A new study published in June 2025 in Nature Astronomy is challenging previous predictions about the collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. Researchers from the University of Helsinki, Durham University, and the University of Toulouse have found that the collision is not as certain as once thought.
The team conducted 100,000 simulations using data from NASA's Hubble and the European Space Agency's Gaia space telescopes. These simulations considered factors such as the Large Magellanic Cloud's gravitational effects, which had been previously overlooked. The results indicate that there is now only a 50% chance of a collision within the next 10 billion years.
Previously, it was believed that a direct collision was inevitable within 4 to 5 billion years. The new research suggests that even if a collision occurs, it is more likely to happen in 8 to 10 billion years. This updated timeline gives our galaxy a chance to avoid a merger entirely. The findings highlight the dynamic nature of the universe and the complexities of predicting long-term galactic interactions.