EAPS News

04-23-2026

Where did our moon come from?

NPR — EAPS assistant professors Kelsey Prissel and Tabb Prissel were recently featured on NPR’s Short Wave podcast, discussing how the Moon formed and why lunar exploration and sample-return science matter. It’s a fun listen for everyone and a great example of how Purdue scientists are helping bring planetary science to the public.

04-22-2026

Purdue researchers uncover deep mantle process that reshaped the North American midcontinent

A hidden rupture deep beneath North America may have reshaped the landscape of the central United States hundreds of millions of years ago. New research led by Purdue University found that a dense part of the continent's deep rocky foundation likely peeled away and sank into the mantle, allowing hotter, lighter material to rise and lift the land above it.

04-22-2026

Discovery from NASA's Perseverance rover adds new evidence that early Mars had the chemistry needed for life

A Purdue University-led study of rocks on Mars is giving scientists a new look at whether the red planet once had the right chemical conditions for life.

04-21-2026

‘Bathtub ring’ offers new evidence for Mars ocean billions of years ago

CNN — Mars may have once had an ocean so vast that it covered one-third of the planet before evaporating billions of years ago and leaving behind a telltale sign: a flat band of land, outlining the former ocean — similar to the ring left behind in a drained bathtub. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

04-20-2026

Four benefits of going out in the rain

BBC — From its distinctive smell to the negative ions it releases, rain has some fascinating benefits for our bodies – especially when it comes to our mood. EAPS's Dan Cziczo is quoted in this article.

04-13-2026

Frozen ocean world found lurking between Mars and Jupiter

Brighter Side — Scientists argue that Ceres may be far icier than many scientists had come to accept, with an outer crust made not of mostly dry rock but of dirty ice. EAPS's Ian Pamerleau, a PhD student in Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, and assistant professor Mike Sori led the work.