggested the object might be a relic from an extraterrestrial civilization that was sent towards the inner solar system by design.
Loeb noted that if materials from 3I/ATLAS were to arrive at Mars in October, it would be a potential signature of technology.
He has also argued that NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter should look for precursor objects that could rendezvous with Mars.
