On 29 October, Comet 3I/ATLAS reached its closest point to the Sun, disappearing behind the solar glare before emerging again, this time visible through telescopes across the Northern Hemisphere. Travelling at more than 130,000 miles per hour, the comet has captured astronomical attention not only because it is only the third-ever interstellar object found passing through our solar system, but also because of the now-familiar question it sparks, could it be aliens?

But to focus on aliens is to undersell what this icy object represents. Scientists have been tracking 3I/ATLAS since its discovery in July, and what they have found is not science fiction. It is something far more interesting a visitor that may hold chemical clues to the formation of worlds.

Why Are People Talking About Alie

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