A South Korean temporarily bans motor vehicles, leading to a surprising result. An asteroid passes close to Earth, missing it but getting close enough for some spectacular images. And the Modi government in India comes into conflict with the scientific community. It's Earthy Thursday, our weekly segment on science and Earth-related news! All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

What would happen in your neighborhood if cars were banned for a month? One community in South Korea did precisely that. The results were surprising to say the least, with residents embracing rather the change of pace.

When we think of a bird's nest we almost always imagine a little bowl-shaped bundle of twigs filled with a cluster of young hatchlings impatiently awaiting food from their parents. But not all bird nests are the same. Mother Nature Network's gathered some unique images of different kinds of bird's nests from around the globe.

One of the most dangerous threats to life on Earth is the prospect of a celestial impact event, wherein an asteroid or other large object collides with the Earth, sending plumes of dust and other particulate matter into the atmosphere. Fortunately, the asteroid 2013 TX68 will be missing Earth come this March, if only by a little. But that small gap makes a lot of difference... and also provides some spectacular views.

In the wake of the Zika virus' spread in South America (a pathogen that is harmless to all but a handful of people or gestating fetuses) many rumors have spread about its nature and origins. One which is blatantly false is the idea that the Zika virus is the result of genetically modified mosquitoes, which the magazine Discover debunks here.

When we talk about science and religion coming into conflict, we're accustomed to discussing evangelical opposition to evolution or the Catholic Church's historical persecution of scientists such as Galileo Galilei. But Christians aren't the only group to put their theology before scientific principles. More and more, Hindu nationalists are now coming into conflict with the scientific community both within and outside of India.