The Cowboys can take their time adding a true replacement for Ezekiel Elliott as the Vikings ponder cutting Dalvin Cook on June 1.Dalvin Cook has been one of the top running backs in the NFL for the past four years but the combination of his dipping efficiency and the Vikings cap issues make him...

IShowSpeed’s livestream video seems to be unavailable on YouTube which sparked speculation across social media platforms

Many of us look to the stars for answers to life’s most complex questions. But actually, some of the greatest mysteries lie beneath our very feet. One might think we’d know the Earth pretty well by now but, in fact, our planet’s core remains shrouded in enigma. Indeed, there are two gigantic blobs located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean that occupy around six per cent of the world’s entire volume. And yet, we’re still not entirely sure what they’re made of or where they came from. There are a number of hypotheses, including that they are piles of oceanic crust that have accumulated over billions of years. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter But a more interesting theory is that they are huge chunks of an ancient planet that hit the Earth around 4.5 billion years ago. To give an indication of just how massive these things are, the structure under Africa – an area known as Tuzo – is thought to be around 800km (497 miles) tall – the equivalent of some 90 Mount Everests stacked on top of one another, as IFLScience notes. The problem with determining the origin of these monster formations is that there are no direct ways of observing the Earth’s core. The deepest hole humans have ever dug – branded the "entrance to hell" – reached a pretty staggering 12,263m (40,230ft), but that doesn’t even come close to breaking through the crust to the layers beneath. Our most effective tool for analysing what lies beneath the ground is a technique called seismic tomography, which looks at how waves of energy travel when earthquakes occur. Since rocks and liquids have different densities, the waves move through them at different speeds. By measuring the tremors from different points on the surface, geologists can determine what kind of material the waves are travelling through and, in so doing, map out the Earth’s interior. It was by using this technique that the two unusual structures – known as large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs) – were found. Waves travel more slowly in these areas – fondly known as “blobs” – than through the surrounding lower mantle, indicating that they’re made of something different. We can’t tell what this material is based on seismic tomography data alone, but some scientists like to believe that they are the remnants of an ancient planet called Theia – an idea known as the “giant impact hypothesis”. According to this hypothesis, around 4.5 billion years ago, a Mars-sized object collided with the Earth. This impact not only created the planet we call home today, but also threw off enough rock to form the moon that lights up our night skies. Some scientists suggest that some of Theia’s leftovers also sunk to the bottom of the planet, probably settling somewhere above the core – thereby forming at least one of the two LLSVPs. More Updates About Strange Blob Structures Inside Planet Earth youtu.be Experts have been investigating the area for decades but there’s still no way of knowing for sure just what these two giant blobs are. Still, studies into Theia have offered important insights into how the possible collision might have kickstarted key plate tectonic and mantle motion inside our planet – crucial processes for establishing the world on which we live. It’s also a useful reminder that we still have so much to learn about our planet and where we came from. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The golf influencer posted four selfies wearing a short T-shirt with a front knot-style wrap and a deep V-neck

Atlanta United's predicted starting XI for their clash with Seattle Sounders.

SAVE $40: The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) is on sale for $89 at Amazon as

By James Oliphant and Alexandra Ulmer WASHINGTON Nikki Haley is having a moment: The 2024 Republican presidential candidate

A man in his 30s has been arrested and is currently in custody in a Garda station.

Are you suffering from a serious case of FOMO whenever you come across multiple elite weapons in Warzone 2? Don't worry, there's a way to get past that and we have the guide to show you how.

Ons Jabeur has reached the French Open quarterfinals for the first time

Referees’ chief Howard Webb says standards of behaviour in the English game have been “allowed to decline” over a period of many years and insists it is vital a new code of conduct is followed by everyone to address it. Officials are being empowered to issue cards when confronted by two or more players in the season ahead, while players and coaches who seriously or repeatedly abuse referees could face increased financial penalties from the Football Association. Webb, the chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), says there has been a worldwide decline in referees entering the game, and that a collective effort from everyone involved in football to address poor behaviour is essential to tackling it. “I think over a period of time we’ve seen a decline in some behaviours, both on the field of play and in the technical areas. It’s not exclusive to the English game, we’ve seen it around the world,” he said in an interview broadcast on PGMOL’s YouTube page. “This has had knock-on effects. We’ve seen copycat behaviour at grassroots levels, and that’s resulted in people either quitting as referees or not choosing to take up the whistle. “I think for too long we as match officials have not done well enough in dealing with behaviours that have been unacceptable. We have too often confused unacceptable behaviour as passion. We’ve turned a blind eye or a deaf ear. “We’re trying to change behaviours that are exhibited in our sport that have been allowed to decline over the years, for many years, that have now seen a situation where we have a lot of referees who are facing really difficult experiences at grassroots level. We have too often confused unacceptable behaviour as passion. We’ve turned a blind eye or a deaf ear Howard Webb “Numbers are generally around the world declining and I think enough is enough. This is our chance to leave a legacy of improved behaviour. “We’re being tasked as match officials to deliver change on the field of play by being resilient and robust and consistent with the way that we deal with unacceptable behaviour. “We’re ready to do that for the good of the game but it’s absolutely important that all stakeholders in the game stand behind our officials and ensure that they feel empowered and supported when they’re dealing with these behaviours.” The English football authorities have endorsed a series of measures designed to combat bad behaviour on and off the pitch, including a ‘Participants’ Charter’ for players and coaches, plus tougher sanctions on off-field issues such as football tragedy abuse. While at grassroots level teams can now face points deductions where their players or staff are found to have seriously or repeatedly abused officials, there are no indications that the professional game will follow suit. That is despite a number of serious incidents at top-flight level in the last year alone, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp twice sanctioned for abusing officials and Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic given an eight-game ban for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh. Webb says all players and managers must be aware of the impact on their actions, especially on young people. “So many young people’s eyes are on that field of play. They take their lead from what players do.” Webb added. “These are role models whose behaviour they want to emulate, they look up to these people. If they see certain types of behaviour then it sets a really poor example for what is deemed acceptable in everyday life as well. “Not wanting to put too much pressure and responsibility on players’ shoulders or officials or coaches who perform in that pressurised environment, but I think that we have to accept that when we get to a certain level we’re all role models. “And we all have to understand that our behaviours do have an impact and therefore those behaviours that are exhibited have to be positive ones.” The PA news agency understands the Professional Footballers’ Association has been involved in the meetings which led to the new charter and has actively helped to shape it.

Trucking company Yellow Corp. has shut down operations and is headed for a bankruptcy filing, according to the Teamsters Union and multiple media reports