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Latest about earth
![Hundreds of polygon-shaped crack in the Martian surface](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aZYAaPvBH7frYpSfLAzrbJ-320-80.jpg)
Bizarre polygons on Mars' surface hint that alien life on Red Planet was possible
By Harry Baker published
A patchwork of polygon-shaped cracks in ancient Martian mud are evidence of past wet-dry cycles, which could have helped extraterrestrial life emerge on the Red Planet.
![An uneven dark rock](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zkwnhXkZjcA3L5y5xKL5i8-320-80.jpg)
World's 1st 'boomerang meteorite' — a rock that left Earth, spent millennia in space, then returned — possibly discovered in the Sahara Desert
By Harry Baker published
The composition of an unusual meteorite suggests that it formed on Earth, spent thousands of years in space, then reentered the atmosphere. But some experts disagree.
![Atacama Desert in Chile](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BJzFNN8sr7jnV7gSPTBRd9-320-80.jpg)
Chile's Atacama Desert is the sunniest spot on Earth, catching as many rays as Venus
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Scientists have identified Earth's sunniest spot, and it has the same radiation as Venus.
![An asteroid flying past earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xZQvdFzSema7hvkvh54BLh-320-80.jpg)
A skyscraper-size asteroid flew closer to Earth than the moon — and scientists didn't notice until 2 days later
By Brandon Specktor published
A stealthy asteroid the size of a 20-story building hid in the sun's glare before zooming uncomfortably close to Earth on July 13. Scientists didn't notice until July 15.
![An image of the sun with a white ring surrounding the flash of a solar flare](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5kBYMeAnTJKzFabLYN4y9-320-80.jpg)
'Cannibal' coronal mass ejection that devoured 'dark eruption' from sun will smash into Earth today (July 18)
By Harry Baker published
Two coronal mass ejections have combined into an enormous cloud of magnetized plasma that is forecast to hit Earth on Tuesday and potentially trigger a weak geomagnetic storm.
![a map of the moon and its many craters, showing regions with more gravity in red and regions with less gravity in green and blue](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RAJ3MZREHnL3MNGJVwMQRQ-320-80.jpg)
Scientists discover huge, heat-emitting blob on the far side of the moon
By Stephanie Pappas published
Scientists detected a peculiar blob of heat-emitting material buried on the far side of the moon. The most likely culprit is a rock that is very rare outside of Earth.
![Structure of the Earth's core against a space background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4iAzUd8qwZyMvAKV3bXDLW-320-80.jpg)
Swirls of liquid iron may be trapped inside Earth's 'solid' core
By Stephanie Pappas published
Though Earth's innermost core is solid, new research suggests that it hosts a lot of variation.
![Lightning crackles in the sky above the U.K. in first images from Europe's new weather satellite.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Tfpn57Zp4SuHXGMeDAAdkm-320-80.gif)
Watch thousands of lightning bolts crackle over Europe in stunning new satellite video
By Tereza Pultarova published
Stunning first videos from a new space-borne instrument designed to improve the monitoring of thunderstorms show the crackle of lightning over Europe, Africa and the Atlantic Ocean.
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