NASA Addresses Online Speculation
As 31/ATLAS brightened during its approach, public interest surged. During a recent 43-day government shutdown, when NASA was unable to comment publicly or release new imagery, online rumors flourished, with some speculating that the object could be alien technology.
Once the shutdown ended, NASA held a detailed briefing drawing on observations from more than 20 missions across the solar system. The agency made its conclusion unmistakably clear.
“We very much want to find signs of life in the universe,” said NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya. “But 3I/ATLAS is a comet.”
NASA emphasized that all available data point to a natural origin, consistent with icy bodies formed around distant stars and ejected into interstellar space.
Unlocking the Comet’s Chemical Secrets in Interstellar Space
Scientists are racing to collect data before the comet fades from view. Researchers are particularly focused on its spectral fingerprint, which may reveal clues about the composition of the star system where 31/ATLAS formed.
