New study suggests Earth had rings like Saturn’s millions of years ago

Saturn’s rings are among the most beautiful features on any planet within our galaxy. Recently, a group of Australian scientists found that the Earth may have been surrounded by its own rings millions of years ago.

When could the Earth have had rings?

The research, published in one of the most famous scientific journals, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, reveals the details that suggest the presence of rings millions of years ago. It all starts with the meteorite shower the Earth witnessed almost 500 million years ago. For the researchers at Monash University, these artifacts likely came from a belt. Why? Because of the location of the impact sites. Most of the 21 sites investigated are located just 30 degrees from the equator—too much precision, considering that the rain from a meteorite belt occurs randomly. The probability of them sharing an impact space is too remote.

How did this ring form? The theory is that a huge asteroid passed very close to Earth. The debris left in its wake was trapped in orbit, producing this ring until it finally disintegrated, falling savagely to the surface. All of the above is a theory that does not yet have enough weight to hold up in court, but the facts are clear: there is a story to be told here.