This week's space, science and "living planet" news ranged from creepy critters ("New Species Of Face-Sized Venom Spider Found In Sri Lanka") to monster microbes ("Termite Guts Contain Cthulhu Monsters"). But perhaps the biggest phenomenon this weekend was the discovery of lost ruins. Check out what we mean below.
1. 'Gate To Hell' Found In Turkey
Italian archaeologists found this deadly portal, named "Pluto's Gate," in southwest Turkey. Mentioned by the likes of Cicero and Strabo, the gate was considered a portal to the underworld and emitted noxious vapors that killed any bird that happened to enter. "We could see the cave's lethal properties during the excavation," team leader Francesco D'Andria said. Though some may be skeptical as to whether the location is in fact Pluto's Gate, we're going to keep our distance anyway.
2. NASA Finds Clues To Universe In Most Distant Supernova Ever
We're still not entirely sure why stars explode, but a discovery of a new supernova that burst over 10 billion years ago may hold the answer. Called UDS10Wil or SN Wilson , after U.S. president Woodrow Wilson, the supernova is the furthest yet discovered, allowing us to see a star explode further back in time than ever before. The find could hold clues as to the evolution of the universe and its expansion.
3. Ur Reveals Lost City of Abraham
In other lost site discoveries this week, archaeologists in Iraq claim to have found near Ur the birthplace of Abraham, the so-called "spiritual father of the Jews." If correct, the discovery would validate the Old Testament reference of Abraham's family members with a location called Ur of the Chaldeans. The discovery is dated to 2000 B.C.
4. Alien Planets That Might Be Habitable Number 100 Billion, Astronomers Say
The question of whether we are alone in the universe got a bit clearer this week with the discovery that 100 billion Earth-like planets may exist. The claim was made by scientists at the University of Auckland. They say that using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope will make such discoveries easier.
5. NASA Curiosity Video: Plummeting To Mars
We've seen some great pictures of Mars from NASA, but it's a rare occasion indeed when we get to see an actual video. Check it out here!
