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Avi Loeb

All articles tagged with #avi loeb

Loeb Suggests Hayabusa2’s Target Might Be a Soviet Relic, Not an Asteroid
science1 month ago

Loeb Suggests Hayabusa2’s Target Might Be a Soviet Relic, Not an Asteroid

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb and colleagues speculate that 1998 KY26—the rapidly spinning object Hayabusa2 is set to study in 2031—could be a long‑lost Soviet spacecraft (Phobos 1) rather than a natural asteroid. The idea, based on suggested orbital similarities and size, is highly speculative and not yet peer‑reviewed; it aims to broaden the observational data considered when judging solar‑system objects, with Hayabusa2’s observations expected to help resolve the object's true origin.

Oumuamua: The First Interstellar Visitor Still Defying Explanation
space1 month ago

Oumuamua: The First Interstellar Visitor Still Defying Explanation

In 2017, the first confirmed interstellar object, Oumuamua, passed through the Solar System on a hyperbolic path and showed a tiny non-gravitational push without a visible tail. Natural explanations (e.g., venting hydrogen or nitrogen ices) exist, and Avi Loeb's artificial-origin idea remains controversial; since then Borisov and ATLAS behaved like comets, but Oumuamua remains an unresolved puzzle, underscoring data limits and the hope that Rubin Observatory will help settle what it could not.

3I/ATLAS as a Cosmic Seeder: Loeb Proposes Directed Panspermia
science1 month ago

3I/ATLAS as a Cosmic Seeder: Loeb Proposes Directed Panspermia

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb suggests the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS could have seeded life across the Solar System via natural panspermia or even directed panspermia; while controversial, he argues that ice-encased life might survive transit and proposes intercepting future interstellar objects to test for extrasolar biology and compare it with Earth life.

Interstellar Seed? Loeb Suggests 3I/ATLAS Might Have Seeded Life Here
science1 month ago

Interstellar Seed? Loeb Suggests 3I/ATLAS Might Have Seeded Life Here

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb proposes that the interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS could have seeded life in the Solar System, either by ice-embedded life released as it traveled or through directed panspermia by an advanced civilization; while the idea is controversial and debated, Loeb argues that intercepting such objects could help determine if extrasolar life resembles Earth life, a notion that would have profound implications for our understanding of life's origins.

Loeb presses NASA on Martian cone; is it just a rock or could it be something else?
science3 months ago

Loeb presses NASA on Martian cone; is it just a rock or could it be something else?

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb challenges NASA’s claim that a cone-shaped feature photographed by the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater is merely a rock, arguing the object could be about 20 cm and may be debris, while NASA says it’s a small (about 1 cm) wind-sculpted formation and suggests pareidolia; Loeb has urged NASA to show another similar rock in Curiosity images to back its interpretation.

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches, Sparks Scientific and Alien Speculation
science8 months ago

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Approaches, Sparks Scientific and Alien Speculation

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is approaching its closest point to the Sun, with some scientists, including Avi Loeb, suggesting it may have an artificial origin due to its unusual characteristics, such as a potential nickel alloy composition and atypical jet behavior. The comet's behavior as it nears the Sun could change dramatically, and high-resolution images are eagerly awaited, though some data remains undisclosed due to government shutdowns.

NASCAR Debuts Its First Interstellar Car
science8 months ago

NASCAR Debuts Its First Interstellar Car

Avi Loeb attended a NASCAR race where a driver featured an 'interstellar car' inspired by the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, highlighting the potential for future interstellar travel and the possibility of detecting interstellar objects entering our solar system. The event also included discussions on physics, AI in racing, and the nature of interstellar objects, with Loeb emphasizing the importance of open scientific inquiry.