Renu Malhotra weighs in on influence of passing stars
June 11, 2025
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Earth, shown in this satellite image, could be affected by gravitational influence of passing stars.
NASA
AME professor Renu Malhotra was quoted in Science News about a study on the influence of passing stars on Earth. The study, which Malhotra was not a part of, found that gravity could cause other planets to collide with Earth or send Earth out of its orbit toward the Sun, Jupiter or into deep space.
“It’s a little scary how vulnerable we may be to planetary chaos,” said Malhotra.
Malhotra said that passing stars may have influenced the solar system in the past, possibly explaining the shapes of the giant planets’ orbits. However, the chances of a passing star leading to disaster on Earth over the next 5 billion years are around 0.2 percent.