CIA Refusal to Release 3I/ATLAS Data Bolsters Loeb's Hypothesis on Object's Unusual Nature

Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has weighed in on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) decision to withhold information regarding the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. The agency cited the data as "sensitive information" in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on December 31, 2025. According to Loeb, this refusal serves as indirect substantiation for his ongoing hypothesis that this cosmic body possesses an atypical nature.

This development presents a clear divergence from the official stance taken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA representatives, during a press conference held on November 19, 2025, definitively classified 3I/ATLAS as a comet of natural origin. Professor Loeb expressed bewilderment: if the object is merely an "ordinary rock," as the broader scientific community suggests, why would the CIA deem information about it secret enough to invoke the GLOMAR formulation? This specific phrasing neither confirms nor denies the existence of relevant documents. Such secrecy, Loeb argues, reinforces his suspicion that 3I/ATLAS does not conform to standard cometary models.

The object 3I/ATLAS was first spotted in July 2025, marking it as the third confirmed interstellar visitor to our Solar System. Avi Loeb has previously cataloged at least 12 behavioral anomalies in the object that he believes are uncharacteristic of typical comets. Noteworthy among these observations was a strong anti-solar radiation pressure directed toward the Sun, alongside unusual orbital parameters. Furthermore, the object displayed a distinct color shift, moving from a reddish hue in July to green by September. Loeb posits this change might indicate a modification in the molecular composition of its gas tail, potentially due to the presence of diatomic carbon molecules, C₂.

Although theories regarding artificial origins have been floated, dedicated searches for technosignatures have thus far yielded no positive results. As part of the Breakthrough Listen project, a research team led by astronomer Ben Jacobson-Bell from the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a five-hour scan using the 100-meter Green Bank Telescope on December 18, 2025, just one day before the object’s closest approach to Earth. The analysis covered four frequency bands ranging from 1 to 12 GHz. After filtering through 471,000 potential signals, only nine remained, all of which were identified as terrestrial radio interference. This effectively rules out the possibility of an active alien radio beacon.

3I/ATLAS reached its closest point to Earth on December 19, 2025, passing at a distance of approximately 270 million kilometers. The object’s trajectory is projected to bring it near Jupiter’s moon, Europa, around March 17, 2026. Significantly, the object survived its close encounter with the Sun without apparent structural damage, a behavior that sets it apart from many conventional comets. Scientists, including David Jewitt and Jane Lu, have noted the sustained density of its coma and the presence of a sunward-pointing 'anti-tail.' Concurrently, the MeerKAT radio telescope detected persistent radio signals whose origins remain a point of contention. Overall, the CIA's refusal, employing the 'cannot confirm or deny' language, is effectively shifting the debate surrounding 3I/ATLAS from a purely scientific inquiry into the realm of national security concerns.