A new study suggests there’s a small but notable chance a passing star could disrupt our solar system’s stability over the next few billion years.

Thousands of simulations show that such stars may cause significant changes in the orbits of planets like Mercury and Pluto, increasing the risk of collisions or ejections.

While Earth’s chance of being involved in a planetary collision or ejection is about 0.2%, much higher than previously thought, researchers stress that these events remain unlikely, the Independent has reported.

Still, the findings highlight how vulnerable our solar system might be to cosmic disturbances.

Written by B.C. Begley