A MYSTERIOUS COMET IS SHOOTING THROUGH OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. WHY ARE SCIENTISTS SO EXCITED ABOUT 3I/ATLAS?
After arguing with NASA about an enigmatic object that is headed our way, a Harvard scientist has finally addressed the idea that it might contain extraterrestrial intelligence. NASA claims that the object, known as 3I/ATLAS, is a comet that came from somewhere outside of our solar system.
Physicist Avi Loeb isn't so certain, though. Loeb offered his thoughts on the object as it continues to move closer to Earth, where it will pass at a distance of roughly 170 million miles. He noted that what some might consider to be the comet's "tail" may actually be a "fictitious elongation of the image as a result of the object's motion. "As a result, Loeb expressed belief that the object was more likely to be engineered than naturally occurring. Not only that, but he's now addressed the possibility that it could contain 'alien intelligence'.
To determine the existence of 'a superior alien intelligence', there are two factors to take into account, Loeb says in a new Medium post. These are 'our search effort and how far or silent that intelligence is'. Loeb explains: "There is no doubt that to discover signs of alien intelligence, we must be open-minded enough to seek it. The opportunities to find a partner on the dating scene scale with the readiness to date and the level of effort invested in the search. "Of course, success depends also on how close the pool of desired partners is. It makes sense to start with our nearest opportunity."
Loeb emphasized the importance of gathering 'as much data as possible' as the object approaches the Sun, which is scheduled for October 29, 2025, in order to have a better understanding of 3I/ATLAS. Scientists will then be able to determine whether the item actually has a tail, increasing the likelihood that it is a naturally occurring phenomenon, Loeb explained.
However, Loeb cautioned that "the future of mankind will be different from its past" if 3I/ATLAS displays "signs of intelligence.""Having no communication at all with a stranger would trigger a transactional response to ambiguous actions without an understanding of the underlying purpose or meaning of these actions," he explained. But before we start thinking too hard about ways to communicate with the aliens, let's maybe just figure out if they exist, first.