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The solar system is taking a fascinating journey through the Milky Way
- Our Solar System is moving through the Milky Way at about 200 kilometers per second, passing through different parts of the galaxy.
- Research indicates that the Solar System passed through the Orion star-forming complex around 14 million years ago, impacting Earth's climate and geological records.
- The Orion complex is part of the Radcliffe Wave, a massive structure in the galaxy, discovered in 2020, consisting of gas and dust with star-forming regions.
- The Solar System's passage through the Radcliffe Wave compressed the Sun's heliosphere, allowing more interstellar dust to enter, potentially causing global cooling and climate changes on Earth during the Middle Miocene.
- The study, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, suggests a link between the Solar System's passage through the RW and the Middle Miocene Disruption, an extinction event.
- Interstellar dust reaching Earth during this period could have affected Earth's climate by altering atmospheric greenhouse gases, possibly causing cooling.
- The research utilized data from the ESA's Gaia mission to track the Solar System's intersection with the Radcliffe Wave, aligning with the Middle Miocene climate transition.
- This study sheds light on the potential impact of interstellar dust on Earth's climate and geological records, providing insight into global climate change over long timescales.
- The Earth's passage through dense gas regions in the Milky Way may have significant implications for past climate transitions, as suggested by this research.
- The findings emphasize the intricate relationship between Earth's climate, extraterrestrial influences, and large-scale galactic events.
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