Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

Photo of MIT's Building 10 at an angle with trees in front

MIT rates No. 1 in 12 subjects in 2018 QS World University Rankings

MIT ranked within top 5 in 19 out of 48 subject areas.

February 28, 2018

Robert van der Hilst moderates the symposium's day-two panel consisting of Sir Brian Hoskins, Inez Fung, Kerry Emanuel, Allison Wing and John Bush.

Chaos and climate: Celebrating two pioneers of modern meteorology

Trailblazing scientists Jule Charney and Edward Lorenz gave us numerical weather prediction and chaos theory, highlighting the value of basic research.

February 14, 2018

Ian Wong’s work seeks to decipher the history of our solar system by studying its most primitive bodies.

EAPS welcomes Heising-Simons fellow Ian Wong

The 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellowship provides junior scientists the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy.

February 7, 2018

"Climate Science and Climate Risk: A Primer" by Kerry Emanuel is written for nonscientists.

A primer for understanding climate science

MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel explains the science behind climate change, as well as the associated risks and how to quantify them.

January 22, 2018

Susan Solomon, the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at MIT

Susan Solomon awarded the 2018 Crafoord Prize

Professor of atmospheric chemistry honored for her contributions to atmospheric science.

January 19, 2018

First row (l-r): Stephen Bell, Timothy Cronin, Nikta Fakhri, Robert Griffin. Second row (l-r): Jacqueline Hewitt, William Minicozzi, Aaron Pixton, Gabriela Schlau-Cohen. Third row (l-r): Alexander Shalek, Scott Sheffield, Susan Solomon, Stefani Spranger.

Twelve School of Science faculty members appointed to named professorships

January 19, 2018

This spring's additions to the School of Science faculty: (left to right) Michael Halassa, Brent Minchew, and Alexander "Sasha" Rakhlin

School of Science welcomes three new professors this spring

January 11, 2018

MIT researchers found a more dramatic decline in organic aerosol across the U.S. than previously reported, which may account for more lives saved than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency anticipated in a 2011 report on the Clean Air Act and amendments. The study found that the decline is likely due to human behaviors.

Cleaner air, longer lives

Research shows the Clean Air Act was likely responsible for a dramatic decline in atmospheric organic aerosol.

December 25, 2017

“You’re rolling the dice every year,” says professor Kerry Emanuel. “And we believe the odds of a flood like Harvey are changing.” Pictured is an aerial view of Houston during the Hurricane Harvey flooding.

Texas’ odds of Harvey-scale rainfall to increase by end of century

Study finds state’s annual risk of extreme rainfall will rise from 1 to 18 percent.

November 13, 2017

"Science is never sufficient to solve an environmental problem but it's always, always necessary," Susan Solomon said at the 7th annual John Carlson Lecture at the New England Aquarium.

A brief history of environmental successes

Susan Solomon's John H. Carlson Lecture examines past environmental challenges in the context of today's fight against climate change.

November 9, 2017

“I remain optimistic about the ability of international agreements to address environmental problems, primarily because that’s the only solution we have at this point,” associate professor Noelle Selin says.

Noelle Selin: Tracing toxins around the world

Atmospheric chemist takes on pollutants and the global treaties written to control them.

October 22, 2017

This model illustrates the three-dimensional upward spiral of North Atlantic deep water through the Southern Ocean.

Deep waters spiral upward around Antarctica

Research reveals the upwelling pathways and timescales of deep, overturning waters in the Southern Ocean.

September 26, 2017

Kerry Emanuel, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science and co-director of the Lorenz Center at MIT

Kerry Emanuel: This year’s hurricanes are a taste of the future

Climate scientist describes physics behind expected increase in storm strength due to climate change.

September 21, 2017

NASA astronaut and former Whitehead Fellow Kathleen "Kate" Rubins returned to MIT for a public talk and engagement with local students.

Astronaut Kate Rubins returns to the Whitehead Institute to describe her experiences in low-Earth orbit

Former Whitehead Fellow and recent International Space Station resident gives public talk and engages with the next generation of scientists and engineers.

September 20, 2017

“This is not saying that disaster occurs the next day,” says Professor Daniel Rothman about his new study. “It’s saying that, if left unchecked, the carbon cycle would move into a realm which would be no longer stable, and would behave in a way that would be difficult to predict. In the geologic past, this type of behavior is associated with mass extinction.”

Mathematics predicts a sixth mass extinction

By 2100, oceans may hold enough carbon to launch mass extermination of species in future millennia.