3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar object detected in our solar system, is defying expectations and challenging conventional cometary science. Observations from telescopes and spacecraft—including James Webb, Hubble, JUICE, and multiple Mars orbiters—reveal an extreme carbon dioxide–dominated composition, unusual water sublimation far from the Sun, unprecedented negative polarization of dust, and non-gravitational acceleration inconsistent with visible outgassing. Its trajectory, orbital alignment, rapid brightening, and strange thermal and spectral signatures suggest properties unlike any comet previously studied, raising both natural and speculative questions. Coordinated global and space-based campaigns aim to capture its closest approach to Earth on December 19, offering a unique opportunity to study an object that could redefine our understanding of interstellar matter, planetary formation, and the possibility of intelligent observation beyond our solar system.
