A REAL WAR OF THE WORLDS? Harvard Scientist Thinks Aliens Could Reach Earth Late This Year

A Harvard astronomer’s controversial theory about a massive object hurtling through our solar system has ignited fierce debate in the scientific community — and raised questions about whether humanity should prepare for contact.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
I'm Daryn Marler, and this is a weird darkness bonus byte.
Something enormous is racing through our Solar system right now.
It's moving at one hundred and thirty five thousand miles
per hour, and astronomers can't quite agree on what they're
looking at. The object, designated three I Atlas, spans roughly
twenty kilometers across, about the size of Manhattan, and it's

(00:28):
following a path through space that has one prominent scientist
convinced we might be witnessing something more than just another
space rock. On July first, twenty twenty five, a NASA
funded telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert captured the first images
of an object that didn't belong. The Atlas Asteroid Terrestrial
Impact Laser Alert System Survey had been scanning the sky

(00:51):
for potentially hazardous asteroids when it detected something moving against
the background stars in a way that immediately flagged it
as unusual. The object's trajectory told astronomers it came from
somewhere else, somewhere beyond our son's gravitational influence. This made
three iye Atlasts only the third confirmed interstellar object ever
detected in our solar system, following a Muamua in twenty

(01:14):
seventeen and Comet Boazov in twenty nineteen. But unlike those
previous visitors, this one displayed characteristics that made even seasoned
astronomers pause. The size alone defied expectations. At twenty kilometers
in diameter, three I atlasts dwarfed a muamua by a
factor of two hundred. The brightness measurements suggest something massive,

(01:37):
too massive, according to Harvard astrophysicist Avilobe to be a
typical interstellar wanderer. In his calculations, the odds of encountering
a natural object this large moving through interstellar space at
this particular moment stretch credulity. Avio Loobe isn't just an
astronomer making wild claims from his basement. He chairs Harvard's

(01:58):
astronomy department, found how did the University's black hole Initiative,
and served as the longest tenured chair of Harvard's Department
of Astronomy from twenty eleven to twenty twenty. He is
authored over eight hundred scientific papers and eight books. When
lob speaks, the scientific community listens, even if they don't
always agree. Loeb has built a reputation for challenging conventional

(02:21):
thinking about extraterrestrial life. In twenty seventeen, when a muamua
passed through our solar system, he suggested its unusual acceleration
and cigar like shape could indicate an artificial light sale.
In twenty twenty three, he led an expedition to recover
fragments of a media from the Pacific Ocean floor, claiming
the metallics ferules showed compositions unlike anything in our Solar system.

(02:44):
His latest focus on three I atlasts follows a familiar pattern,
but with stakes he describes as potentially existential. In papers
co authored with colleagues from the Initiative of Interstellar Studies
in London, Lobe lays on a case that has other
scientists calling his idea everything from thought provoking to absolute nonsense.
The first red flag appeared in the object's orbital alignment.

(03:07):
Three I atlasts moves through space on a retrograde path,
opposite the direction planets orbit the Sun, but its trajectory
lies within five degrees of Earth's orbital plane. The probability
of this happening by chance about zero point two percent,
According to Lobes calculations, then there's the timing. The object

(03:28):
will reach Perihelian, its closest approach to the Sun, on
October thirtieth, twenty twenty five, at a distance of one
hundred and thirty million miles. At that exact moment, Earth
will be positioned on the opposite side of the Sun,
completely blocking our view of three Ieatlis when its brightest
and most active lobe points out. This would be the
perfect moment for any spacecraft to perform what's called a

(03:51):
reverse O birth maneuver, using the Sun's gravity to decelerate
and potentially become bound to our Solar System. The trajectory
brings three iatlysts unusually close to multiple planets, within point
sixty five astronomical units of Venus, zero point one point
nine astronomical units of Mars, and zero point three six

(04:11):
of Jupiter. The cumulative probability of randomly passing this close
to all three worlds about zero point zero zero five percent.
These encounters would provide ideal opportunities for deploying probes or
conducting reconnaissance of potentially habitable worlds. Perhaps most puzzling is

(04:32):
what the Hubble Space telescope revealed in images captured on
July first, twenty twenty five. While comets typically display tails
trailing behind them as solar radiation vaporizes their icy surfaces,
three i atlts shows something different, a diffuse glow concentrated
in front of the object, not behind it. The data

(04:53):
three Iyealyis's closest approach to the sun carries an almost
supernatural coincidence that hasn't been lost on observd. October thirtieth,
twenty twenty five, marks exactly eighty seven years since Orson
Wells terrorized America with his War The World's radio broadcast
the infamous nineteen thirty eight Halloween Eve transmission that convinced

(05:14):
thousands of listeners that Martians were invading New Jersey that night.
In nineteen thirty eight, Wells and the Mercury Theater on
the Air presented their adaptation of H. G. Wells science
fiction novel as a series of breaking news bulletins. Listeners
who tuned in late missed the disclaimer that it was fiction.
Panic spread across the Northeast as people believed alien cylinders

(05:36):
were landing, releasing poisonous gas and death rays. Families fled
their homes, phone lines jammed, police stations were overwhelmed with calls. Now,
on the same date, nearly nine decades later, a real
interstellar visitor will make its closest approach to our Sun
while hidden from Earth's view. The parallel feels almost scripted,

(05:58):
except this time, the objecting through our solar system is
undeniably real, even if its nature remains disputed. The resonance
between these two October thirty events extends beyond mere calendar coincidence.
Both involve scientists and authority figures trying to calm public
fears while speculation runs wild. Both raise questions about humanity's

(06:21):
readiness to confront visitors from beyond Earth. Both blur the
line between scientific possibility and science fiction in weighs to
captivate and unsettle the public imagination. Love himself seems aware
of this symbolic weight, though he focuses on the practical implications.
The Halloween e Perihelian means that any observations of three

(06:42):
I Atlas at its most active moment will be impossible
from Earth, a cosmic trick or treat that denies us
crucial data at the most critical time. Traditional comets behave
predictably when they approach the sun. Solar radiation heats their
icy nuclei, creating jets of gas and dust ust that
stream away from the Sun, forming the characteristic taiale we

(07:03):
associate with comets, but three I Atlas breaks this pattern
in a way that has astronomers scrambling for explanations. The
Hubble images show a concentrated brightness ahead of the object's motion,
what Low describes as unprecedented in cometary observations. Spectroscopic analysis
has failed to detect the typical molecular signatures of cometary

(07:24):
gases like water, vapor, carbon monoxide, or cyanogen. The reddish
tinge to the reflected sunlight could come from the object's
surface composition, but without the expected gas emissions. Scientists are
left with a puzzle. Ground based observations from major observatories,
including Gemini North in Hawaii and the Very Large Telescope

(07:45):
in Chile, have captured the same forward facing below. The
consistency across multiple instruments rules out instrumental error or atmospheric effects.
Something about three I Atlas is fundamentally different from every
comet we've studied. Loebe suggests the glow could represent something
else entirely, perhaps exhaust from a propulsion system or a

(08:07):
deflector shield of some kind. While his colleagues in the
astronomy community largely dismiss such speculation, they admit they don't
have a complete explanation for what they're seeing. In his
papers on three I Atlas, Loeb invokes a chilling concept
from science fiction that has gained traction among some theorists,
the dark forest hypothesis, popularized by Chinese author Lu Chin's

(08:32):
novel The Dark Forest. The idea suggests our galaxy might
be filled with civilizations that remain silent and hidden, knowing
that revealing themselves could invite destruction from more powerful species.
In this scenario, interstellar space becomes a cosmic killing field,
where civilizations send out reconnaissance probes to identify potential threats

(08:52):
or targets while maintaining their own concealment. The hypothesis attempts
to explain why, despite the vast number of potentially habit
of worlds, we've detected no clear signals from alien civilizations.
They're all hiding from each other. Lobe and his co
authors Adam Hibbert and Adam Crowell present three ieatlests as
potentially fitting this dark forest model. Its approach from the

(09:16):
direction of the galactic center, where stellar crowding made early
detection nearly impossible, could represent deliberate concealment. The timing of
its discovery just months before Perihelion left humanity with no
realistic chance of intercepting it with current technology. If astronomers
had detected three I at lists even one year earlier,

(09:37):
Lobe's calculations show we could have launched a spacecraft to
intercept it. Now, with chemical rockets maxing out at about
thirty kilometers per second, we can't match the ninety eight
kilometer per second velocity difference between Earth and the retrograde
object at closest approach. The mathematics of three eye atlasis
trajectory reveals something unsettling. The object's path creates what Loab

(09:59):
describes as optimal launch windows for deploying smaller craft toward
inner Solar System targets. The velocity changes needed to send
probes from three I Atlas to Venus, Mars or Jupiter
fall below five kilometers per second, well within the capabilities
of technology we've used for intercontinental ballistic missiles since the
nineteen fifties. The retrograde orbit offers another advantage for any

(10:22):
hypothetical mission, maximum velocity difference at encounter. Any probes launched
toward Earth would arrive at a combined speed, making interception
or detailed observation extremely difficult. With our current technology. We'd
have minimal time to react and limited ability to pursue
or examine anything deployed for the parent object. Lobe's most

(10:44):
specific prediction centers on a window between November twenty one
and December fifth, twenty twenty five. Based on orbital mechanics
and optimal trajectory calculations, this period would represent the ideal
time for any craft launched from three i at lists
at perihelion to reach Earth. He emphasizes that while the
hypothesis remains highly speculative, the implications warrant serious consideration. The

(11:09):
papers acknowledge what Lobe calls Pascal's wager applied to cosmic visitors.
The potential consequences of being wrong about hostile intentions far
outwaigh the embarrassment of unnecessary preparation, even if the probability
remains minuscule. He argues, the existential nature of the risk
demands we at least consider defensive measures. Not everyone in

(11:31):
the astronomy community appreciates Lobe's approach to three Eye Atlas.
Chris Lintett, professor of astrophysics at Oxford, called the alien
spacecraft hypothesis absolute nonsense and an insult to the exciting
work being done to understand this object. He argues that
invoking aliens when we don't fully understand something undermines legitimate
scientific investigation. Jane Lou, professor at the University of Oslo

(11:56):
and co discoverer of the Kuiper Belt, emphasized that numerous
scientists are studying three Eye atlets with conventional explanations in mind.
Their observations consistently point to a large comet with unusual
but not impossible characteristics. The object doesn't threaten Earth, she stresses,
and speculation about alien technology serves only to distract from

(12:17):
real science. David Jewett, who discovered the first Kuyper Belt
object alongside Loo, offered perhaps the most dismissive assessment. When
asked about potential risks from three I Atlas, he responded
that there's more danger from a toaster of an exploding
than from this interstellar visitor causing any harm to Earth.
NASA and the European Space Agency have officially classified three

(12:40):
I Atlas as an interstellar comet. Their analysis suggests the
forward facing glow could result from particularly active jets on
the Sun facing side of the nucleus or from fragmentation
events we haven't directly observed. The lack of detected gases
might indicate a peculiar surface composition or depletion of volatiles
during its long interstellar journey. Despite scientific skepticism, Lobe's ideas

(13:04):
have founded audience beyond academia. Florida Congresswoman Annapolina Luna wrote
to NASA Administrator Sean Duffy in August twenty twenty five,
urging the agency to extend the JUNO spacecraft mission to
investigate three I Atlas. Juno, currently orbiting Jupiter, is scheduled
for a controlled deorbit in September twenty twenty five, but

(13:25):
Luda supports Loeb's proposal to redirect it for a flyby
of the interstellar visitor. The proposal faces significant technical challenges,
though Jason Wright of Pennsylvania State University points out that
JUNO lacks a sufficient fuel for such a maneuver, and
its main engine has been malfunctioning. Even if the technical
hurdles could be overcome, the fifteen million dollars per six

(13:48):
months needed to extend the mission might be better spent
on other research. Still, the political interest highlights growing public
fascination with three ialyss and what it might represent. Social
media has exploded with speculation about alien motherships and surprise attacks,
fueled by viral videos claiming scientists degree and extraterrestrial spacecraft approaches.

(14:10):
Earth Fatch checkers have worked overtime debunking the most extreme
claims while acknowledging the kernel of truth better respected. Harvard
scientist has indeed proposed the alien hypothesis. As October thirty approaches,
astronomers worldwide are turning every available instrument toward three I atlas.
The James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble will provide unprecedented

(14:33):
resolution as the object nears the sun. Ground based observatories
are coordinating observations to track any changes in brightness, composition,
or behavior. Michigan State University researchers have calculated that we've
already missed our best chances for close investigation. Their analysis
shows that launching an intercept mission would have required speeds

(14:54):
of fifteen miles per second starting from the day of discovery,
technically possible, but requiring e immediate mobilization of resources that
simply didn't happen. Alternative proposals include redirecting existing Mars orbiters
like Mars Odyssey or the Mars Reconnaisance orbiter, though both
would require significant fuel expenditures with uncertain outcomes. The European

(15:16):
Space Agency has discussed possibly taking one of their deep
space missions with long range observations, but nothing approaching the
close flyby lobe advocates each passing day reduces our options.
The object continues its relentless approach to Perihelion, maintaining its
mysterious forward glow and its perfectly timed trajectory that'll hide

(15:36):
it behind the Sun at the crucial moment, whether cosmic
coincidence or calculated approach. FREEI Atlas keeps its secrets as
it races through our solar system. The confirmed facts about
three I Atlas remain limited but significant. We know it
originated outside our solar system. Its hyperbolic trajectory and excessive
velocity leave no doubt. We know it's large, roughly twenty

(15:59):
kilometers across based on brightness measurements. We know its orbit
brings it remarkably close to multiple planets in a pattern
that's while improbable, isn't impossible. Beyond knowns vastly outnumber the nones.
We don't understand the forward facing glow. We can't explain
the absence of typical cometary gases and spectroscopic data. We

(16:19):
don't know its exact composition, its point of origin, or
how long it's been traveling through interstellar space. Lobe estimates
it entered the outer boundary of our solar system about
eight thousand years ago, roughly when human civilization began recording history.
Most critically, we don't know if three I Atlas is
natural or artificial. Lob admits the most likely explanation remains

(16:42):
a large, unusual comet with characteristics we haven't encountered before.
His papers explicitly state the alien hypothesis serves partly as
a pedagogical exercise to encourage through investigation, Yet he maintains
that dismissing the possibility entirely would be on scientific The
debate over three I atlass reflects larger questions about how

(17:04):
we search for and think about extraterrestrial intelligence. Should we
assume all interstellar objects are natural until proven otherwise, or
does the immense scale of the cosmos and the age
of other potential civilizations warrant more open minded investigation. The
current controversy echoes debates from twenty seventeen when a muamua

(17:25):
blazed through our solar system. That object's elongated shape ten
times longer than it was wide defied expectations for natural
asteroids or comets. Its acceleration away from the Sun couldn't
be explained by gravitational forces alone, leading to speculation about
out gassing or in lobes interpretation a possible light sail.

(17:47):
Subsequent research offered natural explanations for a muam mooa's properties.
Scientists proposed it might be a fragment of a disrupted planet,
a cosmic dust bunny of loosely bound particles, or a
comet experiencing unusual out gassing from hydrogen ice. The acceleration
could result from jets of molecular hydrogen invisible to our instruments.

(18:08):
Yet questions remained, why didn't we see a comma or
tail if it was out gassing, How did it maintain
structural integrity if it was loosely bound. The scientific community
largely moved on, satisfied with natural, if exotic explanations, Lobe
continued arguing for keeping the artificial hypothesis alive, not as

(18:29):
the most likely explanation, but as one worth investigating. Now
with three I atlas, similar patterns emerge, unusual characteristics prompt speculation,
the scientific establishments favor natural explanations, and Lobe advocates for
considering artificial origins. The difference this time lies in the

(18:49):
object's size, its timing, and its trajectory, factors that make
his arguments harder to dismiss entirely. This time, Lobe aims
three iyat lists within the context of one of astronomy's
most persistent puzzles. If the universe teems with potential habitable worlds,
where is everybody? This question, known as the Fermi paradox,

(19:14):
has generated dozens of proposed solutions, from the rare Earth
hypothesis to the idea that we're living in a cosmic zoo.
The dark forest hypothesis that Lobe invokes offers what are
the more unsettling solutions. Perhaps civilizations that broadcast their presence
don't survive long. Perhaps the galaxy's history is littered with

(19:34):
species that revealed themselves too soon or too carelessly. In
this scenario, sending reconnaissance probes while remaining hidden becomes a
survival strategy. Three Iyatlas's characteristics align disturbingly well with what
such a reconnaissance mission might look like. The approach from
the crowded galactic center provided concealment until the last moment.

(19:56):
The retrograde orbit maximizes encounter velocities, making inner sception difficult.
The perihelion behind the Sun offers a perfect opportunity for
course changes or probe deployment while hidden from Earth's view.
Even the eight thousand year travel time since entering our
solar systems outer reaches carries implications that timeline roughly corresponds

(20:16):
with humanity's transition from hunter gatherers to agricultural civilizations, the
beginning of our potentially detectable impact on Earth's atmosphere and surface.
Coincidence almost certainly, but in the context of the dark
forest hypothesis, even coincidences become suspicious. If you'd like to

(20:37):
read this story for yourself, I've placed a link to
the article in the episode description, and you can find
more stories of the paranormal, true crime, strange, and more
in my blog at weirddarkness dot com.