The Earth's orbit, seemingly unchanging for billions of years, has actually experienced significant shifts in its history. Recent research has shed light on a pivotal moment when a passing star altered our planet's course, leading to dramatic consequences.
In a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, planetary scientist Nathan Kaib and astrophysicist Sean Raymond detailed how a star passing near Earth 56 million years ago caused a significant rise in temperature, by as much as eight degrees centigrade. This anomalous warming during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum had long puzzled scientists, with this new research providing a compelling explanation.
