Dr. Avi Loeb is a theoretical physicist and astrophysicist whose work traverses the vast and often controversial frontiers of the cosmos. A professor at Harvard University, he has dedicated much of his career to one of humanity’s most fundamental questions: Are we alone in the universe? His pursuit of this mystery has led him to challenge conventional wisdom, embrace the unknown, and navigate the skepticism of his peers with unwavering conviction.
I photographed Loeb on October 4, 2023, at his home in Lexington, MA. It was a cool, misty morning, the kind that lends itself to contemplation. We sat on his grand veranda, wrapped in the quiet of the morning, discussing astronomy, academia, and the resistance he has encountered in the pursuit of his ideas. Loeb is no stranger to controversy, his bold hypotheses about interstellar objects and the potential for extraterrestrial artifacts have often been met with resistance, yet he remains steadfast in his commitment to following the data wherever it leads.
His work spans black holes, exoplanets, and cosmic origins, but he is perhaps best known for his leadership in the study of ‘Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object detected in our solar system. Unlike many of his colleagues, he has openly entertained the possibility that ‘Oumuamua may not be a purely natural phenomenon but rather a potential artifact of extraterrestrial intelligence. This willingness to challenge orthodoxy, to propose ideas that unsettle and provoke, has made him both a respected and polarizing figure in modern astrophysics.
Loeb’s approach is one of boundless curiosity and intellectual rigor. He does not seek controversy for its own sake but rather believes that science should be an open-ended inquiry, one that embraces uncertainty rather than dismissing it. His willingness to cross disciplinary boundaries, to engage in dialogues that others might avoid, is what makes his work so compelling. Thoughtful, fearless, and always questioning, Loeb continues to push the boundaries of what we know, urging us to consider that the universe may be far stranger, and more wondrous, than we have ever imagined.
