When the Hubble telescope observed interstellar clouds surrounding our solar system in the 1990s, it picked up something odd that had no explanation. It spotted ionisation in the clouds, a process in this case where atoms had lost electrons. While the reason for this remained a mystery for years, scientists have now found what happened in the clouds. According to a study published in The Astrophysical Journal, two massive stars raced past our sun millions of years ago, leading to a scary encounter. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder revealed that this flyby happened 4.4 million years ago, and the stars were approximately 30 light-years away from the Sun, and 13 times more massive than our star. When the duo paid this visit, it led to the stars emitting powerful radiation, leading to ionisation in the local clouds around the solar system.&nbsp;This event not only solves a decades-old mystery, but according to the researchers, can also throw light on why Earth is a habitable planet. To understand what happened to these clouds, the researchers simulated what the solar system and surrounding region would have looked like millions of years ago. Michael Shull, an astrophysicist and lead author of the study, said in a statement that this was like a "jigsaw puzzle", since the Sun and the solar system are moving at a speed of 93,000 kilometres per hour. Every object, as we know now, would have been all over the place at the time.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/earth-has-a-tail-flowing-for-millions-of-kilometres-into-space-on-its-dark-side-1765431481520">Earth has a tail, flowing for millions of kilometres into space on its dark side</a><h2>The two stars life 400 light-years away today</h2>They also know which two stars zoomed past the Sun. Epsilon Canis Majoris, also known as Adhara, and Beta Canis Majoris, or Mirzam, which live in the Canis Major constellation, are likely the culprits in this case. &nbsp;They are both hot and heavy, burning at temperatures of 38,000 and 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit. In comparison, our Sun's maximum temperature is only about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/biggest-solar-radiation-spike-in-flight-zone-recorded-in-20-years-study-notes-1764825517669">'We need to be ready': Scientists warn of major solar storm as study notes huge radiation spike in flight zone</a>&nbsp;Epsilon and Beta Canis Majoris came around 30-35 light-years from the Sun, or 281 trillion kilometres, which means both of them would have been clearly visible from Earth. “If you think back 4.4 million years, these two stars would have been anywhere from four to six times brighter than Sirius is today, far and away the brightest stars in the sky,” Shull said. Another thing to note is that these clouds could be the reason why Earth is able to harbour life. The event led to the ionisation of hydrogen and helium in the clouds, which now shield the solar system from ionising radiation. &nbsp;

Scientists think they have found what keeps our Earth habitable. But their analysis started with something totally different: to understand what our interstellar surroundings would have been like 4.4 million years ago. This quest landed them on two monster stars 400 light-years away.

When the Hubble telescope observed interstellar clouds surrounding our solar system in the 1990s, it picked up something odd that had no explanation. It spotted ionisation in the clouds, a process in this case where atoms had lost electrons. While the reason for this remained a mystery for years, scientists have now found what happened in the clouds. According to a study published in The Astrophysical Journal, two massive stars raced past our sun millions of years ago, leading to a scary encounter. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder revealed that this flyby happened 4.4 million years ago, and the stars were approximately 30 light-years away from the Sun, and 13 times more massive than our star. When the duo paid this visit, it led to the stars emitting powerful radiation, leading to ionisation in the local clouds around the solar system. This event not only solves a decades-old mystery, but according to the researchers, can also throw light on why Earth is a habitable planet. To understand what happened to these clouds, the researchers simulated what the solar system and surrounding region would have looked like millions of years ago. Michael Shull, an astrophysicist and lead author of the study, said in a statement that this was like a "jigsaw puzzle", since the Sun and the solar system are moving at a speed of 93,000 kilometres per hour. Every object, as we know now, would have been all over the place at the time. Also Read: Earth has a tail, flowing for millions of kilometres into space on its dark side The two stars life 400 light-years away today They also know which two stars zoomed past the Sun. Epsilon Canis Majoris, also known as Adhara, and Beta Canis Majoris, or Mirzam, which live in the Canis Major constellation, are likely the culprits in this case. They are both hot and heavy, burning at temperatures of 38,000 and 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit. In comparison, our Sun's maximum temperature is only about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Also Read: 'We need to be ready': Scientists warn of major solar storm as study notes huge radiation spike in flight zone Epsilon and Beta Canis Majoris came around 30-35 light-years from the Sun, or 281 trillion kilometres, which means both of them would have been clearly visible from Earth. “If you think back 4.4 million years, these two stars would have been anywhere from four to six times brighter than Sirius is today, far and away the brightest stars in the sky,” Shull said. Another thing to note is that these clouds could be the reason why Earth is able to harbour life. The event led to the ionisation of hydrogen and helium in the clouds, which now shield the solar system from ionising radiation.

Scientists think they have found what keeps our Earth habitable. But their analysis started with something totally different: to understand what our interstellar surroundings would have been like 4.4 million years ago. This quest landed them on two monster stars 400 light-years away.

Two monster stars raced past our Sun, creating a protective shield around Earth

Scientists have determined the origin point of Theia, the planet believed to have collided with Earth around four and a half billion years ago. This collision released a huge amount of debris that later coalesced to form the Moon. Theia was destroyed, and its remnants are still embedded deep inside our planet. This impact was first theorised in the 1970s, with scientists suggesting that the Moon contains elements entirely from Theia. But later studies suggested that Earth and Moon are quite identical in their chemical composition. Using this information, a study published in Science on November 20, 2025, has now decoded where Theia came from. The researchers studied the ratio of iron in rocks from the Moon, Earth, and meteorites and found that this Mars-sized planet was born in the inner solar system and much closer to the Sun.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/scientists-are-deliberately-triggering-earthquakes-in-alps-all-zero-magnitude-here-s-why-1763627832295">Scientists are deliberately triggering earthquakes, all zero magnitude. Here's why</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;It then started moving outwards and crashed into Earth around 4.5 billion years ago. Isotopic fingerprints can reveal a lot about the birthplace of a cosmic object. Most studies on the formation of the Moon have found that it is made mostly of material from Theia. So ideally, Moon should be different from Earth in terms of chemical composition. But analyses of lunar rocks have shown that Earth and Moon have a very similar isotopic composition. Since there was never a clear distinction between Moon and Earth, scientists in the past had not been able to determine the formation region of Theia, the researchers wrote.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/is-moon-all-earth-scientists-say-nothing-from-theia-exists-in-the-moon-8878555">When Theia smashed into Earth: The common DNA Moon and our planet share</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-had-several-tiny-hidden-moons-billions-of-years-ago-study-suggests-747875">Earth had several tiny hidden moons billions of years ago, study suggests</a> &nbsp;<h2>Ancient Earth was different from today's Earth</h2>Study co-author Thorsten Kleine, director of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Göttingen, Germany, said ancient Earth would have had molybdenum and iron in its core but not in the rocky mantle closer to the surface. Which means if Earth’s mantle has these elements today, then they likely came from Theia and could reveal the planet’s composition. So they looked at the iron in lunar samples, rocks on Earth, and the meteorites that came from those parts of the solar system that have different isotopic compositions and could be linked to the birth of Theia and Earth. Their findings once again showed that Earth and Moon are identical, and the same was true for non-carbonaceous meteorites, the ones that originate in the inner solar system.&nbsp;This was proof that Theia also came to life in the inner solar system. “We found that all of Theia and most of Earth’s other constituent materials originated from the inner Solar System,” the researchers wrote. “Our calculations suggest that Theia might have formed closer to the Sun than Earth did,” they added.&nbsp;

Where did the planet the size of Mars that crashed into Earth billions of years ago come from? Theia has captured the imagination of artists and astronomers alike. There was chaos when it was present in the solar system, but only now do we know its true origins. 

Scientists have determined the origin point of Theia, the planet believed to have collided with Earth around four and a half billion years ago. This collision released a huge amount of debris that later coalesced to form the Moon. Theia was destroyed, and its remnants are still embedded deep inside our planet. This impact was first theorised in the 1970s, with scientists suggesting that the Moon contains elements entirely from Theia. But later studies suggested that Earth and Moon are quite identical in their chemical composition. Using this information, a study published in Science on November 20, 2025, has now decoded where Theia came from. The researchers studied the ratio of iron in rocks from the Moon, Earth, and meteorites and found that this Mars-sized planet was born in the inner solar system and much closer to the Sun. Also Read: Scientists are deliberately triggering earthquakes, all zero magnitude. Here's why It then started moving outwards and crashed into Earth around 4.5 billion years ago. Isotopic fingerprints can reveal a lot about the birthplace of a cosmic object. Most studies on the formation of the Moon have found that it is made mostly of material from Theia. So ideally, Moon should be different from Earth in terms of chemical composition. But analyses of lunar rocks have shown that Earth and Moon have a very similar isotopic composition. Since there was never a clear distinction between Moon and Earth, scientists in the past had not been able to determine the formation region of Theia, the researchers wrote. Also Read: When Theia smashed into Earth: The common DNA Moon and our planet share Also Read: Earth had several tiny hidden moons billions of years ago, study suggests Ancient Earth was different from today's Earth Study co-author Thorsten Kleine, director of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Göttingen, Germany, said ancient Earth would have had molybdenum and iron in its core but not in the rocky mantle closer to the surface. Which means if Earth’s mantle has these elements today, then they likely came from Theia and could reveal the planet’s composition. So they looked at the iron in lunar samples, rocks on Earth, and the meteorites that came from those parts of the solar system that have different isotopic compositions and could be linked to the birth of Theia and Earth. Their findings once again showed that Earth and Moon are identical, and the same was true for non-carbonaceous meteorites, the ones that originate in the inner solar system. This was proof that Theia also came to life in the inner solar system. “We found that all of Theia and most of Earth’s other constituent materials originated from the inner Solar System,” the researchers wrote. “Our calculations suggest that Theia might have formed closer to the Sun than Earth did,” they added.

Where did the planet the size of Mars that crashed into Earth billions of years ago come from? Theia has captured the imagination of artists and astronomers alike. There was chaos when it was present in the solar system, but only now do we know its true origins.&nbsp;

Mars-like planet crashed into Earth billions of years ago. Now we know where it came from

Our planet Earth may be spinning faster than it has in over 50 years!

Scientists believe that each day is shorter than 24 hours owing to the change in the speed of earth’s rotation, which has increased over the last 5 decades.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/aliens-in-our-galaxy-may-have-perished-due-to-too-much-progress-study-suggests-351849" hreflang="en">Aliens in our galaxy may have perished due to too much progress, study suggests</a>

Daily Mail reported that since 2020, every day is taking less than 24 hours. In fact, July 19, 2020 market the shortest day ever since data collection by scientists began in the 1960s.

July 19, 2020 was 1.4602 milliseconds shorter than the regular 24 hours. This goes in direct opposition of previous records, under which the planet took longer than 24 hours to complete a rotation.

In July 2020, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) had announced that no ‘’leap second’’ would be added to the world’s official timekeeping in December 2020.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/look-at-the-most-detailed-image-of-a-sunspot-ever-captured-349615" hreflang="en">Look at the most detailed image of a sunspot ever captured!</a>

Leap seconds refer to adjustment of time, akin to leap years. According to the IERS, leap seconds have been added to 27 days since the 1970s. The most recent addition of leap second happened on December 31, 2016.

And leap seconds are added on either the last day of June or December. This implies that the next potential date for a leap second is June 20, 2021.

A study from 2015 posited that this change in the earth’s rotation may be due to global warming.&nbsp; Published in Science Advances, it claimed that the melting of glaciers is partly responsible for the planet to spin faster on its axis.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/photos/top-10-mind-bending-space-discoveries-and-observations-from-2020-349472" hreflang="en">Top 10 mind-bending space discoveries and observations from 2020</a>

Scientists claim that on average, days are about 0.5 seconds shorter than 24 hours. Scientists around the world are considering whether to delete a second from time. Called a ‘’negative leap second’’, it would be done to account for the change, and to keep passage of time in sync with the Earth’s rotation.

Keeping atomic time in sync with solar time is important to keep satellites and other communications equipment in sync.

Our planet Earth may be spinning faster than it has in over 50 years! Scientists believe that each day is shorter than 24 hours owing to the change in the speed of earth’s rotation, which has increased over the last 5 decades.

Our planet Earth may be spinning faster than it has in over 50 years! Scientists believe that each day is shorter than 24 hours owing to the change in the speed of earth’s rotation, which has increased over the last 5 decades. Also read: Aliens in our galaxy may have perished due to too much progress, study suggests Daily Mail reported that since 2020, every day is taking less than 24 hours. In fact, July 19, 2020 market the shortest day ever since data collection by scientists began in the 1960s. July 19, 2020 was 1.4602 milliseconds shorter than the regular 24 hours. This goes in direct opposition of previous records, under which the planet took longer than 24 hours to complete a rotation. In July 2020, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) had announced that no ‘’leap second’’ would be added to the world’s official timekeeping in December 2020. Also read: Look at the most detailed image of a sunspot ever captured! Leap seconds refer to adjustment of time, akin to leap years. According to the IERS, leap seconds have been added to 27 days since the 1970s. The most recent addition of leap second happened on December 31, 2016. And leap seconds are added on either the last day of June or December. This implies that the next potential date for a leap second is June 20, 2021. A study from 2015 posited that this change in the earth’s rotation may be due to global warming. Published in Science Advances, it claimed that the melting of glaciers is partly responsible for the planet to spin faster on its axis. Also read: Top 10 mind-bending space discoveries and observations from 2020 Scientists claim that on average, days are about 0.5 seconds shorter than 24 hours. Scientists around the world are considering whether to delete a second from time. Called a ‘’negative leap second’’, it would be done to account for the change, and to keep passage of time in sync with the Earth’s rotation. Keeping atomic time in sync with solar time is important to keep satellites and other communications equipment in sync.

Why is Earth spinning faster than it has in 50 years?

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Two monster stars raced past our Sun, creating a protective shield around Earth

Mars-like planet crashed into Earth. Now we know where it came from

Why is Earth spinning faster than it has in 50 years?