A Huge Space Object Is Speeding Toward Earth, and a Harvard Expert Says It ‘Is Not Natural’

Imagine looking up at the night sky and spotting a huge, mysterious interstellar object racing through space, coming from far beyond our solar system.

It is moving fast, and it seems to be heading in our direction. Scientists have noticed it, and one expert from a top university thinks it might hold a big secret.

This object, found just last month, has everyone talking about what it could mean for our planet.

The story started on July 1, 2025, when a telescope in Chile picked up a bright spot in the sky. Named 3I/ATLAS, this thing is the third visitor from outside our solar system that we have ever seen.

It is big—about 12 miles wide—and traveling at over 37 miles per second. That is faster than most things we see in space. At first, people thought it was just a comet, like the ones that sometimes light up the sky with tails of ice and dust. But as more data came in, some details did not add up.

Mysterious Interstellar Object: Why Scientists Think It Might Not Be a Normal Comet

Why do some scientists think the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is artificial?

Experts have looked closely at pictures from NASA’s Hubble telescope. Comets usually have a tail that trails behind them as they get close to the sun and heat up. But this object has a glow in front instead of a tail.

That is odd because heat should push gas and dust backward, not forward. Also, it does not show the usual signs of gas coming off it, which comets do when they melt a bit.

The path it is taking is another puzzle. It is flying in a way that lines up almost perfectly with the flat plane where our planets orbit the sun. The chances of that happening by random are very low—about one in 500.

Plus, it will pass close to three planets: Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. For a rock tumbling through space by chance, the odds of such a route are even smaller, like one in 20,000.

It will get nearest to the sun around October 29, and by December, it could be about 130 million miles from Earth. That is far, but close enough to watch carefully.

Avi Loeb, a physicist from Harvard, has studied space objects like this before. He looked at one called Oumuamua years ago and thought it might not be natural. Now, he says the same about 3I/ATLAS.

He points out that its size and speed suggest there is not enough loose rock in deep space to send something this big our way so often. He even made a scale to rate if things in space are natural or made by something smart.

On his scale, this object scores a six out of ten, meaning it leans toward being built, not formed by nature.

Most other scientists disagree. Over 200 have said it looks like a comet, maybe one that has been worn down by traveling a long time. They think the glow could be from how we see it moving, not a real front-facing tail.

But Loeb says we should not ignore the chance it is something else. He warns that if it is made by aliens, it could be here to help us or hurt us.

How the World Can Get Ready

Loeb thinks we need to act now. He says governments should watch the sky more with better telescopes. Tools like the new Rubin Observatory could spot more of these visitors soon.

We should check for strange shapes, lights, or moves that do not follow normal gravity. If it turns out to be tech from another world, we might need plans to defend ourselves, though that could be hard.

He also suggests sending a spacecraft to get a closer look, like what NASA has done with other objects. But time is short since it is moving so fast. Loeb says being ready is smart, even if it is just a rock.

It could teach us about other star systems. If it is more, it might change how we see our place in the universe.

This debate shows how much we still do not know about space. Objects like 3I/ATLAS remind us that surprises can come from anywhere.

As it gets closer, more eyes will be on it. Will it pass by quietly, or reveal something amazing? Only time will tell, but staying alert could make all the difference.

You might also want to read: Earth Is Spining Faster and Scientists Are Considering Doing Something They Have Never Done Before