Renowned physicist reveals real reason 3I/ATLAS lost its tail — and it’s not aliens

According to physicist Michio Kaku, the unusual interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is probably not an alien spaceship. He believes it’s likely an old comet that has traveled a long distance and is now showing signs of wear and tear.

TopMob has been monitoring the ongoing discussion surrounding 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object that’s sparked a lot of theories. Previous reports detailed claims that the object might have sent signals to Earth, and that NASA’s slow release of images led to speculation about aliens. There were even suggestions that a UN-supported system for protecting Earth from threats had focused on this object, worried about its potentially advanced, extraterrestrial origins.

Recently, scientists Neil deGrasse Tyson and Avi Loeb have both discussed the unusual object known as 3I/ATLAS. Tyson believes it might be an alien probe, but doesn’t think that’s likely, while Loeb is calling on NASA to share more information as the comet gets closer to Earth.

During a November 8th interview with NewsNation, Michio Kaku talked about new images of the celestial object 3I/ATLAS, which is about the size of Manhattan. The object recently seemed to lose its tail as it passed the Sun. Some scientists have wondered if this means it isn’t a comet, but Kaku believes its strange appearance is likely due to its great age.

Kaku says 3I/ATLAS is a 7-billion-year-old “garbage collector”

According to Kaku, this object is incredibly old – potentially seven billion years. He suggests that over such a vast period, it would naturally collect debris, explaining why the comet has an unusually high nickel content.

He explained the object’s unusual makeup – high in nickel and iron – is probably due to its long journey through space over billions of years, picking up gases and materials along the way. Kaku also pointed out that this is unlike comets in our solar system, which are much younger – only three to four billion years old.

This interview comes after astrophysicist Avi Loeb – from Harvard – asked NASA to share new data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. He believes a temporary NASA shutdown caused a delay in releasing detailed images. Physicist Michio Kaku disagreed with the secrecy surrounding the data, arguing that keeping it hidden only fuels speculation about whether it might show evidence of life beyond Earth.

Although Dr. Kaku hasn’t completely dismissed the idea that the object could be alien-made, he believes it’s unlikely. Currently, the object, known as 3I/ATLAS, seems to be acting like a typical comet as it approaches Earth in roughly six weeks.

Read More

2025-11-10 19:50