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Harvard scientist doubles down on 3I/ATLAS claims; comet underwent ‘sudden changes'
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb further speculates and comments on a series of unexpected behaviors exhibited by 3I/ATLAS
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb on Thursday highlighted a series of unexpected behaviours displayed by the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. He told Newsmax that it had undergone a sudden, dramatic brightening and an unusual shift to a bluer hue, a phenomenon rarely seen in comets entering the Solar System.
He raised his observations during an interview with Newsmax, where he highlighted what he called “very surprising” changes in the object’s behaviour and urged more transparency from NASA’s data release.
Also Read: 3I/ATLAS row: 5 big claims Avi Loeb has made about the Manhattan-size comet
What is unusual about 3I/ATLAS?
Loeb told Newsmax the object has brightened far more quickly than any previously observed comet, saying: “We have a report that the object got much brighter than expected, much brighter than any previous comet from the solar system did as it approached the Sun’s perihelion.”
He further noted that 3I/ATLAS appears blue in colour. This is a divergence from the reddish or dusty hue of typical comets. “The colour of the object is blue, bluer than the Sun. And that’s very surprising, because usually when there is dust around an object, it should make it red.”
Loeb also pointed out that the object passed unusually close to Mars earlier this month, photos of which are yet to be released by NASA.
Also Read: NASA withheld info on 3I/ATLAS': Harvard scientist's big claim on comet
What is Loeb's take?
Loeb suggests that the combination of rapid brightening, unusual colour may point to more than a standard cometary event.
He described the scenarios as part of a thought experiment, noting that while a natural explanation remains likely, the possibility of something more extraordinary should not be dismissed.
However, NASA maintains its statement that 3I/ATLAS “poses no threat to Earth” and that current data support its classification as a cometary object. Some independent astronomers argue that, while unusual, 3I/ATLAS’ behaviour remains within the range of extreme natural phenomena.
