It is probable that 3I/ATLAS is an inanimate object originating in another region of the Milky Way with different chemical composition than what is observed locally.  The coma - the cloud of dust and gas that typically surrounds comets - is composed largely of carbon dioxide and lacks in water compared to any comet observed to date.  Furthermore, it's dust tail is towards the Sun rather than away from it - something very peculiar.  As well, a sudden increase in its brightness has been observed. 

The human imagination is a wonderful device.  While the probability is less, it is interesting to consider that 3I/ATLAS may be of intelligent origin.  It is travelling at approximately 130,000 mph - a blistering speed unmatched in our solar system.  Still at this pace, it would take about 219,000,000 years to travel the distance from Proxima Centauri  - the nearest star besides the Sun at 4.24 light-years away - to here!  That's quite a long time.

Nonetheless, the abundance of carbon dioxide and lack of water (if we are to speculate to the extreme) could mean that 3I/ATLAS is a combustion powered vehicle that harvests the water from the reaction.  After all, water is important to the survival of all the life of which we are aware, and methane - the simplest hydrocarbon - is very abundant in the universe.  Why not burn it and consume the water for practical purposes - even with nuclear energy also in use?

The trajectory on which 3I/ATLAS is approaching makes it even stranger.  It is almost on the same plane - called the ecliptic - on which the Earth and Sun occupy, and it will pass very close to Mars, Venus, and Jupiter.  Furthermore, it will be just 1.4 times further away from the Sun than the Earth at perihelion - its closest pass to the Sun.  This path is just as interesting as anything planned by NASA.

When 3I/ATLAS is at perihelion, it will be on the opposite side of the Sun than the Earth.  This will occur in late October of this year (2025), and it should reappear sometime in early December to observers on Earth.  If the off chance is true that 3I/ATLAS is a spaceship interested in visiting Earth - a low probability in my humble opinion - one would expect it to slow down prior to perihelion and not reappear when expected but rather adjust its trajectory to rendezvous with Earth.

Nonetheless, the recent frequency of these interstellar objects is interesting.  Have they always been this frequent but escaped our detection?  Or, are we currently in a region of the Milky Way more densely populated with these bodies?  Maybe it's that time of the Galactic Year.  I like the buzz about 3I/ATLAS.  Maybe someone will write a good sci-fi book or movie about it.  Meanwhile, NASA is calling it with definiteness a comet.  What do you think?  Sign in and comment.