New York, July 26: A new, highly controversial study has sparked alarm after suggesting that Earth could be under surveillance—or worse, attack—from a hostile alien spacecraft hiding in plain sight. The object in question is 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor discovered on July 1 and confirmed within a day as an object from beyond our solar system. Traveling at an astonishing 130,000 mph, the object has been classified by some as a comet, possibly up to 15 meters in diameter, but others aren’t convinced.

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, along with Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies, argue that 3I/ATLAS may not be natural at all. In a paper published July 16, the trio speculates that the object’s speed and bizarre trajectory suggest it could be a piece of alien reconnaissance technology—and potentially a threat. Alien Attack Turned Soviet Soldiers to Stone? CIA Website Reveals Soviet-Era Document Detailing Alleged Attack by Aliens After 'UFO' Was Shot Down.

Loeb claims the object’s flight path through the solar system—passing Mars, Jupiter, and Venus—could enable it to plant alien surveillance gadgets undetected. Most alarming, however, is its closest approach to the Sun in late November, when it will be hidden from Earth’s telescopes—a timing Loeb calls “suspiciously strategic.” Alien Invasion or Human Hoax? 'Mysterious UFO Sphere' Found in Colombia Sparks Debate Over Possible Extraterrestrial Origins.

“If this is an alien probe,” Loeb warns, “we might be facing a covert operation that demands planetary defense preparation.” He also ties the theory to the Dark Forest Hypothesis, suggesting intelligent civilizations remain silent to avoid detection.

However, the paper is not peer-reviewed, and many experts have dismissed it as speculative fiction. Even Loeb admits the alien theory is “far-fetched,” with the likeliest explanation being a natural comet.

Still, with 3I/ATLAS’s mysterious behaviour and rapid speed, some are left wondering: What if he’s right?

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2025 09:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).