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Common source for Earth and Moon water

Measurements of the chemical composition of Moon rocks suggest that Earth was born with its water already present, rather than having the precious liquid delivered several hundred million years later by comets or asteroids. And in finding a common origin for the water on Earth and the Moon, the results highlight a puzzle over the leading theory for the formation of Earth's satellite....

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Moon and planet names spark battle

Company clashes with International Astronomical Union over popular labels for exoplanets....

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Life found deep under the sea

For the first time, scientists have discovered microbes living deep inside Earth’s oceanic crust — the dark volcanic rock at the bottom of the sea. This crust is several kilometres thick and covers 60% of the planet’s surface, making it the largest habitat on Earth....

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Morpho bleu / Blue morpho (Morpho helenor)

ESA’s climate-eye dilemma

Scientists face difficult choice for Europe’s next Earth-observation mission.Snow, trees or the air we breathe? Europe’s environmental research community is facing the difficult task of settling which of the three should be the priority for Europe’s next Earth-observing satellite....

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Third radiation belt discovered around Earth

A previously unknown belt of radiation surrounded Earth for several weeks last year, Nasa scientists have discovered.Since 1958 scientists have known that Earth is circled by two doughnut-like rings of trapped charged particles called the Van Allen radiation belts....

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Bumblebees sense electric fields in flowers

Pollinating insects take in a large number of sensory cues, from colours and fragrances to petal textures and air humidity. Being able to judge which flowers will provide the most nectar, and which have already been plundered by other pollinators, helps them to use their energy more efficiently....

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