A new study in the journal Nature Astronomy this week called into question the long-held assumption that the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies are on a collision course. The paper concluded that there was only a 2% probability of the two galaxies colliding in the next five billion years despite hurtling at one another at more than 223,600 mph. 

For disappointed thrill-seekers captivated by doomsday scenarios, U.S. politics offers a more immediate spectacle: an unprecedented clash between the world’s richest person and the leader of its most powerful nation. There are few, if any, historic parallels for the collision between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, two titans certain to be discussed centuries from now for shaping this pivotal moment in Western history. The implications, both immediate and enduring, are vast and volatile. In which direction will the fragments scatter, and what new political solar system will emerge from the wreckage?