SCIENCEglobal
Astronomers discover nearby galaxy was shattered by cosmic crash
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Updated 3 hours ago
First seen March 21, 2026 07:05:55Stay on top of this story
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Quick Summary
A nearby galaxy is behaving strangely—and now scientists know why. The Small Magellanic Cloud’s stars move in chaotic patterns because it slammed into its larger neighbor millions of years ago. That collision disrupted its structure and even created the illusion that its gas was rotating. The discovery means this once “textbook” galaxy may not be as typical as astronomers believed.