Comet 3I/ATLAS has attracted the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts over the past few weeks. Its passage through the solar system is not an ordinary event, as it is one of the few interstellar objects discovered in history, that is, a celestial body that comes from outside our cosmic neighborhood. Although NASA has already clarified that it does not pose a danger to Earth, the debate about its origin continues to provoke a reaction, now from the controversial businessman Elon Musk.
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The businessman talked about 3I/ATLAS on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Oct. 31, 2025, just one day after the comet passed the closest point to the sun, about 130 million miles (210 million kilometers), according to NASA.
During the talk, the topic quickly caught the attention of the audience because of a theory that could change the way we understand these objects.
Elon Musk explained what will happen if a body of this size falls on the planet. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT/AFP).
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Joe Rogan mentioned the possibility that 3I/ATLAS is not a natural object because it will be composed mostly of nickel. Musk clarified that the chemical element is often found in comets and asteroids, but added that if the body was made entirely of nickel, it could be a “heavy spacecraft.”
Until now, NASA experts have not been able to accurately calculate the size of the comet, although they estimate its diameter to be between 1,444 feet (440 meters) and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers). Some have compared its size to Manhattan, as the island’s widest point is approximately 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers).
Speaking about the possible impact of a body of this size, Musk was direct: if such an object collided with the Earth, “it would be like destroying an entire continent. Or worse.”
Astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggests that the motion of 3I/ATLAS may be artificial in origin. (Photo: ESA/Hubble)
Then, when Rogan suggested that an event of this magnitude could end human life, the SpaceX founder responded that it would all depend on the total mass of 3I/ATLAS.
The tycoon recalled that fossils show at least five major extinction events caused by cosmic impacts; However, he emphasized that these cases only document episodes that produced mass extinctions, not those that could “destroy an entire continent.” Thus, Musk believes it is possible that the Earth has faced several collisions of this magnitude in its history.
For his part, theoretical physicist Avi Loeb commented in an article published on Medium that 3I/ATLAS represents non-gravitational acceleration, according to NASA data.
NASA has confirmed that, although moving at high speed, the interstellar object does not pose any danger to Earth. (Credit photo: Dan Bartlett/NASA/AFP)
Loeb explained that this could be due to the ejection of gas, as happens with a rocket, or a technological signal from the internal engine, which reinforces the idea that we are dealing with no ordinary comet.
Despite this, NASA claims that the object is traveling at a speed of 37,000 miles per hour (221,000 kilometers per hour) and that its flight 170 million miles (270 million kilometers) from Earth poses no risk.
The comet is expected to be visible again with ground-based telescopes in early December 2025, providing a unique opportunity to continue unraveling its mysteries.
Avi Loeb does not rule out that 3I/ATLAS is “much more” than a simple comet
Avi Loeb’s claims about the possible artificial origin of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS are not new. For months, an astrophysicist has argued that the celestial body could be “much larger” than the average comet.
According to the expert, the behavior of the object does not coincide with any natural body observed so far in space, which opens the possibility of its technological origin.
In his blog, Loeb reported that 3I/ATLAS ejects an alloy of pure nickel with no trace of iron, a material not found naturally in comets in our solar system. This metal is used in modern industry to make high-tech components, which has raised suspicions about its origin.
In addition, the object showed a phenomenon known as an “antitail,” a stream of particles that, instead of moving away from the Sun like any comet, points straight toward it.
Avi Loeb is an Israeli-American theoretical physicist, astrophysicist and cosmologist, professor at Harvard University. (Photo: The Sol Foundation / YouTube)
Loeb argues that this behavior can be a kind of motor mechanism or controlled maneuver.
Another fact that fuels the mystery is its hyperbolic trajectory. Unlike traditional comets that orbit the Sun, 3I/ATLAS comes from interstellar space and leaves the Solar System, never to return.
The above suggests that the celestial body is not part of our cosmic neighborhood and may be an artificial guest “sent” from another civilization.
For an expert, ignoring the anomalies of this object would be a scientific error. For this reason, he insists that it is essential to observe it in as much detail as possible before it finally departs and we lose the chance to know if we are really looking at the sign of another civilization.
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