Scientists think they know when an evil star will destroy the Solar System
In 1687 Sir Isaac Newton published his magnum opus, Philosophi Naturalis Principia Mathematica which effectively synthesized his theories of motion, velocity, and universal gravitation. In the latter case, Newton offered a way to calculate the gravitational force and predict the orbits of the planets. Since then, astronomers have discovered that the Solar System is just a tiny point of light orbiting the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Occasionally, other stars will pass near the Solar System, which can cause dramatic oscillations that can kick objects out of their orbits. These “traverses of the stars” are common and play an important role in the long-term evolution of planetary systems. As a result, the long-term stability of the Solar System has been the subject of scientific investigation for centuries. According to a new study by a team of Canadian astrophysicists, the inhabitants of the Solar System may be calm. After conducting a series of simulations, they deter...