Recent News
For more news about the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, visit our research highlights.
Mars surface patterns resemble Earth, revealing secrets of its past
Wave-like landforms on Mars offer insights about the planet’s icy past, its potential habitability, and the physics of flowing granular materials.
January 2025 in Photos
The start of a new year brought innovative events, a peek into the past, and a snowy first day of classes. Here’s how we spent January at the University of Rochester.
Rochester’s Kevin Righter kept NASA space rocks free from contamination
Precise curation was necessary to discover that the Bennu asteroid sample contains building blocks of life on Earth.
Undergraduates pair research with reporting, science with sign language, and programming with pondering
The Wells Prize honorees exemplify the best of the multidisciplinary educational opportunities available at Rochester.
In the hunt for a second Earth, look to small planets
The recommendation is based on new research from Rochester scientists about the role of streaming instability in forming moons and planets.
Did a magnetic field collapse trigger the emergence of animals?
Evidence suggests a weak magnetic field millions of years ago may have fueled the proliferation of life.
Reshaping our understanding of granular systems
Rochester researchers are uncovering the unexpected role of grain shape in the mixing of granular systems such as pharmaceuticals, cereal, and landslides.
CAREER awards recognize promising junior faculty
Four Rochester scientists have received prestigious NSF CAREER awards, presented to early-career faculty members for research and education initiatives.
Plate tectonics not required for the emergence of life
The finding contradicts previous assumptions about the role of mobile plate tectonics in the development of life on Earth.
Yellowjackets welcome certification as a Bee Campus USA
The national designation from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is the result of a two-year, student-led effort.