Topic
Geology
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Making physics and astronomy more welcoming to African-American students
Report co-chaired by MIT professor cites need for “sweeping changes” in academic culture.
January 13, 2020 -
How long will a volcanic island live?
Plate tectonics and mantle plumes set the lifespan of volcanic islands like Hawaii and the Galapagos.
January 1, 2020 -
Scientists pin down timing of lunar dynamo’s demise
Findings suggest the moon’s magnetic field was produced by the fallout of a crystallizing iron core.
January 1, 2020 -
How biomarkers can record and reconstruct climate trends
Scientists reveal the genes and proteins controlling the chemical structures underpinning paleoclimate proxies.
December 4, 2019 -
Investigating the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis
EAPS scientists find an alternative explanation for mineral evidence thought to signal the presence of oxygen prior to the Great Oxidation Event.
December 4, 2019 -
Continuing a legacy of Antarctic exploration
The Summons Lab compares lipids from Antarctic microbial communities to century-old samples.
November 22, 2019 -
Collision course: A geological mystery in the Himalayas
MIT geologists use paleomagnetism to determine the chain of events that resulted in the Himalayan mountains, with the support of MISTI-India.
October 28, 2019 -
From streams to teams
Graduate student Maya Stokes, a geomorphology expert and ultimate frisbee coach, shows her passion for teaching in the field and on the field.
August 18, 2019 -
Professor Emeritus Samuel Bowring, pioneering geologist and expert in geochronology, dies at 65
A professor and mentor for more than 20 years at MIT, Bowring redefined our understanding of some of the most significant events in Earth history.
July 30, 2019 -
Breaching a “carbon threshold” could lead to mass extinction
Carbon dioxide emissions may trigger a reflex in the carbon cycle, with devastating consequences, study finds.
July 8, 2019 -
An escape route for carbon
Study shows minerals sequester carbon for thousands of years, which may explain oxygen’s abundance in the atmosphere.
June 12, 2019 -
Maria Zuber awarded the Gerard P. Kuiper Prize in Planetary Sciences
Honor recognizes scientists whose achievements have most advanced our understanding of planetary systems.
May 31, 2019 -
Recreating ancient minerals
New research demonstrates how to make the rock dolomite, preserving fine microbial textures in marine environments and solving the dolomite problem.
May 10, 2019 -
Tectonics in the tropics trigger Earth’s ice ages, study finds
Major tectonic collisions near the equator have caused three ice ages in the last 540 million years.
March 14, 2019 -
MIT adds computational Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences to its PhD offerings
New EAPS thesis field is the most recent to join the computational science and engineering doctoral program within the Center for Computational Engineering.
January 9, 2019 -
A “pacemaker” for North African climate
Study shows the Sahara swung between lush and desert conditions every 20,000 years, in sync with monsoon activity.
January 2, 2019 -
Surviving one of Earth’s most extreme environments
New research finds a unique component of cell membranes in an archaea species conveys protection against acidic surroundings.
December 14, 2018 -
Mars 2020 landing site offers unique opportunities
EAPS professors Summons, Bosak, and Weiss provide insight on how the Jezero Crater can advance the study of Martian history and the search for ancient life.
November 28, 2018 -
Addressing the possibility of life on Mars
Mars expert John Grotzinger tells the story of exploration and the search for ancient life on the red planet at the annual Carlson Lecture.
October 31, 2018 -
Kristin Bergmann named a 2018 Packard Fellow
She will investigate the early history of complex life and the environments that supported it, both in the field and lab.
October 16, 2018