For the first time, NASA would have activated a planetary defense protocol in response to the passage of an interstellar object in the Solar System, in this case the comet 3I/ATLAS: well, if you’ve read something like this in recent days, you know that it’s one nice and good hoax. Hoax which, however, was taken up too lightly sometimes with the aim of riding on the media can-can which has been beating since the discovery of the interstellar comet in July this year.
What happened is that collaboration International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), coordinated by the American space agency, launched from November 2025 to January 2026 a observation campaign for this interstellar object which is of great scientific interest to the astronomical community. It is, as the name itself suggests, a campaign aimed atobservation of this celestial body to precisely determine its trajectory. Indeed, the note explicitly states that «the campaign will target comet 3I/ATLAS (…) to exercise the ability of the observing community to extract accurate astrometry». So if on the one hand it is true that the IAWN operates as a support to NASA for planetary defense, on the other there is no reason to confuse an observation campaign like that of 3/ATLAS with a defense protocolespecially if nowhere in the circular issued by the organization – which is public, easily accessible and very short – is any type of risk posed by the comet even indirectly mentioned. In essence, 3I/ATLAS does not threaten Earth in any way.
But then why do so many people read it titles so blatantly and avoidably misleading? The reason is as simple as it is sad: comet 3I/ATLAS has been at the center of a campaign for months itchy gossip on his alleged artificial nature of alien origin. Gossip that in fact many media are carrying forward and which sees its promoter in the American astrophysicist of Israeli origin Avi Loeba scientist of the highest caliber who over the years has demonstrated a very strong attraction for everything that has to do with alien spaceships, as he has amply demonstrated in recent years with the first interstellar object, 1I/’Oumuamua (then fell into the void). For months the astrophysicist has continued to insinuate doubts about the artificial nature of this comet too, despite the absence of convincing evidence – which we at Geopop have already spoken about several times – and the compact and contrary opinion of the entire scientific community. Although he never claimed that 3I/ATLAS is a spaceship, or that it probably is, his approach keeps doubt especially among the general public.
The latest example in this sense, which is circulating these days, takes up an interview given by Loeb last month. Referring to the fact that the comet will reach perihelion (the point of maximum proximity to the Sun) the October 29, 2025 in a position where it will be invisible from Earth, and to the fact that if 3I/ATLAS was a mothership on October 29 would be the ideal date to release spacecraft that would exploit the gravitational slingshot effect produced by our star to accelerate and reach our planet, Loeb lightly suggested to listeners that «if you want to take a holiday, do it before October 29th, because then what will happen?». Too bad that science is not done with “ifs” but with evidence, and at the moment there is no proof that 3I/ATLAS is not a completely natural comet.
This is an emblematic question about how scientific knowledge proceeds: we don’t investigate a hypothesis because it can’t be ruled out, we investigate because there is concrete evidence that points in that direction. Here we have no evidence, but only reasons for the non-exclusion of the hypothesis. This is why Loeb’s figure is becoming increasingly controversial in the scientific community. Although his invitation to take a vacation was said in an obvious joking tone, these are words that imply a ethical responsibility towards the general public, especially if pronounced by an astrophysicist of great and proven standing like Loeb and if “barbs” of this type have been given week after week for several months now.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object that we have observed transiting through our Solar System, and this alone is enough to put it at the center of attention. It is also a very anomalous comet compared to “local” ones, therefore very interesting to study from a scientific point of view, even more than its interstellar predecessors. 1I/’Oumuamua And 2I/Borisov. In fact, in science the anomalies are of extreme interestbecause they open the doors to understanding something we still know little about. In this case, 3I/ATLAS anomalies can tell us a lot about the mechanisms of formation and evolution of planetary systems in the disk of the Milky Way, which evidently may differ from those that occurred in the Solar System. It’s for This reason why, admittedly, the IAWN has launched an observation campaign for 3I/ATLAS, certainly not because there is any doubt about its possible alien origin – even if Avi Loeb hinted a few days ago in an editorial on Medium that the IAWN’s decision was due precisely to this.
It is a shame to see that the public discourse on a celestial body of extreme astrophysical interest such as comet 3I/ATLAS has gradually transformed into a sci-fi chatter about extraterrestrial spaceships and alleged alien technologies. It would be appropriate for the media to pay more attention to riding certain trends, not just to avoid them spread misinformation – even if only indirectly – but above all to honor the responsibility that the information sphere has direct and guide public debate on scientific issues, on which the health of our society depends today more than ever.
