A rare interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, is approaching our solar system and has sparked debate among scientists. First detected in July, the object was initially classified as a comet by NASA but Harvard physicist Dr. Avi Loeb now suggests it could be a nuclear-powered spaceship.
Dr. Loeb pointed out that an image showed an unexpected glow in front of the object, which cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing. He proposes two alternative explanations: the object is generating its own light from nuclear energy or it’s a spacecraft with accumulated dirt on its surface during interstellar travel.
Dr. Loeb dismissed other natural power sources, including a primordial black hole and radioactive fragments from supernovae, as unlikely explanations. The simplest explanation, he notes, would be a central, compact high-power source like nuclear power.
Despite not claiming the object is nuclear-powered himself, Dr. Loeb stresses that proving it would require more evidence. The 20-kilometer-wide object is expected to pass near Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, coincidences that are highly improbable.
If confirmed as a technological object, its implications for humanity’s future would be significant. As Dr. Loeb said, “We have to decide how to respond to that.”
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/harvard-physicist-says-mysterious-interstellar-object-could-nuclear-powered-spaceship