Stellar flybys have not altered Earth’s climate in the past 56 million years, study finds

If our solar system seems stable, it’s because our short lifespans make it seem that way. Earth revolves, night follows day, the moon moves through light and shadow, and the sun hangs in the sky. But in reality, everything is moving and influencing everything else, and the fine balance we observe can easily be disrupted. Could passing stars have disrupted Earth’s orbit and ushered in dramatic climatic changes in our planet’s past?