"Earth's Orbit Altered by Passing Star, Scientists Find"

A recent study suggests that a passing star, HD-7977, which came within 31,000 astronomical units of the Sun nearly 3 million years ago, may have altered Earth's orbit. Researchers argue that such "stellar encounters" could have a significant impact on Earth's orbital and environmental evolution, potentially influencing climate fluctuations. These findings add uncertainty to understanding Earth's geological record and could have implications for explaining past climate anomalies, such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum.