Planet Earth

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  Scientists Uncover 'Sunken Worlds' Deep in Earth’s Mantle, Defying Geological Expectations

  A new study has uncovered unusual anomalies deep within Earth's mantle, resembling sunken crustal slabs in unexpected locations. Using advanced full-waveform inversion, scientists were able to map these structures, revealing hidden patterns that challenge current geological understanding. These anomalies were discovered far from tectonic activity z...

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  NASA's TESS Discovers Fastest Disintegrating Planet Ever Seen: What You Need to Know

  NASA’s TESS has observed the closest and fastest disintegrating planet, BD+05 4868 Ab, located 141 light-years away. The planet loses a moon’s mass every million years as it is bombarded by its host star. Scientists are examining its massive dust trails, offering rare insights into the composition of terrestrial exoplanets. Researchers from MIT...

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  SpaceX Successfully Launches 131 Satellites on Transporter 12 Mission

  SpaceX’s Transporter 12 mission, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deployed 131 satellites into low Earth orbit on 14 January 2025. Among the payloads were 37 satellites from Planet Labs, including the AI-powered Pelican-2, designed for high-resolution imaging and real-time data analysis. The mission also saw the Falcon 9 booster success...

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  Ancient Ice Core from Antarctica May Reveal Climate Mysteries from 1.2 Million Years Ago

  A team of scientists in Antarctica has extracted a 2.8-kilometre-long ice core from Little Dome C, believed to be 1.2 million years old. The ice core contains trapped air bubbles and volcanic ash, offering valuable data on climate shifts and the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. The research aims to uncover the cause behind significant climatic changes a...

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  NASA's LEXI Mission Will Explore Earth’s Magnetic Shield from the Moon

  NASA is preparing for the launch of the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) aboard Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander, scheduled for January 15. The mission will observe Earth’s magnetosphere, capturing X-ray images that reveal how the planet's magnetic shield reacts to solar wind. This project could improve predictions of geoma...

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  Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins

  Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...

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  Underground Hydrogen Reserves Could Power Earth for 200 Years, Study Finds

  Trillions of tons of hydrogen have been discovered beneath Earth's surface, offering a potential clean energy solution. A recent study estimates 6.2 trillion tons of hydrogen in rocks and reservoirs, capable of powering the planet for 200 years. While access and economic viability remain challenges, scientists see immense promise in these natural r...

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  Study Finds Venus Likely Never Had Oceans, Challenging Past Theories

  Recent research published in Nature Astronomy challenges past ideas about Venus, suggesting it never had oceans or conditions for life. Analysis of the planet's volcanic gases and atmospheric composition revealed that Venus’s interior is dry, ruling out the presence of liquid water. This conclusion highlights the stark contrast between Venus and ...

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  Earth Aligns Between Sun And Jupiter For Spectacular December 7 Event

  On December 7, Earth will align between the Sun and Jupiter, creating a rare astronomical event known as Jupiters opposition.

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  NASA Discovers Rare Neptune-Sized Planet Where A Year Only Lasts 21 Hours

  TOI-3261 b orbits its star in an extremely close orbit, completing a year in just 21 hours.

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  Asteroid Ryugu Sample Was 'Rapidly Colonised' By Earth Bacteria: Study

  The sample from the asteroid Ryugu was overrun with Earth-based life forms after they were brought to the planet, scientists have concluded in a study.

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  Youngest Exoplanet Ever Discovered Orbiting Around a Growing Protostar 520 Light-Years Away

  TIDYE-1b, a "baby" gas giant exoplanet just 3 million years old, has been discovered orbiting a protostar in the Taurus molecular cloud. The planet’s youth makes it around 1,500 times younger than Earth, offering a rare glimpse into planetary formation. However, TIDYE-1b is orbiting a star surrounded by a misaligned protoplanetary disk, which cha...

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  Super-Earth In the Solar System Could Have Rendered Our Planet Uninhabitable, Says Study

  A recent study explores a hypothetical super-Earth between Mars and Jupiter, revealing its severe impact on Earth's orbit and climate. Conducted by Florida Institute of Technology scientists Emily Simpson and Howard Chen, the simulation demonstrates how such a planet’s gravity could destabilise neighbouring planets, causing erratic orbits and ext...

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  Evidence of Hot Water on Mars Found in Ancient Meteorite From Early Days of Solar System

  Evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars has been found in a 4.45-billion-year-old zircon grain from the NWA7034 meteorite. The findings, detailed in Science Advances, reveal that hydrothermal systems were active on Mars during the Pre-Noachian period. Researchers suggest these systems, essential for life on Earth, could have made Mars habita...

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  Earth Had Ring System Similar To Saturn Roughly 466 Million Years Ago: Study

  Like Saturn, Earth may have also had its ring system circling the planet 466 million years ago, according to a study.