“The rhetorical balance often tilts,” the analysis notes, “creating a false equivalence between the natural and ET hypotheses.”
Algorithms Amplification Becomes Aliens of the Gaps
The Center’s research emphasizes that the story of 31/ATLAS is as much about information systems as it is about astronomy. Social Media Platforms like X, YouTube, and even Google reward speculation and mystery.
Search results for “3I/ATLAS” routinely surfaced articles asking whether it might be alien technology, including Loeb’s own essays, alongside UFO-focused channels repackaging his interviews with dramatic titles and AI voiceovers.
As Bayar puts it, “The path from comet to ‘alien probe’ is not a straight line—it runs through creators, platforms, and algorithms, each adding a bit more drama and a bit less context.”
When Scientific Speculation Becomes Conspiracy
The researchers stress that curiosity and speculation are not the problem. The issue arises when speculative framing travels faster and farther than evidence-based explanations.
