Lithosphere Lithosphere A lithosphere ( ["lithos"] for "rocky", and ["sphaira"] for "sphere") is the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet, or natural satellite, that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater. The outermost shell of a rocky planet, the crust, is defined on the basis of its chemistry and mineralogy. The study of past and current formations of landscapes is called geomorphology. Earth's lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost mantle, which constitute
The Litany of Earth The Litany of Earth The Litany of Earth is a 2014 fantasy/horror fiction novella by Ruthanna Emrys, revisiting H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". It was first published on Tor.com. Decades after the residents of Innsmouth were forced into internment camps by the United States government, Aphra Marsh discovers humans trying to replicate her people's secret mystical rituals. "Litany of Earth" was included on "Locus Magazine"s recommended reading list for 2014. Charlie Jane Anders stated that the story was "something special". An analysis by Io9 indicated that, if not for the involvement of the Sad Puppies, "Litany of Earth"