EAPS News

01-08-2026

Mars Perseverance rover found a rock that could be a giant meteorite

Earth — NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted a desk-sized rock, nicknamed Phippsaksla, on Mars that looks suspiciously like an iron-rich meteorite. EAPS's Candice Bedford was cited in the article.

01-06-2026

Mars rover: New clues about the ancient atmosphere

AP — Briony Horgan is a professor of planetary science at Purdue University and a tactical science lead on NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover mission. Horgan is among the authors of the important study "Carbonated ultramafic rocks in Jezero crater, Mars," released in the journal Science.

01-06-2026

Perseverance continues science mission amid uncertainty about Mars Sample Return

SpaceNews — NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is continuing its mission to collect samples despite uncertainty about how, when or even if those samples will be returned to Earth. At a press briefing during the Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) here Dec. 17, project officials said the rover, which landed in Jezero Crater nearly five years ago, is in good condition as it ascends out of the crater. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

12-19-2025

NASA will soon find out if the Perseverance rover can really persevere on Mars

Ars Technica — When the Perseverance rover arrived on Mars nearly five years ago, NASA officials thought the next American lander to take aim on the red planet would be taking shape by now. EAPS's Briony Horgan was quoted in the article.

12-16-2025

Ancient Desert Clues Reveal Rhythmic Climate Shifts in Early Pleistocene Death Valley

A new paleoclimate study from Purdue University has uncovered evidence that yearly precipitation in southern Death Valley once swung between extreme drought and significantly wetter than modern conditions over cycles lasting tens of thousands of years.

12-15-2025

Wildfire smoke lofted into atmosphere could affect Earth's climate

Phys — Some wildfires are so intense, they create their own weather—thunderstorms driven by heat that hurtle smoke as high as 10 miles into the sky like giant chimneys. When these smoke plumes reach the thin, calm air of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, they can persist for weeks or even months—yet their exact effects on Earth's climate aren't well known because they're difficult to capture and measure. EAPS's Daniel Cziczo is a part of this research team.