News
Storm Chasing: The Science of Tornadoes
NEWSTALK — Robin Tanamachi, Associate Professor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, joined host Jonathan McCrea on the FutureProof Podcast to discuss storm chasing and the science of tornadoes.
Why twisters target the United States
PNAS SCIENCE SESSIONS PODCAST — The Midwestern United States experiences so many tornadoes every year that the region is nicknamed “Tornado Alley.” No other region on Earth comes close in the number of annual tornadoes. So, what’s unique about Tornado Alley? Funing Li and Dan Chavas, of Purdue EAPS, explain why North America produces many tornadoes each year, whereas South America does not.
Investigating Origins of CO2 Ice on Uranian Moons
EOS EDITOR'S HIGHLIGHT — A new study investigates the role of volatile migration in the unique Uranian thermal environment. The study's lead author is Stephanie Menten, PhD candidate with Purdue EAPS, et al. test theories of CO2 origin on Ariel by modeling the transport and sublimation of CO2 across the surface. The high obliquity of the Uranus system means that the subsolar point on these moons varies between near the south pole and near the north pole on seasonal timescales (one Uranus year is about 84 Earth years). The authors find that CO2 ice can migrate on timescales of just a few Uranian years, and that it will tend to migrate towards Ariel’s equator and away from the poles, uniformly in longitude.
The Great Salt Lake Is Still Drying Up. Will It Affect Your Health? Yes.
OUTSIDE — New research found that the Great Salt Lake’s drying lakebed emits tons of greenhouse gasses, threatening the health of those in Utah and beyond. Greenhouse gas emissions are “not directly harmful to health,” says Lisa Welp, associate professor of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, "but they contribute to climate change, which indirectly affects people worldwide."
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest shows the hilarious side of engineering
The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest comes back to Purdue with a bang in 2025! This contest, designing a machine to perform a simple task in the most convoluted and entertaining way, brings together engineers and artists to create the most whimsical contraptions. “I first heard about Purdue because I saw their Rube Goldberg machine on TV,” said Zach Umperovitch, the National Contest Director for Rube Goldberg, and a Purdue College of Science (EAPS) alum. “I couldn’t believe there were people who were actually doing this! I sought out that team, and within a year I was running the team. A year later we had a national title, and within two years, we had two Guinness World Records.”
All Departmental News
