State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Author: Kevin Krajick42

Kevin Krajick Avatar

  • Reaping Ice From a High Indonesian Peak

    After years of preparation, scientists are about to ascend Indonesia’s 4,884-meter (16,000-foot) Puncak Jaya, earth’s highest mountain between the Andes and the Himalayas, to drill samples of some of the last, fast-dwindling glacial ice in the tropics. From deep cores representing centuries of accumulation, they hope to extract clues to past cyclic swings in the…

  • 42,225 Daily Temperature Readings, and Counting

    A Rare 114-Year Record, Kept by Generations, Logs Changing Climate

  • Earthquake Chasers in Upstate New York

    Following a series of small, mysterious earthquakes in the rural town of Berne, southwest of Albany, N.Y., seismologists from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have placed three temporary seismometers in the area, in an attempt to understand what is driving the tremors and assess whether there is a risk of larger events. Occasional small quakes have been recorded…

  • Did Climate Influence Angkor’s Collapse?

    Evidence Suggests Changing Environment Can Bring Down a Civilization

  • Initiatives to Help Haiti Recover

    A new set of web pages describes the Earth Institute’s wide-ranging involvement in helping bring relief to quake-battered Haiti, as well as plans for long-term recovery, and associated environmental and economic issues. One major program, the Haiti Regeneration Initiative involves the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, Tropical Agriculture…

  • An Underwater Landslide; Then, a Deadly Wave

    Scientists have been sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. The cruise is now complete; here is the final update, from reports by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and others. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) The great January…

  • Haiti Quake Fault Comes Into Focus

    Scientists are sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) We had a successful day and were able to map…

  • Shipboard Researchers Image Haiti Earthquake Fault

    Scientists are sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) Today we surveyed the Baie de Grand Goave, west of…

  • Researchers Probe Bottom Off Port-au-Prince

    Scientists are now sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) The first part of the science program focused…

  • Reaping Ice From a High Indonesian Peak

    After years of preparation, scientists are about to ascend Indonesia’s 4,884-meter (16,000-foot) Puncak Jaya, earth’s highest mountain between the Andes and the Himalayas, to drill samples of some of the last, fast-dwindling glacial ice in the tropics. From deep cores representing centuries of accumulation, they hope to extract clues to past cyclic swings in the…

  • 42,225 Daily Temperature Readings, and Counting

    A Rare 114-Year Record, Kept by Generations, Logs Changing Climate

  • Earthquake Chasers in Upstate New York

    Following a series of small, mysterious earthquakes in the rural town of Berne, southwest of Albany, N.Y., seismologists from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have placed three temporary seismometers in the area, in an attempt to understand what is driving the tremors and assess whether there is a risk of larger events. Occasional small quakes have been recorded…

  • Did Climate Influence Angkor’s Collapse?

    Evidence Suggests Changing Environment Can Bring Down a Civilization

  • Initiatives to Help Haiti Recover

    A new set of web pages describes the Earth Institute’s wide-ranging involvement in helping bring relief to quake-battered Haiti, as well as plans for long-term recovery, and associated environmental and economic issues. One major program, the Haiti Regeneration Initiative involves the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, Tropical Agriculture…

  • An Underwater Landslide; Then, a Deadly Wave

    Scientists have been sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. The cruise is now complete; here is the final update, from reports by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and others. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) The great January…

  • Haiti Quake Fault Comes Into Focus

    Scientists are sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) We had a successful day and were able to map…

  • Shipboard Researchers Image Haiti Earthquake Fault

    Scientists are sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) Today we surveyed the Baie de Grand Goave, west of…

  • Researchers Probe Bottom Off Port-au-Prince

    Scientists are now sailing off the coast of Haiti to assess the recent earthquake there, and the potential for more. This is the latest update, emailed by chief scientist Cecilia McHugh from the research vessel Endeavor. (Read the full story of the project, involving the Earth Institute and other major institutions.) The first part of the science program focused…