Earth & Planetary Sciences

A new study, conducted by scientists at The University of New Mexico, found ancient, primordial helium-3 leaking from the Earth’s core, suggesting the planet formed inside a solar nebula, stirring further debate among scientists. Each year, about 2 kg...

The University of New Mexico's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences presents the 5th annual Stuart A. Northrop Distinguished Lecturer featuring Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer on Friday, April 15 at 3 p.m. in Northrop Hall, Room 122. A reception and grand...

The Himalayan Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau, the largest and highest geologic structures in the world, started forming some 50 million years ago through the crashing and colliding of the Asian and Indian continental plates. The Tibetan Plateau is a...

Scientists at the University of New Mexico are modeling water in deep Earth using the mineral wadsleyite to determine composition and temperature variations in an effort to decipher the material exchange processes between the upper and lower mantle. The...

Scientists at The University of New Mexico recently took part in the opening of ANGSA 73001, a drive tube lunar sample collected by NASA's Apollo 17 mission that will allow scientists to study any gases that may reside in the container as well as lunar...

Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change...

University of New Mexico climatologist David Gutzler presents a talk as part of a Physics and Astronomy Colloquium on the recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Volume 2, assessing impacts of climate change and strategies for...

When an interdisciplinary team from The University of New Mexico was awarded a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 2020, the goal was to develop novel, bio-inspired software and drones to measure and sample volcanic...

At The University of New Mexico, many instructors of required STEM courses utilize field-based undergraduate research experiences to improve student understanding and innovation. In these courses, instructors prepare and guide students in solving...

On a recent 11-day raft trip through the Grand Canyon, geologists gathered evidence in hope that it would allow them to peer billions of years into the past. Using a relatively new technique, they were able to estimate the age of a mysterious section of...