The Planet

Earth is our home, and there is much happening here. The Daily Planet's "The Planet" section covers nature, technology, lifestyle and more. It is also where you can find memorials for those we’ve lost.

  • September 20, 2026

    Sunrise over Hibbing, MN. (Photo by Traci Whitlock)

  • September 21, 2026

    Downtown Minneapolis, MN, on the Daily Planet’s fifth anniversary in the city. (Photo by Zack Benz)

  • September 22, 2026

    The first day of Autumn in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Zack Benz)

  • September 23, 2026

    St. Mark’s Cathedral rests at the end of W 15th Street in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Zack Benz)

  • September 24, 2026

    The Narrows in Zion National Park, Utah. (Photo by Brianna Taggart)

  • September 25, 2026

    A monarch butterfly pollinates a flower in a community garden planted by Hennepin Ave. United Methodist Church. (Photo by Zack Benz)

  • September 26, 2026

    Zion Park Lodge in Utah. (Photo by Brianna Taggart)

Flamebird Frames: this week in photos, Sept. 20-26

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This week's Flamebird Frames spans red-rock canyons in Utah, a monarch butterfly in a Minneapolis community garden and the Daily Planet's fifth anniversary in the city.

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Dolly Parton performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sept. 24, 2011. (Courtesy of Timothy Wildey via Flickr)
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Dolly Parton, country music icon, dies at 80

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Dolly Parton, the entertainer, philanthropist and Country Music Hall of Famer whose songwriting and business empire made her one of the most beloved figures in American culture, died Tuesday in Nashville. She was 80.

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A smoky haze causes red-orange sunlight in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. (Photo by Zack Benz, Daily Planet)
A smoky haze causes red-orange sunlight in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. (Photo by Zack Benz, Daily Planet)
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July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in the US, NOAA confirms

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The contiguous United States just endured its hottest month since recordkeeping began in 1895, narrowly surpassing the Dust Bowl summer of 1936, according to NOAA. Every state in the Lower 48 ran above its 20th-century average, with more than 200 all-time records broken along the way.

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Patrons leave a sold-out showing of "Spiderman: Brand New Day" at Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. (Photo by Zack Benz, Daily Planet)
Patrons leave a sold-out showing of "Spiderman: Brand New Day" at Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. (Photo by Zack Benz, Daily Planet)

Flamebird Frames debuts with a week of Twin Cities moments, from sculpture gardens to Valleyfair’s 50th

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The Daily Planet debuts Flamebird Frames, a new weekly photojournalism showcase, with an extended inaugural edition covering nine days of Twin Cities life, a road trip to Iowa and Valleyfair's golden anniversary.

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Vintage books in Zack Benz's collection, passed down through generations of his family. (Photo by Zack Benz)
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Court records show AI firms buying, destroying millions of books to train chatbots

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A cottage industry has emerged to supply AI developers with millions of physical books that are cut apart, scanned for training data and discarded. Unsealed court records name Anthropic's "Project Panama" as one confirmed example; other buyers remain anonymous.

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