Purdue Expedition to Search Nikumaroro for Earhart’s Plane

A Purdue University and Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI) expedition will search for Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10E on Nikumaroro Island this November, inspired by a 2015 satellite image showing the 'Taraia Object,' which matches the size and material of Earhart's plane. The search is timed to mark the 88th anniversary of Earhart's disappearance during her attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in 1937. The Taraia Object is located near her intended flight path and possible emergency radio signal sites. Previous finds on Nikumaroro include American-made tools, a medicine bottle, a freckle cream jar, and forensic dog alerts for possible human remains. While some experts question the object's origins, Purdue has allocated significant funding and sees the mission as a tribute to Earhart's university legacy. If the object is identified as the lost plane, further excavation will be planned.