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Weather

Nature’s engineering: how Devon beach made its own flood defences

Two-mile long Pebble Ridge looks artificial but was created by waves and storms over centuries Northam Burrows in Devon has an impressive coastal defence: a bank of limestone cobblestones, 2 miles long and standing more than 2 metres above high tide. It looks artificial, but the bank is natural, made by wave action over centuries. Known as the Pebble Ridge, this is an example of a coastal boulder deposit. Longshore drift carries rocks from nearby eroding cliffs eastwards down the coast to Northam Burrows. During big storms, powerful waves carry a mixture of stones, gravel, pebbles and sand up

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Science

Astronomers just found the youngest known planet ever

Astronomers have confirmed a Jupiter-size planet less than a million years old, making Elias 2-24 b the youngest known planet and giving scientists a rare look at a world still being born. Its surprisingly rapid formation challenges leading theories about how giant planets come together, especially so far from their stars.