Planet Earth

Planet Earth

Mother Earth, Gaia, the third rock from the Sun - whatever you call it, this 4.5 billion-year-old planet is the one that we and all known living creatures call home.

Long-lost land bridge may finally explain how – and where – humans migrated out of Africa

The ancestors of humans, elephants and giraffes were shaped by hot rocks bubbling up from the Earth's mantle
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Something strange is happening to Earth’s rotation. Now we know why

Earth is wobbling more than it should. Scientists say massive water losses are to blame
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Sunscreen might have helped early humans outlive Neanderthals

In a time when auroras danced over most of the Earth and the sun’s rays were more powerful than today, sunscreen may have been Homo sapiens’ secret weapon
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Scientists trigger Yellowstone ‘earthquakes’ to probe volcano’s depths

They created vibrations deep in the ground at 110 different locations to uncover the secrets of the supervolcano
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One of Earth's oldest mysteries keeps getting weirder

Despite centuries of research, one of Earth’s most awe-inspiring phenomena is still not fully understood.
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Are satellites burning up in the atmosphere bad for the environment?

Particles released by decaying satellites could be causing an unwanted, harmful impact to the ozone layer.
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Inside the bizarre race to secure Earth’s nuclear tombs

With nuclear energy production increasing globally, the problem of what to do with the waste demands a solution. But where do you store something that stays dangerous for thousands of years?
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The 7 most expensive substances ever found on planet Earth

Silver, gold, platinum… palladium? Pah! When it comes to the really precious materials, you’d be surprised by what fetches the highest prices
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Scientists may have discovered a whole new type of life

A strange giant cylindrical lifeform might not be a fungus after all
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Something very strange is happening to tornadoes across the US. And scientists are baffled

After another explosive start to tornado season, twisters are cropping up in unexpected places – and the big picture isn’t looking any clearer
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A 'Bermuda Triangle of Space' has created a no-go region above Earth. Here's how

Above Earth, there is a void, a no-go zone that spacecraft enter at their own peril
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The 17 worst ideas of the 21st century (so far)

Sorry, Google Glass
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This bizarre spiked mammal is basically a real-life Pokemon

I choose you, lowland streaked tenrec
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How we're about to solve the world’s greatest archaeological puzzle

Artificial intelligence is helping archaeologists unlock Earth’s oldest secrets.
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Strange microscopic lightning may have kickstarted life on Earth

Tiny zaps of electricity may have provided the energy to form life as we know it.
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The 7 biggest ocean mysteries scientists can't explain

Weird noises, mysterious constructions and strange disappearances have left scientists scratching their heads. Here are seven phenomena we still can’t explain.
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The world's driest deserts are flooding, and it has scientists puzzled

These are usually the driest places on Earth. So why are they seeing so much rain, and what can we do about it?
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Could marine cloud brightening help us fight climate change?

Is the future of keeping Earth cool floating above us?
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What is Mexico's blue hole?

The world's deepest marine sinkhole is at least 420m deep but remains a mystery to scientists.
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Are we the only species to have been through a stone age?

Who is the originator of the stone tool? The evidence leaves a confusing mystery.
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The strange science of how fog forms

Fog occurs when air saturated with water vapour is cooled suddenly, and there are several different ways this can happen.
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This ‘internet of animals’ could unlock the secrets of nature’s greatest superpowers

Scientists are using electronic tags and satellites to track wild animals and build a data network.
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The hidden climate tipping point scientists worry most about

With collapsing ice sheets, loss of the Amazon rainforest, and melting permafrost, key parts of Earth’s climate system are in trouble.
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