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Carrion Luggage #1103695 added December 15, 2025 at 8:34am
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Misplaced Comet
This PopSci piece is nearly a month old, which matters when you're talking about transient space phenomena. Still, I'm sure most people remember the subject.
As I've been saying: It's not aliens.
Provisionally.
It's obviously "alien" in the sense that it comes from a whole 'nother part of space. Few would doubt that, and those few would be in the same category as young-earth creationists and flat-earthers: complete deniers of piles and piles of evidence.
The only "controversy" - mostly manufactured - was whether it was the product of alien sentience. The problem with any "sentient alien" hypothesis, though, is the same as the problem with Bigfoot: we can't prove Bigfoot doesn't exist; we can only continue to not find evidence of her existence.
During a press conference on November 19, NASA confirmed the icy rock poses no danger to Earth, and contrary to certain conspiracy theories, is not an alien spacecraft.
The "alien" people weren't necessarily spouting conspiracy theories, though. Just wishful thinking and projection. Any true conspiracy theorist would take one look at NASA's denial, and consider it proof that they're hiding something.
“It expanded people’s brains to think about how magical the universe could be,” said Dr. Tom Statler, lead scientist for solar system small bodies, during the livestream announcement.
I remember when I was a kid, fascinated by astronomy, there was talk about comets or other visitors from other star systems. Much like with the detection of extrasolar planets, though, it was only recently that we actually confirmed their existence.
The universe is strange enough, but people are strange enough to have to try to make it even stranger. I actually kind of love that about people. It's only when they take it too far and replace reality with one of their own that I get disgusted.
There's more at the link, including actual images from actual telescopes, but fair warning: the images aren't exactly breathtaking, not like the famous pictures of nebulas and such from Webb or Hubble.
Mostly I just wanted to reiterate that it's not aliens.
It's still pretty cool, though. |
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