Avi Loeb (UFOs, xenobiology, galactic astronomy, aeronautics, and system astronomy)

Avi Loeb
Type	website
Status	Generally unreliable
Deprecated	no
Blacklisted	no
Recency	2026
RfC
Link	Rfc
Date	2026

This page is a test version of a potential new layout for the Perennial sources project. It is a demo and not part of the live listings. See Talk.

This source in a nutshell: Avi Loeb is considered

generally unreliable. See § Summary.

Avi Loeb is a source that has been repeatedly discussed at the Reliable sources noticeboard. This page collects and links information about previous discussions and current consensus, and summarizes it here for convenience.

Summary

In a 2026 RfC, there was general consensus among editors that Avi Loeb is not a reliable source, nor a subject matter expert within the meaning of WP:SPS, on topics including UFOs, xenobiology, galactic astronomy, aeronautics, and system astronomy. Editors noted his frequent false claims, misuse of the peer-review process and failure to retract claims in the face of disconfirmatory evidence. A minority of editors felt that his work in these fields was usable, especially his peer-reviewed output. There was no consensus about Loeb's reliability as a source on high-redshift astrophysics and cosmology.

Excerpt

Abraham "Avi" Loeb (Hebrew: אברהם (אבי) לייב; born February 26, 1962) is an Israeli and American theoretical physicist who works on astrophysics and cosmology. Loeb is the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University. He chaired the Department of Astronomy from 2011 to 2020, and founded the Black Hole Initiative in 2016.

Discussions

Links

Recency

2026

Rfcs

2026 Rfc

1 Rfc

2 Rfc

Notes

References

Original table row for comparison

(remove this when this source page is ready to go live)

Perennial sources
Source	Status (legend)	Discussions			Use
Source	Status (legend)	List	Last	Summary	Use
Avi Loeb (UFOs, xenobiology, galactic astronomy, aeronautics, and system astronomy)		2026	2026	In a 2026 RfC, there was general consensus among editors that Avi Loeb is not a reliable source, nor a subject matter expert within the meaning of WP:SPS, on topics including UFOs, xenobiology, galactic astronomy, aeronautics, and system astronomy. Editors noted his frequent false claims, misuse of the peer-review process and failure to retract claims in the face of disconfirmatory evidence. A minority of editors felt that his work in these fields was usable, especially his peer-reviewed output. There was no consensus about Loeb's reliability as a source on high-redshift astrophysics and cosmology.