Today’s top 5 from Purdue University

‘Purdue News Now’

Derek Schultz has all the latest Boilermaker news in this week’s edition of “Purdue News Now.”

Plus, check out five good stories below you may have missed.

Materials developed at Purdue University incorporated into new Microsoft Quantum qubit platform

Microsoft Quantum published an article in Nature on Feb. 19 detailing recent advances in the measurement of quantum devices that will be needed to realize a topological quantum computer. In an announcement by Microsoft Quantum, the team describes the operation of a device that is a necessary building block for a topological quantum computer.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu

High-tech startup CrySyst provides quality-by-control solutions for pharmaceutical, fine chemical industries

International process systems and operation experts have launched high-tech startup Crystallization Systems Technology Inc. (CrySyst) to streamline processes used by companies in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. CrySyst’s quality-by-control framework addresses crystallization monitoring, modeling and control.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu 

Small modular reactors could help Indiana shift to 24/7 carbon-free electricity with economic benefits, study says

A new Purdue University-led study prepared for the Indiana Office of Energy Development explores the feasibility and potential impact of implementing small modular reactors (SMRs) in the state. It also outlines opportunities for Indiana to address key challenges with the deployment of this technology both within the state and nationwide. The study states that SMRs, which are smaller than existing nuclear power plants and could be faster and less expensive to build, are a viable option for 24/7 carbon-free electricity in Indiana.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu 

AP Video – Why the odds of an asteroid hitting Earth changed

Brandon Johnson is a professor of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences in Purdue University’s College of Science. In this video, he explains why the odds of an asteroid hitting Earth kept changing and why it is important to study asteroids. Johnson says NASA has a large database that tracks all known asteroids in the solar system and what their orbits look like. Recently an asteroid named 2024 YR4 was detected for the first time on a potential collision course with Earth in 2032. At one point, NASA predicted this asteroid had a 1-32 chance of impacting Earth. However, the risk of this asteroid hitting Earth has now dropped to zero.

Media contact: Trevor Peters, peter237@purdue.edu

Indiana Chief Justice Rush to headline next Presidential Lecture event

Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush, a Purdue University alumna and longtime Tippecanoe County resident, will return to campus March 25 to join Purdue President Mung Chiang for a conversation as part of the Presidential Lecture Series.

Media contact: Erin Murphy, ermurphy@purdue.edu 

MORE: Recent AP video stories

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About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.