Objects closer to Earth than the L1 point are controlled by Earth's gravity. Objects beyond the L1 point are controlled by the Sun. When J002E3 came close to the L1 point in April 2002, the object passed throuhgh L1--like a portal--from a Sun-orbit to an Earth-orbit.
In the top 20km of the Earth's crust, the conditions are right to produce a nearly inexhaustible supply of hydrogen, said Prof Freund. Studies by the team of common rock types such as granite and olivine have revealed extraordinarily high levels of trapped hydrogen.
What makes Earth's climate so moderate? Separating Earth from the extreme and inhospitable climate of space is a 500-mile-thick cocoon of gases called the atmosphere. All planets have an atmosphere, a layer of gases that surrounds them. The Sun's atmosphere is made up of hydrogen, while Earth's is made up primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. Carbon dioxide, ozone, and other gases are also present. These gases keep our planet warm and protect us from the direct effects of the Sun's radiation. Without this regulation, Earth could not sustain life.