A strange object, larger than the city of Manhattan and hurtling through our solar system at breakneck speed, has sparked both excitement and alarm among astronomers. While many believe it’s just a comet, a new scientific theory suggests something far more dramatic: this could be alien technology, possibly even on a hostile mission, and mystic Baba Vanga might have predicted it decades ago.
Baba Vanga’s prophecy adds to the mystery
The legendary Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga, often called the “Nostradamus of the Balkans,” famously predicted that humanity would make contact with extraterrestrials in 2025. Her prophecy is now making headlines again as a newly discovered interstellar object heads toward the Sun, raising the question: is this the sign she foresaw?
Meet 3I/ATLAS: A cosmic intruder
The object, officially named 3I/ATLAS (and earlier known as A11pl3Z), was first detected on July 1, 2025, by a telescope in Chile. Within 24 hours, astronomers confirmed something extraordinary: it originated from outside our solar system, making it only the third known interstellar visitor in history, according to Live Science.
And it’s huge. Estimates suggest it spans 10–20 km across -- potentially larger than Manhattan -- and it’s traveling at an astonishing 130,000 mph (60 km per second). Over the next few months, it will pass close to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus before disappearing behind the Sun in late November, temporarily out of sight from Earth.
Why scientists are alarmed
Initially thought to be a comet, 3I/ATLAS took a mysterious turn when Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb and researchers Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies published a July 16 paper on arXiv, suggesting the object might not be natural at all.
They propose that 3I/ATLAS “could be an extraterrestrial spacecraft on a stealth mission.” Loeb calls the theory “an interesting exercise in its own right”, adding that it’s worth exploring “irrespective of its likely validity.”
If true, they warn, the implications are serious — even hinting at the need for “defensive measures,” though they admit those may not be effective.
The suspicious details
Why are they suspicious? Loeb and his team point to several anomalies:
- The object’s orbital path is aligned with Earth’s within just 5 degrees, something Loeb told Newsweek has only a 0.2 per cent chance of happening randomly.
- 3I/ATLAS is set to pass three major planets -- Venus, Mars, and Jupiter -- at close range, a route scientists say has a probability of less than 0.005 per ceny by chance, according to Mirror UK. This could allow, they speculate, for “gadgets” to be planted — spy tech dropped on planets en route.
- When the object reaches its closest point to the Sun (perihelion) in late November, it will become invisible to Earth-based telescopes. Loeb wrote in his blog that this “could be intentional to avoid detailed observations… when gadgets are sent to Earth from that hidden vantage point.”
Loeb also argues that the object’s speed and entry angle into the Solar System offer “various benefits to an extraterrestrial intelligence.”
Not everyone is convinced
Despite the buzz, many scientists dismiss the alien hypothesis. Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina, says all evidence points to a natural comet, ejected from another solar system -- something that has likely happened billions of times.
Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford, who traced the object’s galactic origin, was more blunt, calling the alien theory “nonsense on stilts” and warning it undermines real science.
Even Loeb admits the most probable outcome is that “3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet.”
This isn’t Loeb’s first foray into controversial theories. In 2017, after the discovery of the interstellar object ʻOumuamua, Loeb suggested it might be a “lightsail” — a probe powered by light particles — sent by an alien civilization.
He wrote at the time: “ʻOumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilisation.”
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