Fri Nov 14 10:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Comet 3I/Atlas’s Natural Origins Backed by Radio Signal Detection
Johannesburg, South Africa – After weeks of online speculation fueled by podcasts and social media conspiracy theories, new evidence strongly suggests that interstellar object 3I/Atlas is, in fact, a comet. Researchers using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa have detected a unique radio signal consistent with typical comet activity.
The signal, specifically the detection of hydroxyl (OH) molecule absorption lines at 1665 MHz and 1667 MHz, was observed on October 24th, just days before 3I/Atlas reached its closest point to the sun. This observation, according to scientists, confirms the sublimation of ice into space, a behavior characteristic of comets as they approach the sun. This corroborates earlier explanations about the comet’s unusual trajectory based on the same sublimation process.
“What MeerKAT detected were lines of radio absorption by hydroxyl radicals, that is, OH molecules, a pattern that would be consistent with typical comet activity,” the researchers said. “The lines appear as absorption because 3I/Atlas was very close to the sun and the observing geometry favors absorption over emission.”
While the detection is a strong indication of a natural origin, it hasn’t deterred all speculation. Astrophysicist Avi Loeb, a prominent advocate for the possibility of 3I/Atlas being of technological origin, acknowledged the finding but continues to push for further investigation. He has suggested using the Juno spacecraft to scan for low-frequency radio signals when 3I/Atlas passes near Jupiter in 2026.
While this latest discovery doesn’t guarantee an end to conspiracy theories surrounding 3I/Atlas, it has undoubtedly sparked broader interest in astrophysics. Skywatchers can mark December 19th on their calendars, as that’s when the interstellar object will make its closest approach to Earth.
First Piper 