When families and friends recently gathered over the holidays, one topic seemed to be making the rounds: that of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, discovered in July 2025 and which passed closest to the Earth on December 19. Only the third such interstellar “visitor” that’s been confirmed, 3I/Atlas is exhibiting unusual behaviors for a comet, like having a tail that points toward the sun with its own weird, wobbling, spinning jet structure, a green glow, and strange outbursts and emissions.

The good news is that the comet has now passed by us and is continuing on its route through and out of our solar system. Now that this comet has us in its tail-lights, it also raises its own weird, wobbling, spinning question: Are We Alone? The Sugar Hill Improvement Association is pleased to announce, as part of our Carolina Crapo Education Speaker Series, a presentation on this very subject, and everybody is invited to attend, free of charge.

The Sugar Hill Improvement Association is sponsoring a talk by Douglas N. Arion, PhD, Professor Emeritus in Physics and Astronomy, and Executive Director of Mountains of Stars, a public science outreach and education program. Doug has a long and very successful career on this very subject matter, and of giving back to the community.

The Universe is one system, and we all are an active part of it. Our history and our future are tied to the cosmos. In his talk, Arion will explain how our behaviors and the environment are connected to the stars. Doug’s talk is rooted in science and covers the origin of the solar system, the developmental stages of life on earth, the role of glucose, where human beings fit in, and adds a discussion about why we are not more connected to the universe beyond our own planet.