Scientists Found a Cosmic Visitor Almost As Old As The Universe, But Something Feels Strange |

The discovery of 3I/Atlas made headlines worldwide with bizarre claims that it might be an alien spaceship distracting from the true wonders of the object. Now scientists have shed fresh light on the comet’s origin. A team led by molecular astrophysicist Martin Cordiner of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has discovered that it was born in a very cold, and primordial region of the universe, and could be nearly 12 billion years. Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to study the ratios of hydrogen and carbon isotopes in the comet, which revealed that it is "not only distinct, but also likely much older than our Solar System."