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![Dried and dessicated moss, Syntrichia caninervis, attached to dried rock in Hackberry Canyon of Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado, USA](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nKApp6B6hLoHiQxH5bJWdW-320-80.jpg)
Near-indestructible moss can survive gamma rays and liquid nitrogen
By Stephanie Pappas published
This little moss withstands deadly blasts of radiation, extreme cold and dehydration — and could probably survive on Mars.
![An astronaut photo of a winding grenn-color river covered partly by shadows from canyon walls](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/thXLJPVsU5FDBcWCsaTPaj-320-80.png)
Earth from space: Green River winds through radioactive 'labyrinth of shadows'
By Harry Baker published
This 2018 astronaut photo shows a striking section of the Green River as it winds through Utah's "Labyrinth Canyon." The canyon's steep walls cast long shadows that hide many secrets, including caves and abandoned uranium mines.
![Aerial view of the Argyle diamond mine with exposed earth and infrastructure.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8ipizD2xb6wK5taRyZ3aqV-320-80.jpg)
Argyle mine: Earth's treasure trove of pink diamonds born during a supercontinent's break up
By Sascha Pare published
During 37 years of operations, the now-closed Argyle mine produced more than 865 million carats (191 tons) of rough diamonds and 90% of the world's pink diamonds.
![A lonely rider at Altay Mountains.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R4hCqjVkeiXuQenXMa9MrS-320-80.jpg)
Boiling rocks from Earth's crust tore an ocean into Mongolia 410 million years ago
By Stephanie Pappas published
An ocean that opened up in what is now Mongolia 410 million years ago was created by a hot upwelling of rock known as a mantle plume.
![A satellite photo of the Sahara showing colorful rock folds and salt flats that look like abstract art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WWYVMhkgfHL5XqUEQHAQfe-320-80.jpg)
Earth from space: Near-lifeless 'Land of Terror' looks like an alien landscape in the Sahara
By Harry Baker published
A 2017 satellite image of the Sahara's Tanezrouft Basin shows the abstract beauty in ancient rock folds and colorful salt flats that have been sculpted in this terrifying region over millions of years.
![A rendering of Lucy](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2StKjLopujbANRPZgrWHyP-320-80.jpg)
Human ancestor 'Lucy' was hairless, new research suggests. Here's why that matters.
By Stacy Keltner published
Lucy is popularly depicted as being hairy, but new evidence suggests she wasn't. The discovery prompts new questions about the history of nudity.
![A grainy black and white photo of an alleged loch ness monster sighting](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6igQoUToPxTwTBVYsUFkhS-320-80.jpg)
'Loch ness monster' microbe stretches its neck to 30 times its body length in seconds
By Lars Fischer published
A microbe can grow a neck that is 30 times as long as its body in just a few seconds. Origami folding explains how
![A picture of the Darvaza gas crater at night shows fire burning inside the crater.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5pCSAfXnCULyF9BifgXo2X-320-80.jpg)
Gates of Hell: Turkmenistan's methane-fueled fire pit that has been burning since 1971
By Sascha Pare published
Geologists set Turkmenistan's Darvaza gas crater ablaze in 1971, thinking the fire would die down within a few weeks, but the pit is still burning 53 years later.
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