Earth once possessed Saturn-like rings, scientific study reveals

Saturn, one of the most beautiful planets in our solar system, is renowned for its stunning ring system. Have you ever wondered what Earth would look like if it also had rings like Saturn? What would be the implications?

A new study suggests that Earth, too, once possessed rings, although they are no longer visible today. Published in Earth & Planetary Science Letters, the research indicates that these rings existed around 460 million years ago and persisted for millions of years. Scientists believe these rings may have influenced Earth's climate.

Geologist Andrew Tomkins from Monash University, in a study published last week in Earth & Planetary Science Letters, stated, "My colleagues and I have uncovered evidence suggesting that Earth may have once had rings. This finding could potentially solve several mysteries surrounding our planet's history. Around 466 million years ago, Earth experienced a significant number of meteorite impacts." Scientific evidence supports this claim, as it led to the formation of numerous craters on Earth's surface. We have found evidence of this in Europe, China, and Russia, where limestone deposits contain abundant meteorite debris. These sedimentary bands hold fragments of meteorites that were exposed to cosmic radiation for a shorter duration compared to meteorites falling today. During this period, numerous tsunamis also occurred, as evidenced by the presence of sedimentary elements. Scientists believe these characteristics are interconnected.

"To understand the distribution of 21 meteorite impact craters, we utilized models of Earth's tectonic plate movements, which revealed the locations where these craters formed during the time of impact," explained Andrew Tomkins. "It was observed that all the craters were located near the equator, with none found near the poles." Scientists believe that these craters have either shrunk in size or been obscured by events like tsunamis, rendering Earth's rings invisible today.