From the Editors 2026


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v22n2 From The Editor

By Tom Sisson, Carol Frost, Penny King, and Esther Posner | April 2026

This is a topic that has become a major field of research in mineral sciences, but it is not taught as such in typical undergraduate Earth science curricula. The chapters in this issue attempt to convey some of the exciting developments in the field through the lens of five of the classical branches of physics—mechanics, heat, light, electricity, and magnetism. The hope is that it will attract more scientists to the interface of physics and minerals, point them toward the state of the art, and encourage them to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries in general.

v22n1 From The Editor

By Sylvie Demouchy | February 2026

The Elements Executive Committee (EC) plays a vital role in the magazine’s governance. Representing all 18 participating societies, the EC ensures that every society has a voice in decision-making related to the operational and financial well-being of Elements. The EC also approves editor appointments and major expenditures, working closely with the Principal Editors and Executive Editor to support the continued success of the magazine.


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December 2025 --The Variscan Orogeny in Europe – Understanding Supercontinent Formation

The Variscan orogen formed between 380 and 300 million years ago through several accretionary and collisional cycles, culminating with the construction of the Pangea supercontinent. This process occurred via sequential opening and closure of oceanic basins, synchronous detachment of Gondwana derived continental ribbons, and their outboard amalgamation onto the Laurussia margin. The Variscan orogen is rather unique compared with other orogenic belts on Earth: its overthickened and dominantly magmatic crust in the central belt, surprisingly minor mantle involvement in the magmatic and geodynamic processes, coherent and pulsed magmatism along the collision suture, and its complex accretionary history. Because its final product, Pangea, is the youngest and best-understood supercontinent on Earth, the Variscan orogeny offers clues for understanding the mechanisms of supercontinent formation.