Comet's Alien Signature Sparks New Questions on Planetary Formation The discovery of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS bursting with methanol has sent shockwaves through the astronomical community, offering a rare glimpse into the chemical makeup of an object from another star system.
As researchers continue to unravel its secrets, they're raising important questions about how planets and comets form in our own solar system. At first glance, 3I/ATLAS's high levels of methanol seem unusual.
Methanol is relatively rare in comets from our own solar system, but the comet's chemical signature is more similar to that of its interstellar counterparts.