Earth once had Saturn-like rings
Earth once wore a Saturn-like ring, study of ancient craters suggests
Earth may have had a giant ring of space rocks surrounding it, similar to those around Saturn, which could have led to chaotic meteorite strikes on our planet's surface, new research suggests. The hypothesized ring may have formed roughly 466 million years ago and was the remains of a gigantic asteroid tugged apart by Earth's tidal forces after passing our planet's Roche limit.
Earth May Have Had a Ring Like Saturn Once
“Over millions of years, material from this ring gradually fell to Earth, creating the spike in meteorite impacts observed in the geological record,” said Tomkins in a statement that accompanied the paper’s release. “We … see that layers in sedimentary rocks from this period contain extraordinary amounts of meteorite debris.”
Could Earth Have Been Ringed Like Saturn? Scientists Think So
Research suggests Earth might have once boasted a spectacular ring similar to Saturn's, formed from an asteroid breakup around 466 million years ago. This event coincides with numerous meteorite impacts primarily around the equator and a subsequent period of significant global cooling.
Earth had Saturn-like rings 466 million years ago, new study suggests
Earth may have sported a Saturn-like ring system 466 million years ago, after it captured and wrecked a passing asteroid, a new study suggests. The debris ring, which likely lasted tens of millions of years, may have led to global cooling and even contributed to the coldest period on Earth in the past 500 million years.
Earth May Have Once Had a Saturn-Like Ring, New Study Says
The new study asserts that Earth's ring formed around 466 million years ago, and stuck around for around 40 million years before dissipating. Researchers say that the existence of such a ring would help solve several puzzles from Earth's past and that much of the data they collected supports its existence.
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