EAPS News

03-19-2026

"It's A Difficult Question": Why Researchers Are Divided Over The Age And Ancestry Of These Ancient Chinese Skulls

IFL Science — Two fossil skulls found in central China are prompting fresh debate over when they lived – and where they belong in the human family tree. EAPS's Darryl Granger was quoted in the article.

03-19-2026

Back to the Moon!

Living on Earth — The Artemis II mission is getting ready to use the most powerful rocket ever built by NASA to return to the moon for the first time since the original Apollo missions more than 50 years ago. EAPS's Erik Conway, a historian of science and technology at Purdue University and former NASA historian, tells Host Aynsley O’Neill about how declining public support shut down the Apollo program and why NASA again faces headwinds in maintaining the public’s interest in space exploration.

03-16-2026

After the Impact, a Chemical Kitchen on Titan

When an asteroid slams into Saturn's moon Titan, it does more than leave behind a crater. It briefly melts Titan's frozen, water-ice crust, creating a pond of liquid water that can last for thousands of years. At the same time, Titan's thick atmosphere constantly rains down simple organic molecules onto the surface.

03-16-2026

Primordial Impact May Explain Why the Moon Is Asymmetrical

EOS — Analysis of surface samples from the Chang’e-6 mission suggests that an asteroid may have vaporized parts of the lunar mantle, suppressing volcanic activity on the farside of the Moon. EAPS Assistant Professor Kelsey Prissel was interviewed for this article.

03-13-2026

In Print: ‘Seismic Methods for Urban Engineers’

Yunyue Elita Li, the Mary J. Elmore New Frontiers Professor in Data Science in the EAPS department, publishes a new book, “Seismic Methods for Urban Engineers.”

03-09-2026

Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue 2026 Recap

The 2nd annual Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue Symposium, hosted by the College of Science, brought together leaders from inside and outside Purdue to discuss opportunities for universities to work with industry partners to make the next giant leap in robotic and human space exploration.