Swipe down for full video story!!Interstellar objects occasionally enter our Solar System, providing insight into the composition and dynamics of distant regions of the galaxy. Among these objects, the comet 3I Atlas has drawn attention due to its size, velocity, and potential consequences in the event of a collision with Earth.3I/ATLASInterstellar Origins3I Atlas is the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through the Solar System, following Oumuamua (1I 2017 U1) and an earlier discovery. Unlike typical Solar System asteroids and comets, interstellar objects originate outside our planetary neighborhood. 3I Atlas is believed to have formed in the Milky Way’s thick disk of stars, potentially making it older than the Sun and Earth, with an estimated age of seven billion years or more.Physical CharacteristicsObservations indicate that 3I Atlas may range from 440 meters to 5.6 kilometers in diameter. The comet possesses a substantial coma or envelope of gas and dust consisting of carbon dioxide and water ice. Its high metal content, including nickel and iron, distinguishes it from many Solar System comets, while its velocity of approximately 61 kilometers per second far exceeds that of most near Earth objects.Comparison with OumuamuaOumuamua Interstellar objectThe first interstellar visitor, Oumuamua, measured only a fraction of the size of 3I Atlas and traveled at a lower velocity. While Oumuamua exhibited an unusual elongated shape and irregular acceleration likely caused by outgassing, 3I Atlas represents a more massive and potentially more energetic object capable of delivering significantly greater impact energy.Potential Impact ConsequencesA collision between 3I Atlas and Earth would constitute an extinction level event. While smaller than the Chicxulub asteroid that contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, 3I Atlas’s higher velocity would result in an impact with over four times the energy of Chicxulub. The immediate effects would include:– Vaporization and incineration of the impact zone– Shockwaves extending thousands of kilometers– Super hurricane level winds reaching speeds up to 1000 kilometers per hour– Massive tsunamis inundating coastlines up to 100 kilometers inland– Volcanic eruptions, widespread earthquakes, and secondary tsunamis– Debris ejected into the atmosphere causing prolonged nuclear winter conditionsLong Term Environmental EffectsThe aftermath would severely disrupt global ecosystems. Sunlight blocked by atmospheric debris would halt photosynthesis, leading to the collapse of food chains. Acid rain and toxic metals from ejected material would further damage terrestrial and freshwater environments. Over subsequent decades, vaporized carbon dioxide from 3I Atlas could contribute to long term climate warming after the initial deep freeze subsided.Scientific SignificanceAlthough a collision with Earth is highly improbable, with 3I Atlas expected to pass at a minimum distance of 1.8 astronomical units, its passage provides an unprecedented opportunity to study a comet older than the Solar System. Observations of 3I Atlas allow scientists to investigate conditions in the Milky Way’s thick disk and the chemical composition of primordial celestial bodies, offering insights into the early history of our galaxy.