Astronomers are rethinking our origin story following discoveries about the behaviour of a similar galaxy to our Milky Way. The first detailed cross-section of another galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738,  which is akin to ours, reveals that instead of a violent collision resulting from a freak accident, the Milky Way, in fact, evolved gradually. Distinct discs similar to those of the Milky Way prove that such structures are the product of a more peaceful change than previous theories predicted. Those theories purported that they were formed from a rare clash with a smaller galaxy. The team led by Nicholas Scott and Jesse van de Sande from Australia’s ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) and the University of Sydney made the unexpected findings. “Our observations indicate that the Milky Way’s thin and thick discs didn’t come about because of a gigantic mash-up, but a sort-of …