Inside Earth's Saturn-like Ancient Rings

Discover Daily by Perplexity

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In this episode of Discover Daily, we explore a remarkable theory suggesting that Earth had a spectacular ring system, similar to Saturn's, around 466 million years ago during the Ordovician period. The study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, presents evidence that a large asteroid passed within Earth's Roche limit, tidally disrupting and forming a debris ring that caused the anomalous concentration of impact craters and meteorite debris defining the Ordovician impact spike. The implications of this ancient ring system extend beyond geology, potentially triggering the Hirnantian glaciation and influencing the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.
Join us as we dive deep into this captivating hypothesis, exploring the evidence, mechanics, and implications of Earth's ancient rings, and discuss the key follow-up studies that could prove or disprove this groundbreaking theory.

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