Earth Sciences
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Why Manhattanhenge Matters Beyond the Sunset
Manhattanhenge is a reminder that we live on a tilted, rotating planet orbiting something much larger—a perspective scientists link to stronger spatial awareness and environmental concern.
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Ancient Dust Points To Retreat of West Antarctic Ice Sheet During Last Warm Period
Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have been far smaller during one of Earth’s most recent warm periods, according to a new study.
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Lamont Paleoclimatologist Maureen Raymo Receives the 2026 Nemmers Prize
Raymo received the award for her pioneering development of hypotheses that explain climate change across Earth’s history, and her educational leadership in the Earth system sciences.
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Geologist Mike Kaplan Named 2026 Guggenheim Fellow
Kaplan studies the ways ice sheets, mountain glaciers, climates and landscapes changed in the past.
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Faculty Spotlight: Decoding the Arctic Ocean’s Chemical Clues
Laramie Jensen’s interest in inorganic and analytical chemistry led her to the ocean. And then to the North Pole.
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In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart
Researchers have found that Earth’s underlying crust in the Turkana Rift region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa’s eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on Turkana’s fossil record of human evolution.
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Columbia Beautiful Planet 2026
Once again, we honor Earth Day by sharing some amazing photos celebrating the beauty and magic of our planet, as captured by the Columbia community.
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Sinking Land Drives Hidden Flood Risk in One of the World’s Most Populated Regions
A new study finds that land subsidence is outpacing ocean-driven sea-level rise along the northern coastline of Java Island, Indonesia.
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A Complicated Future for a Methane-Cleansing Molecule
A new model shows how levels of the “atmosphere’s detergent” may rise and fall in response to climate change.
You Asked invites you to share your most pressing questions about climate, science, and sustainability. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School experts will respond with clear, evidence-based answers. Pose your questions and story ideas!
