Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is putting on an unexpected show. New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and NASA's SPHEREx mission reveal that the rare visitor from another star system is releasing enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, creating a vast, glowing cloud around its icy core.
The discovery, which scientists liken to a 'cosmic soda bottle' releasing pressure, has overturned assumptions about what interstellar comets should look like and how they evolve during their long, cold voyages between the stars.
