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Rumours crossed societal media platforms that a immense comet is connected a collision people with Earth person been circulating, with immoderate users describing it arsenic a large menace to humanity.
Others are debating however the comet – known arsenic 3I/ATLAS and detected by NASA’s ATLAS scope connected July 1 – mightiness beryllium diverted from the Earth. Some person adjacent gone truthful acold arsenic to item “news” of subject movements and an planetary coordination to antagonistic the comet earlier impact, prompting further alarm.
So is determination immoderate information to these rumours and what bash we cognize for sure?
When and however did rumours astir the comet start?
Rumours began spreading aft the New York Post published a communicative connected September 29 nether the headline: “‘Massive’ comet hurtling toward america is larger than antecedently thought, could beryllium alien tech, idiosyncratic says: ‘It could alteration everything for us’.”
Users connected X (formerly Twitter) circulated screenshots of the nonfiction to enactment their claims. One account, nether the sanction Steven Greenstreet, wrote: “Scientists accidental a monolithic alien spaceship is hurtling towards Earth. Why aren’t much radical talking astir this?”
Scientists accidental a monolithic alien spaceship is hurtling towards Earth. Why aren't much radical talking astir this?!?! 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/Q2NvVdcXa7
— Steven Greenstreet 🐷 (@MiddleOfMayhem) September 29, 2025
Another relationship called Dr Disclosure reposted the story, adding: “This is wherefore each the generals are gathering!” – a notation to a September 30 meeting of US subject leaders chaired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. That station racked up much than fractional a cardinal views.
This is wherefore each the generals are gathering!!!!!! https://t.co/qzeeUAiR2P
— Dr. Disclosure (@Docneuroeo) September 29, 2025
Meanwhile, an relationship nether the sanction Richard Roeper shared his concerns: “A monolithic comet is reportedly hurtling toward Earth astatine 130,000 mph! Can we halt it? I’m told determination are 2 missions successful the works – 1 involving the specially selected “Messiah Crew,” and 1 utilizing 2 squads, known arsenic the Freedom Team and the Independence Team. We got this.”
A monolithic comet is reportedly hurtling toward Earth astatine 130,000 mph! Can we halt it? I'm told determination are 2 missions successful the works–one involving the specially selected "Messiah Crew," and 1 utilizing 2 squads, known arsenic the Freedom Team and the Independence Team. We got this. pic.twitter.com/dsbgW0giLD
— Richard Roeper (@RichardERoeper) September 29, 2025
Why bash immoderate radical assertion it’s an alien aircraft?
Speculation escalated, with immoderate accounts suggesting the entity was not a comet astatine each but successful information a spacecraft heading towards Earth.
An relationship nether the sanction Lord Bebo shared statements falsely attributed to US physicist Michio Kaku, claiming the entity was connected the mode “to behaviour a reconnaissance mission, perchance with hostile intent”. The post, accompanied by an edited screenshot of a tv interrogation with Kaku and the caption, “It mightiness beryllium an ALIEN probe sent to Earth” garnered much than 290,000 views and dozens of comments.
☄️ Comet stirs statement among astrophysicists & they telephone for urgent planetary attraction connected interstellar entity 3I/ATLAS
Physicist Michio Kaku: its acceleration cannot beryllium explained by accepted causes, and it's approaching Earth CLOSER than expected
Professor of natural… pic.twitter.com/zEt0NO34bm
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 1, 2025
Similarly, different relationship called Astronomy Vibes suggested: “While astir scientists hold it’s apt a unusual comet, a fewer bold voices suggest it mightiness beryllium thing much – possibly adjacent an engineered probe from different civilization.” No grounds was provided.
🚨 Breaking Cosmic News!
Scientists person spotted a 7-mile-wide interstellar visitant — the largest of its benignant ever seen — racing done our star system. Known arsenic 3I/ATLAS, this elephantine comet isn’t from astir here… it comes from heavy interstellar space! 🌌
What’s shocking is… pic.twitter.com/DDxOJPDlUg
— Astronomy Vibes (@AstronomyVibes) October 1, 2025
So, what are the facts?
Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency, SANAD, investigated the claims astir the comet known arsenic 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object, to find whether it truly poses immoderate existent menace to Earth oregon could adjacent beryllium a hostile probe.
The comet was successful information detected by NASA’s ATLAS scope connected July 1, 2025. NASA, which describes it arsenic having “a teardrop-shaped cocoon of particulate coming disconnected its solid, icy nucleus”, confirmed that it poses nary information to Earth. It noted that the closest it has travel to the Earth was astir 270 cardinal kilometres (167.8 cardinal miles) connected July 21.
The European Space Agency (ESA) besides confirmed that the comet poses nary menace to Earth oregon to immoderate different planet, explaining that its closest region was much than 2.5 times that betwixt Earth and the Sun.
According to NASA, the comet volition scope its closest attack to the Sun connected October 30, 2025. At that point, it volition beryllium astir 210 cardinal km (130.5 cardinal miles) from the sun, conscionable wrong the orbit of Mars.
This is simply a important comet, however. According to the Hubble Space Telescope, it is travelling astatine astir 210,000 kilometres per hr (130,500 miles per hour) – the fastest velocity ever recorded for a “visitor” to our star system.
🆕 Hubble has caught an interstellar interloper — comet 3I/ATLAS!
Read more: https://t.co/fSIpjDYeu1 oregon successful 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/6dUojFwdnW
— HUBBLE (@HUBBLE_space) August 7, 2025
NASA said the comet presents a uncommon accidental for scientists to survey an interstellar “visitor” arsenic it passes done the star system.
“Hubble’s continuing observations let astronomers to much accurately estimation the size of the comet’s nucleus,” the bureau said successful a statement. “Observations arsenic of August 20, 2025, bespeak that the precocious bounds connected its diameter is 3.5 miles (5.6 km), though it could beryllium arsenic tiny arsenic 1,444ft (440 metres) across.”
Comet 3I/ATLAS doesn't airs a menace to Earth, but it does supply NASA scientists and spacecraft with a uncommon accidental to survey an interstellar comet arsenic it passes done our star system. ☄ https://t.co/B1MkBRZuT4 pic.twitter.com/wAmBUEte8l
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) September 30, 2025
As for the quotes attributed to physicist Michio Kaku, SANAD recovered nary grounds supporting them. The representation circulating online was taken from an older interrogation with US outlet Nation News connected February 20, 2025 – months earlier the find of 3I/ATLAS.
Will a immense "city-killer" asteroid collide with Earth successful 2032? The likelihood don't regularisation it out. So what tin we bash astir it? I appeared connected @NewsNation's On Balance with @LelandVittert to sermon the possibilities. #asteroid #asteroidimpact pic.twitter.com/ZHYi982SEi
— Dr. Michio Kaku (@michiokaku) February 20, 2025
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