Surviving a Passing Star: The Solar System's Odds

The odds of a passing star causing devastation in our solar system are relatively low, with a 95% chance of no planets being lost. However, in the remaining 5% of scenarios, there is a possibility of collisions and catastrophic effects. Mercury is most likely to collide with the Sun, followed by Mars colliding with the Sun or Venus colliding with another planet. Earth could potentially be pushed into a collision course with another planet or even the Sun. While there is a small chance of Earth being thrown into a wider orbit, prolonging its habitability, the overall likelihood of such a cataclysmic scenario remains very small.