Earth Sciences
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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.
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On Ancient Madagascar, Large Native Herbivores Paid the Price as Introduced Livestock Spread
New analyses of ancient cattle, sheep and goat bones suggest that the rapid spread of introduced livestock 1,200 years ago coincided with forest loss and population declines among large native herbivores.
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A Career Spent Collecting Earth’s Seismic Clues
Göran Ekström tracks incidents like landslides and glacier collapse using tools once used only to monitor earthquakes.
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Robot Sailboats Will Spend Five Years Measuring Carbon in the Southern Ocean
Led by researchers at NOAA and Columbia University, the Constraining Ocean Carbon with Optimized Observing (COCO2) project will use uncrewed surface vehicles to reduce uncertainty in estimates of the ocean carbon sink.
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New Report: Ocean Carbon Removal Shows Promise, But Big Questions Remain
Marine carbon dioxide removal could support climate action but faces major scientific, technical and governance challenges, according to a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report.
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August Research Roundup: Select Papers
This month, we covered a long-term analysis suggesting that landfill methane emissions may be far higher than estimated, as well as new research on unexpected trends in U.S. extreme rainfall. Here are additional studies worth noting.
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Wiring the Spirit’s House
Lamont scientists Terry Plank and Einat Lev worked with partners in Chile to install a new suite of sensors on the summit of Villarrica, bringing real-time monitoring to one of Chile’s most active volcanoes.
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Long-Term Study Suggests Landfill Methane Emissions Are Far Higher Than Estimates
A major New Jersey landfill emitted about five times more methane in 2023 than was reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!
