Earth Sciences
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Two Lamont Scientists Celebrate Marie Tharp’s Hall of Fame Induction—and Carry Her Legacy Forward
Robin Bell and Vicki Ferrini celebrate Tharp’s induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and reflect on how her groundbreaking ocean-floor maps helped establish the theory of plate tectonics.
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How a Massive Ancient Ice Shelf Stabilized Glaciers—and What It Means for Antarctica
New research could lead to more accurate predictions about how quickly Antarctic glaciers might retreat and raise sea levels.
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Climate Change Stopped the Next Ice Age
New research shows that 2,000 years ago, remnants of an Arctic ice sheet began growing again, marking the start of a new glacial period—what we commonly call an ice age. But by the 1960s, global warming had raised summer temperatures enough to reverse that growth.
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Highlights From the 2026 Open House at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
More than 2,500 visitors explored hands-on activities, lectures and installations at Lamont’s campus on Saturday, October 17.
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Giant Canyon on Mars Is Still Tectonically Active Today
Scientists at Columbia University and Imperial College London have found that the largest canyon system in the solar system is still active and shaping Mars today, billions of years after it first formed.
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Lamont Researchers Receive Major Earth Science Honors from the American Geophysical Union
Five Lamont scientists received major 2026 honors recognizing research on sea-level change, ocean carbon uptake, seafloor mapping and Earth’s deep interior. William B. F. Ryan receives the Maurice Ewing Medal; Jacqueline Austermann, Gisela Winckler and Galen McKinley receive AGU distinctions, while Renata Wentzcovitch is named a Distinguished Lecturer.
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Come Visit Us at Lamont Open House
Join Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, NY, on Saturday, Oct. 17, for a free, family-friendly event. Explore research facilities through lab tours, exhibits, hands-on activities and talks.
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El Niño 2026: How Big Could It Get?
The current El Niño will break all sea-surface temperature records to date and will very likely deliver unprecedented weather-related impacts around the world.
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What Can Fossil Corals in the Cook Islands Teach Us About Global Sea Level Rise?
Scientists are studying fossil coral reefs in the Cook Islands to reconstruct sea levels during the Last Interglacial, and hoping to improve projections of future change.
October 28, 2026 is Columbia Giving Day! Your gift to Columbia Climate School helps advance interdisciplinary research, educate the next generation of leaders, and transform bold ideas into real-world solutions for climate, Earth, and society.
