A seismic shockwave is rolling through the world of astronomy. The recent, unexplained spectral shift of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has taken a turn from mysterious to potentially historic. Harvard astrophysicist Professor Avi Loeb, a figure known for his bold hypotheses on extraterrestrial life, has issued a stunning interpretation: we are not looking at a comet, but a mothership, actively deploying smaller probes into our solar system.

And for the first time, a growing number of his colleagues are pausing to listen, not just dismiss.

The “Hostile Colour” as a “Bay Door” Opening

Loeb’s hypothesis directly addresses the James Webb Telescope’s baffling data—the object’s rapid shift to a “hostile” blue colour. He posits that this is not a natural chemical change, but a mechanical one.

“As the object has warmed in its approach, a protective shell or shield, dark and reddened from its interstellar journey, is retracting or fragmenting,” Loeb suggests, based on preliminary data analysis. “What JWST is detecting is the reflection from a newly exposed internal structure—highly reflective, metallic, and now active. The ‘bluing’ is the signature of bay doors opening.”

The “Dandelion Seed” Deployment Theory

This is where Loeb’s theory connects to his prior work. He proposes that 3I/ATLAS is a “Von Neumann probe” in action—a self-replicating spacecraft designed for galactic exploration. Its mission upon entering a new star system? To scatter countless smaller, “seed” probes.

“Much like a dandelion seed in the wind, the mothership uses solar radiation pressure and its own momentum to release a fleet of lightweight, miniaturized probes,” Loeb explains. “These would be small, perhaps only grams in mᴀss, but packed with advanced nano-technology. Their goal: to survey the solar system, with a primary focus on the one planet broadcasting signs of biology and technology—Earth.”