First Radio Signal Detected From Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS – Not From extraterrestrial Intelligence
WASHINGTON – Astronomers have, for the first time, detected a radio signal emanating from an interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, but the source is definitively not extraterrestrial in origin. The breakthrough, announced this week, offers a new avenue for studying these rare visitors from beyond our solar system, though initial excitement about a potential “alien message” has been debunked.
The detection marks the first time a radio signal has been captured from an interstellar object. While the source of the signal isn’t alien technology, the finding is significant because it demonstrates that radio astronomy can be used to study comets originating outside our solar system, providing valuable data about their composition adn behaviour as they journey through space. 3I/ATLAS,discovered in 2023,has captivated the scientific community due to its unusual characteristics,initially sparking speculation about artificial origins.
The radio emission was detected in early november 2024, and initially fueled theories linking it to intentional signaling. Though, scientists quickly determined the signal was produced by molecules containing cyanide being released from the comet as it approached the sun. As the comet warmed, these molecules began to vaporize, emitting radio waves in the process. This natural phenomenon explains the signal and eliminates the possibility of it being a deliberate transmission.
Throughout 2024, 3I/ATLAS presented several anomalies, including a peculiar “anti-tail” – a dust trail pointing away from the sun – and unexpected non-gravitational acceleration. These features initially prompted some, including Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, to suggest the object might be artificial.Though, the astronomical community largely refuted these claims, providing natural explanations for each observed phenomenon. Research published in November 2024, for example, demonstrated that the anti-tail was caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles, and the non-gravitational acceleration was due to asymmetric gas and dust ejection.
Further speculation arose when a separate, “almost interstellar” object, C/2025 V1 (Borisov), reached its closest point to Earth on November 11, 2024. Some theorized it coudl be a probe deployed by 3I/ATLAS, but Loeb himself conceded this was unlikely, and observations confirmed Borisov to be a typical solar system comet. Reports suggesting 3I/ATLAS had exploded due to mass loss were also disproven by recent observations.
The detection of the radio signal, despite its natural origin, opens a new chapter in interstellar object research.Astronomers will now focus on refining techniques to detect and analyze similar signals from future interstellar visitors,potentially unlocking insights into the chemical composition and origins of planetary systems beyond our own.
