This podcast episode delves into groundbreaking research revealing that Earth once had a ring system akin to Saturn's, approximately 466 million years ago during the Ordovician period. The findings suggest a profound correlation between this ancient ring and a unique distribution of impact craters near the equator, attributed to a catastrophic interaction with a large asteroid. This event not only shaped the planet's geological features but also had significant climatic implications, acting as a sunshade that potentially triggered one of Earth's most severe glaciation episodes. The discussion invites a reevaluation of our planet's cosmic interactions and biological evolution throughout its tumultuous history.
