If you’ve been following the story of comet 3I/ATLAS since it was discovered on 1 July 2025, you’ll likely know that it’s an interstellar object passing through our Solar System.

You’ll perhaps know that it didn’t form within our Solar System, but instead formed elsewhere in the Galaxy, billions and billions of years ago.

You’ll also likely know that comet 3I/ATLAS is one of only three such interstellar objects ever discovered; that once it disappears from view, it will be out of sight forever.

And you may also be aware of some voices reporting on comet 3I/ATLAS, suggesting that the body might in fact be an alien craft of some kind, scouting out our Solar System and keeping tabs on the strange life-forms on planet Earth.

The vast, vast majority of scientists and astronomers vehemently refute the ‘alien craft’ theory around 3I/ATLAS, pointing to the wealth of information that has revealed its cometary origins.

And now they have a new study up their sleeves.

Observations by the James Webb Space Telescope suggest the interstellar comet is nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Back in December 2025, after 3I/ATLAS made its close approach to the Sun and was beginning its journey out of our Solar System, astronomers turned the James Webb Space Telescope in the comet’s direction and began observing it.

This was deemed such an important opportunity for observation, that the team behind the study were given permission to interrupt Webb’s tight schedule of highly-sought-after observing time to gather information on the interstellar object.

The time period was key, as 3I/ATLAS had just made its closest approach to the Sun, meaning its ancient icy particles had been warmed up and converted into a bright coma of gas surrounding the comet.

Within that gas lay the secrets as to what 3I/ATLAS is made of, but also clues as to the conditions under which it formed.

Read More: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is nearly as old as the universe itself