These modern scientists, who are blinded by ignorance (tamas), cannot see the living entity within. They see only the external covering and invent theories such as “panpsychism.”
The Vedic literature already explains that the sun is conscious because a conscious person (the sun-god) is controlling it. He is not an ordinary living entity; he is a great devotee of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore the Vedas advise us to offer respects to Sūrya, not as the Absolute Truth, but as a representative of the Lord. Hence, called Surya Nārāyan.