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Based on Avi Loeb’s analysis, the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS exhibits 13 anomalies, organized by likelihood of being explained naturally. These are ranked by probability (P), where lower P indicates rarer occurrences. The combined probability of all anomalies suggests 3I/ATLAS is extremely unusual, potentially indicating artificial origins rather than a natural comet.
Major Anomalies (No Simple Natural Explanation, P ≤ 0.002)
- P=0.00004: Its forecasted distance from Jupiter on March 16, 2026, precisely matches Jupiter’s Hill sphere (53.445 ± 0.06 million km vs. 53.502 million km), enabled by non-gravitational acceleration near perihelion. This could imply intent to deploy satellites at stable points like L1/L2.
- P=0.00005: Arrival time fine-tuned for close encounters with Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, while being unobservable from Earth at perihelion.
- P<0.001: Nucleus is ~1 million times more massive than 1I/’Oumuamua and ~1,000 times more than 2I/Borisov, with higher speed; interstellar rocky material scarcity suggests targeted entry.
- P<0.001: Persistent sunward jet (anti-tail) in July-August and November 2025, confirmed by HiRISE images; not an optical illusion, unlike typical comets. Could be protective against impacts.
- P<0.001: Gas plume has high nickel-to-iron and nickel-to-cyanide ratios, resembling industrial alloys; far exceeds ratios in thousands of known comets.
- P=0.002: Retrograde trajectory aligns within 5 degrees of the solar system’s ecliptic plane, suggesting designed path.
Medium Anomalies (Possible Statistical Flukes, P ≤ 0.01)
- P=0.006: Arrival direction aligns within 9 degrees of the 1977 “Wow! signal” radio anomaly.
- P<0.01: Extreme negative polarization, unprecedented among comets (including 2I/Borisov); may relate to the anti-tail.
Minor Anomalies (Potentially Explainable by Unique Origin, P<0.1)
- P<0.1: Gas plume contains only 4% water by mass, unlike water-dominant solar system comets; could be from interstellar ice/dust accumulation.
- P<0.1: Brightened faster than any known comet near perihelion and appeared bluer than the Sun; possible engine activation signature.
- P<0.1: Sunward and anti-solar jets require implausibly large surface area for ice sublimation; may indicate thrusters.
- P<0.1: Tightly collimated jets maintain orientation over a million km despite rotation; inconsistent with natural sublimation.
- P<0.1: Non-gravitational acceleration near perihelion without apparent breakup; would require massive evaporation for a comet, but images show integrity – possibly engine-produced.
Loeb notes that if natural, 3I/ATLAS is extraordinarily rare. He awaits new data, particularly spectroscopic analysis of jets’ speed and composition, to distinguish natural sublimation from technological thrusters.
