Earth
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In 2029, a large asteroid will whizz past Earth so close it’ll be visible to the naked eye. But could collisions with other asteroids bounce it off-course into us? To find out, astronomers have now crunched the paths of 1.3 million known asteroids.
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The hot interior of planets isn’t somewhere you’d expect to find snow, but “iron snow” could fall on Earth’s core. A new study has modeled the dynamics in the lab and found that iron snow could make magnetic fields switch on and off in some planets.
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We only have to look up at the Moon to see the remains of a cataclysmic collision between two early planets, billions of years ago. Evidence may also be beneath our feet, as scientists suggest the remains of that ancient planet lurk near Earth’s core.
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Google has put AI to work as a weatherman, and shown that in just one minute on a single machine, it can make accurate predictions up to 10 days in advance, a task that normally takes a room full of supercomputers hours to achieve.
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Move over TRAPPIST-1 – there’s an exciting new planetary system in town. Meet Kepler-385, home to seven Super-Earths that were just discovered in existing data.
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The cascading effects of a giant asteroid impact is credited for killing off the dinosaurs. Now scientists have identified a new factor – fine silicate dust that hung in the atmosphere for well over a decade, blocking sunlight and cooling the planet.
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Scientists from Caltech and WHOI have found evidence that Earth’s core is leaking. High levels of a particular isotope of helium were found in lava flows in Canada, which the team proposes originated in the planet’s core.
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About 66 million years ago, the reign of reptiles came to a dramatic end. Scientists have now predicted that mammals will meet their maker in a similar cataclysm in about 250 million years’ time, as the continents collide to form a new supercontinent.
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Astronomers have discovered the cosmic equivalent of a parent crashing a teenagers’ party to make sure they have enough water. An aging star has been detected passing through a young star-forming region, delivering elements crucial for life to form.
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The unique perspective just a few astronauts have ever seen of Earth from outer space, and the way in which it impacts them, is known as the Overview Effect. Now, specially built theaters and a new film will bring the same experience to the masses.
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If you’ve ever felt like you need more hours in the day, well how does 60 sound? A new study suggests we’d have 60-hour days by now if a stalemate between the Sun and Moon hadn’t interfered with Earth’s rotation for over a billion years.
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The Earth’s inner core is incredibly tricky to study, since it’s buried beneath thousands of miles of rock. New seismic studies suggest that it’s not just a solid ball of iron, as has been assumed, but might have pockets of liquid iron throughout.
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