As far as physical features, NASA says 3I/ATLAS has speed, color, and direction that are, “consistent with what we’d expect from a comet.” It has an icy nucleus and a coma—a bright cloud of gas and dust that surrounds the comet. That coma is emitted at increasing rates as the comet approaches the sun.

The new study involved taking a fresh look at the "Altamura Man," which is an exceptionally well-preserved Neanderthal skeleton covered in a thick layer of calcite, sometimes called "cave popcorn." The researchers' findings suggest that the size of Neanderthal noses might not have had anything to do with living in cold temperatures.

Harvard's Avi Loeb challenges NASA's silence on 3I/ATLAS and the Local Interstellar Cloud. We reveal how increased cosmic ray penetration risks millions of air travellers.