New simulations suggest the outer solar system may collapse within a billion years
Recent research indicates that the Sun's transition into a white dwarf could destabilize the outer solar system far faster than previously thought. Instead of remaining stable for trillions of years, simulations suggest Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune could be ejected into interstellar space within roughly one billion years. This accelerated timeline is driven by random mass ejections during the Sun's red giant phase, which impart velocity kicks to planetary orbits, causing them to break down before the star fully settles into its final state.