In a recent interview with the New York Post on August 6, 2025, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard cautiously addressed the government's knowledge regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs). While she refrained from disclosing specific information, Gabbard emphasized her commitment to uncovering the truth about these mysterious phenomena, signaling ongoing interest and investigation within government circles.
Adding to the intrigue surrounding extraterrestrial phenomena, astronomers have recently detected a rare interstellar object traversing our solar system. This object, designated 3I/ATLAS, has sparked significant scientific curiosity due to its unusual features and trajectory. Harvard physicist Dr. Avi Loeb, a prominent voice in the study of potential extraterrestrial artifacts, has raised compelling questions about the nature of 3I/ATLAS, suggesting it might be more than a mere comet.
Discovered in early July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope based in Chile, 3I/ATLAS marks only the third known interstellar visitor recorded entering our solar neighborhood, according to NASA. While NASA has officially classified the object as a comet, Dr. Loeb points to several anomalies that challenge this classification. Notably, images of 3I/ATLAS reveal a glow emanating in front of the object rather than the typical tail that trails behind comets, a feature he describes as "quite surprising."
In typical comet behavior, dust and gas expelled from the comet’s nucleus reflect sunlight, creating a luminous tail that extends behind the comet as it moves through space. However, the bright glow ahead of 3I/ATLAS defies this expected pattern, indicating that the object might not behave like known comets. Dr. Loeb’s observations suggest that this forward glow could imply some form of active propulsion or technological feature, rather than natural cometary outgassing.
Measuring approximately 20 kilometers across—larger than the island of Manhattan—3I/ATLAS is also noted for its exceptional brightness, which is unusual given its distance from the sun. However, even more striking than its size and brightness is the object’s trajectory. Dr. Loeb explains that the path of 3I/ATLAS is highly aligned with the orbits of the planets in our solar system, a statistical rarity he estimates to occur only once in 500 randomly oriented objects entering the solar system.
Furthermore, 3I/ATLAS is expected to pass near Mars, Venus, and Jupiter as it moves through the solar system. Dr. Loeb highlights that the probability of such close encounters with multiple planets happening by chance is extraordinarily low—about one in 20,000. This unusual orbital alignment and close planetary flybys raise the possibility that the object’s trajectory might be intentional or “designed,” as Dr. Loeb suggests.
The object originates from the center of the Milky Way galaxy, further deepening the mystery surrounding its provenance and purpose. It is anticipated to reach its perihelion—the closest point to the sun—on October 30, at roughly 130 million miles away. This proximity will provide astronomers with a valuable opportunity to observe and study 3I/ATLAS in greater detail.
Dr. Loeb has speculated that if 3I/ATLAS is indeed a technological artifact, such as an alien probe or reconnaissance mission, its discovery could have profound implications for humanity’s understanding of its place in the cosmos. “If it turns out to be technological, it would obviously have a big impact on the future of humanity,” he said. “We have to decide how to respond to that.” This cautious yet open-minded approach reflects a growing willingness among some scientists to consider the possibility of extraterrestrial technologies among interstellar visitors.
The discussion about 3I/ATLAS is reminiscent of past instances where artificial objects in space were initially mistaken for natural phenomena. For example, in January, astronomers at the Minor Planet Center of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics confused a Tesla Roadster launched into orbit by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for an asteroid. Such cases underscore the challenges and complexities involved in identifying and classifying objects in space.
To date, NASA has not issued additional comments on 3I/ATLAS beyond its initial classification as a comet. A spokesperson for the agency did not immediately respond to requests for further information from Fox News Digital. Nevertheless, the scientific community is keenly observing the object’s passage