Professor Avi Loeb is a leading astrophysicist at
Harvard University, renowned for his provocative theories on interstellar
objects and extraterrestrial life. In 2025, he continues to inspire global
curiosity through his research on 3I/ATLAS and his public outreach. Loeb is a fellow of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Physical Society, and the
International Academy of Astronautics. In 2015, he was appointed as the science
theory director for the Breakthrough Initiatives of the Breakthrough Prize
Foundation.
Professor Loeb has
published popular science books including Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of
Intelligent Life Beyond Earth (2021) and Interstellar: The Search for
Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars (2023). Professor
Loeb remains a bold voice in
astrophysics, challenging conventional wisdom and inviting the public to
explore the cosmos with open minds.
Since 2017, Professor
Loeb has argued that alien space craft may be in the Solar System, arguing that
ʻOumuamua and other interstellar
objects, including the reputedly interstellar meteor CNEOS 2014-01-08, are
potential examples of such craft. These claims have been widely rejected by the
scientific community. In 2023, he claimed to have recovered spherules formed by
the impact of CNEOS 2014-01-08 that he alleged could be evidence of an alien
starship, but the location in the ocean where he recovered the spherules was
based on mistaking a seismic signal from a truck for the impact of the meteor.
Academic and Professional Background
- Full Name: Abraham
"Avi" Loeb
- Born: February 26,
1962, Beit Hanan, Israel
- Education: BSc, MSc, and
PhD in Physics from Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Current
Position: Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard
University
- Affiliations:
- Director, Institute
for Theory and Computation at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for
Astrophysics (since 2007)
- Head, Galileo
Project (since 2021)
- Founding
Director, Black Hole Initiative (2016–2021)
- Former Chair,
Harvard Astronomy Department (2011–2020)
Research and Publications
- Loeb has
authored over 1,000 scientific papers and 9 books,
including:
- Extraterrestrial:
The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth (2021)
- Interstellar:
The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars (2023)
- His work spans black
holes, first stars and galaxies, cosmic evolution, and techno
signatures.
Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS and
Public Engagement
- In 2025, Loeb
is at the forefront of research on 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object
he describes as “a gift from interstellar space.”
- He has
identified 10 anomalies in its composition, including an unusual nickel-to-iron
ratio and a carbon dioxide-rich gas plume, suggesting it may be
of technological origin.
- Loeb emphasizes
that his theories are data-driven and rooted in scientific
curiosity: “In science we are often intrigued by anomalies that are
inconsistent with past paradigms.”
Cultural Impact and Global Reach
- Loeb’s work has
sparked worldwide fascination, especially among young aspiring
scientists.
- He receives
letters from across the globe—from Mexico to South Korea—praising his
ability to make science accessible and inspiring.
- His 2024 TED Talk was among the top ten most popular
of the year.
Honors and awards
Loeb has received many honors, including:
1987 – The Kennedy Prize of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2002 – Guggenheim Fellowship
2004 – Distinguished Visiting Professorship at the Faculty of Physics
& Einstein Center for Theoretical Physics of the Weizmann Institute of
Science
2006/7 – John Bahcall Lecturer at the Tel Aviv University
2006 – Salpeter Lectureship at Cornell University
2012 – Time magazine's 25 most influential people in space.
2012 – Elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
2012 – Galileo Galilei Chair (Cattedra Galileiana) Award of the Scuola
Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
2013 – Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award from the American
Astronomical Society, for the book How Did the First Stars and Galaxies Form?
(2010)
2014 – Member of the Board on Physics and Astronomy (BPA) of the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
2015 – Elected Fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
SETI Permanent Committee
2015 – Elected Member of the American Physical Society (APS)
2020 – Appointed to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology
Fellow of:
American
Academy of Arts & Sciences
American Physical Society
International Academy of
Astronautics
• Former member of the
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
• Chaired the Breakthrough
Starshot Initiative Advisory Committee (2015–2024)
FOR MORE INFORMORATION
ABOUT
PROFESSOR
AVI LOEB
VISIT THESE LINKS
https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~loeb/
https://astronomy.fas.harvard.edu/people/avi-loeb
https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2024/04/avi-loeb-galileo-project
https://sites.psu.edu/astrowright/2025/07/18/avi-and-3i-atlas/
PROFESSOR AVI LOEB
WILL BE APPEARING
NOVEMBER 12TH
ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS
WITH RAY SHASHO
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