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.

You don’t have to go (completely) vegetarian to save Earth, claims study

Limiting ourselves to a small portion of pork or chicken per week would allow the world to eat a healthy and sustainable diet
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What's the craziest thing ever stolen?

From bull semen to a commercial airliner, it doesn't get much weirder than this
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28 major US cities are now sinking. Here's why 

The sinking cities are at risk of flooding, cracking and crumbling as some areas sink more quickly than others
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This is what you'd eat after the apocalypse, according to science

Scientists have figured out what we need to grow in the case of a global catastrophe
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The hidden ancient mega-cities of the Amazon are finally revealing their secrets

Archaeologists are using advanced technology to uncover ancient settlements hidden in the dense jungles of the Amazon
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What are the Gates of Hell, and why do they keep burning?

Why do the 'Gates of Hell' in Turkmenistan's Karakum Desert keep burning?
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This massive 'zombie' volcano might not be so dead after all

This sleeping giant has plenty going on beneath the surface. Should we be worried?
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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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