A interstellar object that crosses our solar system was found to include nickel in a way that has never been observed in natural comets again, according to a new study presented by astrophysicists in Chile.

The object, named 3i/Atlas, was recorded by the special telescope in Chile. It releases elements as a nickel without any trace of iron – which contradicts the natural rule, as comets always emit nickel in combination with iron.

Harvard’s distinguished physicist, Avi Loeb, pointed out this particularity, stressing that this particular chemical nickel footprint refers more to industrial metal processing than natural phenomena.

‘This could be an indication that the 3i/Atlas Is it an artificial element and not created naturally? ” Loeb wonders in his post.

As he explains, the study states that the chemical composition appears to emerge through a nickel-carbonyl mechanism.

The study revealed that 3i/Atlas emits about 5 grams of nickel and 20 grams of cyanide per second, with these quantities increasing as the object approaches the sun.

The finding intensifies the scientific interest in nature and the origin of intellectual objects, raising questions about the possibility of technological residues or even alien technology that may enter our solar system from distant stellar worlds.

Researchers point out that the mechanisms that seem to cause these broadcasts are not in line with the natural processes usually observed in comets.

One possible explanation they give is that nickel may be released from dust through mild natural processes, such as solar radiation, which can cause evaporation or degradations of nickel -containing compounds.

Traditional comets are rich in water and when approaching the sun releasing gases such as water, monoxide and carbon dioxide. At the same time, they also emit nickel along with iron, as the two metals coexist as a result of astronomical phenomena such as supernovae explosions.

The 3i/Atlas, however, deviates significantly from this standard, emitting only nickel without any detectable iron.

In addition, the quantities of both nickel and cyanide increase sharply as the sun approaches, contrary to the gradual and predictable increase in emissions observed in known comets.

This unusual behavior reinforces the theory that the object may not have natural origin, but it may be a technological residue or even a craftsmanship of unknown origin, with some researchers now opening up the discussion of possible extraterrestrial technology that has entered our solar system from another stellar system.

NASA has released new data on 3i/Atlas, based on observations by telescopes SPHEREX and James Webb, which confirm its unusual chemical composition.

According to measurements, it is dominated by carbon dioxide, while only 5% is made of water.

This feature differentiates 3i/Atlas, as its brightness is mainly due to the cloud of dust that surrounds it and not to its compact core – something not observed in natural comets whose emissions are mainly determined by ice evaporation.

Professor Avi Loeb commented that “these results reinforce the chemical abnormalities indicated by the telescopes of Spherex and Webb, which diverge significantly from the composition one would expect from a typical comet rich in water.”

He adds that if the brightness of the 3i/Atlas does not come from a large core – as originally estimated (about 47 kilometers in diameter) based on SPHEREX database – then a particularly dense amount of dust will be required to reflect almost the entire sunlight reached.

This intense reflection, combined with low water content and extreme chemical emissions, reinforces the theories that 3i/Atlas is not a natural comet, but something much more unusual – possibly artificial or unknown origin.

The object was first identified in July 2025 by the Atlas telescopes network, which is tasked with detecting celestial bodies that may collide with Earth.

Interestingly, the fact that previous shots from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile had recorded the subject with scientists at the time, not realizing exactly what they are and not evaluating it.

Until recently, the 3i/Atlas remained an absolute riddle: the first measurements showed it greater than any other object has ever crossed our solar system, and there were evidence that it may be emitting its own light, something unprecedented for a physical body.

These features have led Professor Loeb to “put on the table” an alternative and controversial theory: that 3i/Atlas may be an artificial construct, probably coming from extraterrestrial culture.

This proposal has sparked strong reactions from the scientific community.

Among the critics is astronomer Chris Lintott of the University of Oxford, who described Loeb’s case as a “delirium” and “insult to the remarkable scientific work done to understand the phenomenon”.