What's happened
A recent study suggests that a ring of asteroid debris encircled Earth 450 million years ago, causing a spike in meteorite impacts during the Ordovician Period. This event may have contributed to significant climate changes, including the Hirnantian Icehouse, as researchers analyze the distribution of impact craters near the equator.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, Dr. Andy Tomkins stated, "They’re all fairly close to the Equator, and it’s pretty hard to do that by normal impact cratering processes." This highlights the significance of the study's findings. Conversely, Dr. Gretchen Benedix expressed skepticism, noting, "There are a lot of hypotheticals here, and that’s not a bad thing," indicating the need for more data to support the claims. The Economist also noted the potential cooling effects of the debris ring, suggesting it may have cast a shadow on Earth, contributing to climate changes during the Ordovician period.
How we got here
The Ordovician Period, occurring around 450 million years ago, was marked by a notable increase in meteorite impacts on Earth. Researchers have long debated the cause of this phenomenon, with recent studies proposing that a large asteroid broke apart near Earth, forming a debris ring that influenced impact patterns.
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