NASA has firmly debunked a Harvard astronomer's suggestion that an interstellar comet passing through our solar system might be an artificial object created by alien intelligence.
The space agency confirmed Comet 3I/Atlas exhibits entirely natural characteristics despite its unusual trajectory.
Harvard's astronomer Avi Loeb, head of the Galileo Project searching for extraterrestrial evidence, had speculated the comet could represent a technological artifact due to its lack of gaseous tails and unconventional path.
Loeb warned it might perform secret maneuvers behind the sun with potentially dire consequences for humanity.
NASA solar system expert Tom Statler countered these claims and stated: "It looks like a comet. It does comet things. Evidence overwhelmingly points to this object being a natural body."
Hubble Telescope observations show the comet measures 3.5 miles wide and travels at 209,000 km/h, the fastest velocity recorded for a solar system visitor.
The comet will pass no closer than 170 million miles from Earth while making close approaches to Mars, Jupiter and Venus.
Statler revealed all comets display unpredictable behaviors as solar heating affects their icy compositions differently, creating occasional brightness surges that surprise observers.
Chile's ATLAS telescope July 01, 2025 discovery, marks only the third known interstellar object detected passing through our solar system.
Scientists believe such visitors provide unprecedented opportunities to study materials from other star systems despite their mundane nature.
Loeb acknowledged his alien technology hypothesis was likely incorrect but defended it as valuable scientific speculation that challenges conventional thinking.
The comet continues its journey through our solar system without threatening Earth or exhibiting artificial characteristics.