EAPS News

08-25-2026

Meteorite dust holds records of magnetism that may have helped form the sun

PHYS.org — MIT scientists have discovered records of ancient magnetism in the oldest known meteorite samples. The team analyzed microscopic grains embedded in a meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 2008. These grains, called calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, or CAIs, originally formed during the solar system's first 200,000 years, making the samples the oldest known solar system material. EAPS's Gerald H. and Sharon D. Krockover New Frontiers assistant professor Cauê Borlina was part of the research team.

08-24-2026

How 99 mph winds left Gary in the dark for nearly two weeks

Chicago Sun Times — Saturated soil contributed to trees falling and taking out power lines, but there’s more to why Gary’s outage has lasted so long. EAPS professor Dan Chavas was interviewed for the article.

08-24-2026

Oldest magnetic evidence sheds light on how the solar system formed

Researchers have found the oldest known paleomagnetic evidence of a magnetic field in the solar system, preserved in material that formed within roughly the first 20,000 to 200,000 years of its history. Their measurements indicate the magnetic field was about three to 12 times stronger than Earth's magnetic field today and support the idea that magnetism played an important role in moving material through the disk from which the Sun and planets eventually formed.

08-24-2026

Purdue Researchers Collaborate Across Disciplines to Study Ancient Iron Smelting

A Purdue-led archaeological project in Uzbekistan is bringing together researchers from the College of Liberal Arts, College of Engineering, and College of Science to investigate how iron was produced in one of the medieval world’s most important metallurgical regions. EAPS Associate Professor Ali Bramson was part of the research.

08-13-2026

USC is Eyeing the JPL Contract

L.A. Material — It’s the latest development in the high-stakes scramble to determine the future of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Department Head Andrea Donnellan was interviewed by L.A. Material for its latest story on the future of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

08-13-2026

Ancient seams may guide how tectonic plates tear beneath Alaska

Purdue researchers used Earth's background vibrations to create a three-dimensional image of a sinking tectonic plate, revealing how weaknesses formed millions of years ago may influence volcanoes, earthquakes and mantle flow.