When Awe Meets Anxiety: Global Public Perception of 3I/ATLAS

 



Rare astronomical events elicit complex emotional responses that blend wonder with uncertainty.
The public reaction to 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) illustrates how awe and anxiety can coexist—and how communication context shapes which emotion dominates.

Full text (open access):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/398431066

Cross-national survey data collected following the announcement of 3I/ATLAS reveal a dual emotional pattern. A majority of respondents reported awe, curiosity, and fascination, reflecting long-standing cultural associations between comets and cosmic discovery. At the same time, a substantial minority expressed anxiety, primarily linked to uncertainty about trajectory, impact risk, or unfamiliar terminology such as “interstellar.” This coexistence marks a shift from earlier events, where fear responses often overwhelmed curiosity during early reporting phases.

Comparative analysis with public reactions to 1I/‘Oumuamua shows measurable improvement in baseline understanding. Respondents exposed to early, authoritative explanations demonstrated significantly lower threat perception and higher confidence in scientific institutions. This suggests that prior exposure to interstellar object discourse—and improved communication strategies—primed audiences to interpret novelty as discovery rather than danger.

Demographic patterns further refine this picture. Younger respondents and those with higher science media literacy were more likely to report awe-dominant responses, while anxiety clustered around groups encountering the topic through secondary or sensationalized sources. Importantly, anxiety declined over time as consistent messaging clarified uncertainty bounds and emphasized the non-hazardous nature of the object.

The case of 3I/ATLAS demonstrates that public perception is not fixed; it evolves with information quality and timing. When credible explanations reach audiences early, awe becomes a gateway to engagement rather than a precursor to fear. Understanding this balance is essential for future high-visibility discoveries, where managing emotional response is integral to sustaining trust in science.

This article examines:

  • How awe and anxiety coexisted in global reactions to 3I/ATLAS
  • Why public understanding improved compared to earlier interstellar events
  • Which factors predicted fear versus curiosity
  • How early communication shaped emotional outcomes

Reference (APA 7):
Kodiyatar, N., & Shamala, A. (2025). Scientific understanding of 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1): Authentic data, observational insights, and information ethics. Nohil Kodiyatar & Abhay Shamala. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17851223

#InterstellarObjects #3IATLAS #PublicPerception #ScienceCommunication #AstronomyOutreach #Astrophysics #OpenScience

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