Kaku, a professor at the City College of New York and author of Quantum Supremacy, has said that by October 29 or 30, scientists could determine whether the mysterious interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is simply a space rock—or something far more intelligent.
In a recent television interview, Kaku revealed that the astronomical community is sharply divided over the nature of this object.
“The majority believe it’s just another rock from deep space—the third interstellar object we’ve ever recorded,” Kaku said. “But a growing number suspect it may be something more—perhaps an intelligent visitor.”
3I/ATLAS’s Curious Swing Past The Sun
The object, roughly the size of Manhattan, will reach its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on October 29 or 30, giving scientists a rare chance to test whether its motion obeys the known laws of physics.If 3I/ATLAS gains more energy than expected as it swings past the Sun, that could mean something—or someone—is guiding it.“If it picks up extra energy as it whips around the Sun,” Kaku explained, “that would be outside the ordinary bounds of conservation of energy. That would mean—in no uncertain terms—that some intelligence is guiding it.”
The effect he refers to, the Oberth effect, is a principle of orbital mechanics where an object can gain additional speed when passing close to a massive body like the Sun. However, an excess boost in energy would be, as Kaku put it, “a cosmic calling card.”
What We Know About 3I/ATLAS
3I/ATLAS was discovered by the ATLAS telescope system on July 1, 2025. It’s been classified as interstellar because its trajectory is hyperbolic, meaning it is not gravitationally bound to our solar system.
It will pass closest to the Sun around October 29–30, 2025, at about 1.4 astronomical units (AU) and make its nearest approach to Earth on December 19, 2025, at about 1.8 AU (roughly 270 million km).
NASA has been tracking the object quietly for months, noting unusual movements and energy signatures that don’t match the behavior of typical comets.
In a post on social media, Kaku reiterated the excitement building among scientists:
“3I/ATLAS is a mystery interstellar object noted for its hyperbolic path toward the Sun and very high speed relative to the Solar System. In mere days, #3IATLAS promises to yield new information—and perhaps new questions.”
While 3I/ATLAS has been officially added to the International Asteroid Warning Network, NASA has remained tight-lipped about its unique characteristics. The agency has only confirmed that it continues to monitor the object and update orbital data daily.
Speculation, however, is running rampant. Some scientists and space enthusiasts are comparing 3I/ATLAS to ‘Oumuamua, the cigar-shaped interstellar visitor detected in 2017 that exhibited unexplained acceleration. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb famously suggested that Oumuamua might have been an alien probe or a fragment of advanced technology.
Kaku has avoided making any direct claims but admitted the possibility is open.
“I would bet that intelligent life exists throughout the galaxy—perhaps even in our own neighborhood,” he said. “The real question is: can they reach us?”
As October 30 approaches, telescopes around the world will be focused on the Sun’s edge, waiting to see whether 3I/ATLAS behaves like a natural object—or defies the rules of physics altogether.
Meanwhile, social media is ablaze with speculation. Some users have even claimed that NASA quietly activated its planetary defense network, though there’s been no official confirmation.
Whether the world is on the verge of its first evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence—or simply witnessing another celestial visitor—will soon be revealed.
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