Is the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Alien Technology?
2025/07/16 by Adam Hibberd, Adam Crowl, Hibberd, Adam +3 · 26 voices · 5 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life #astro-ph.EP #astro-ph.GA #astro-ph.IM
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2507.12213
openalex publication_date 2025/07/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Abstract
At this early stage of its passage through our Solar System, 3I/ATLAS, the recently discovered interstellar interloper, has displayed various anomalous characteristics, determined from photometric and astrometric observations. As largely a pedagogical exercise, in this paper we present additional analysis into the astrodynamics of 3I/ATLAS, and hypothesize that this object could be technological, and possibly hostile as would be expected from the 'Dark Forest' resolution to the 'Fermi Paradox'. We show that 3I/ATLAS approaches surprisingly close to Venus, Mars and Jupiter, with a probability of \lesssim 0.005%. Furthermore the low retrograde tilt of 3I/ATLAS's orbital plane to the ecliptic offers various benefits to an Extra-terrestrial Intelligence (ETI), since it allows the object access to our planet with relative impunity. The eclipse by the Sun from Earth of 3I/ATLAS at perihelion, would allow it to conduct a clandestine reverse Solar Oberth Manoeuvre, an optimal high-thrust strategy for interstellar spacecraft to brake and stay bound to the Sun. An optimal intercept of Earth would entail an arrival in late November/early December of 2025, and also, a non-gravitational acceleration of ∼5.9 × 10-5 au day-2, normalized at 1 au from the Sun, would indicate an intent to intercept the planet Jupiter, not far off its path, and a strategy to rendezvous with it after perihelion.
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Discussions
- Is the Interstellar Object 3I/Atlas Alien Technology? [hn, 36 points, 19 comments]
- Oh for heaven’s sake… 🔭🧪 arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 30 points, 7 comments]
- The answer to your paper title is an emphatic "No", Avi Loeb. https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 BAHAHAHA oh gosh he's escalated to making alien doomsday predictions!! Though at this point I think many [bsky, 23 points, 3 comments]
- That group has a paper out this evening talking about scenarios for I3/ATLAS that would indicate piloted behavior. I have no doubt their math is fine, but to be clear: this object has shown nothing si [bsky, 17 points, 1 comments]
- Harvard astrophysics professor Avi Loeb and colleagues suggest that 3I/ATLAS could be an alien craft based on irregular trajectory observations. His paper, which is not yet peer reviewed, can be read [bsky, 14 points, 5 comments]
- There’s a lot of buzz right now about 3I/ATLAS, a probable interstellar comet, claiming it could be a “hostile alien spacecraft” or whatever. Here’s the actual scientific paper that originated that id [bsky, 11 points, 1 comments]
- Well, OK then... arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 8 points, 7 comments]
- Is het interstellaire object 3I/ATLAS buitenaardse technologie? arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 5 points, 0 comments]
- Here's an interesting paper by our member @adamsspaceresearch.bsky.social et al. There's been criticism that it proposes alien origin for 3/Atlas, but it says that is not so : it's an academic exercis [bsky, 4 points, 0 comments]
- Not peer reviewed; Avi Loeb (of #Oumuamua infamy) claiming interstellar object 31/ATLAS may be #alien technology [via Cornell] 🧪🔭👽🤖⚙️☄️ "3I/ATLAS, [an] #interstellar interloper, has displayed vari [bsky, 3 points, 2 comments]
- Well, this sounds completely bonkers: arxiv.org/pdf/2507.12213 [bsky, 2 points, 1 comments]
- In case you need an emetic arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
- The Interstellar Observer hypothesis paper is actually really interesting and not as whackadoo as media coverage would suggest. arxiv.org/pdf/2507.12213 [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
- "Is the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Alien Technology?" is not something I expected to read tonight, but at least it seems to be an interesting hypothesis argued with evidence (and LaTeX!) arxiv.org/p [bsky, 2 points, 1 comments]
- Go to my starshp blog for i4is which can be found here: i4is.org/wp-admin/pos... It raises a hypothetical question and mentions the various evidence in favour. It emphasises that the investigations ar [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- From the 'to a hammer, everything is a nail' file, Prof. Avi Loeb pleads a case for 3I/ATLAS as alien technology. arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- Is the Interstellar Object 3I/Atlas Alien Technology? https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44695159) [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Is the Interstellar Object 3I/Atlas Alien Technology? #HackerNews https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Liittyy vahvasti aiheeseen. 👇 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- @lordbonkers.bsky.social arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Hier ist das Paper, der meint das ernst! 🔭😀 arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- @adamsspaceresearch.bsky.social, Adam Crowl and Avi Loeb controversially ask whether 3I/ATLAS could be alien technology: arxiv.org/abs/2507.122... [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]
- 🙏🛸 arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- arxiv.org/pdf/2507.12213 1Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is), 27/29 South Lambeth Road London, SW8 1SZ, United Kingdom 2Astronomy Department, Harvard University, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge MA [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- @drbriankeating.bsky.social Is the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Alien Technology? @hossenfelder.bsky.social arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- #ufosky #ufo #oumuamua Time to re-watch Independence Day! arxiv.org/abs/2507.12213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
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