Our Milky Way, shown here in an artist’s concept, has strange “ripples” in its outlying regions. New research indicates those ripples were caused by a collision with a dwarf galaxy called Antlia 2. (Credit: ESA)

The Milky Way likely collided with a recently discovered dwarf galaxy called Antlia 2 less than a billion years ago, according to new research presented Wednesday at the 234th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society. 

The research, spearheaded by Sukanya Chakrabarti of the Ro