Scientists have found evidence which suggests that Earth may have formed rings like Saturn about 450 million years ago following a near collision with a large asteroid.

Evidence suggests Earth had a ring system 466 million years ago, causing a surge in meteorite impacts and possibly influencing the planet's climate.

And now, a new study published in the scientific journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters seems to show that Earth itself once had a similar ring. The new study asserts that Earth's ring formed around 466 million years ago and stuck around for around 40 million years before dissipating.

Researchers have found evidence suggesting that the Earth may have once had a system of Saturn-like rings. The rings are theorized to have formed 466 million years ago during one of the coldest periods in the planet's history, known as the Ordovician.

“Over millions of years, material from this ring gradually fell to Earth, creating the spike in meteorite impacts observed in the geological record,” said Tomkins in a statement that accompanied the paper’s release. “We … see that layers in sedimentary rocks from this period contain extraordinary amounts of meteorite debris.”