Earth Sciences
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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.
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New Study Reveals Hidden “Chemical Currency” Fueling the Ocean’s Carbon Cycle
This research identifies a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help drive Earth’s carbon cycle.
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Earth’s “Missing” Billion Years: Study Links the Great Unconformity to Early Tectonics
New findings shed light on a widespread gap in the geologic record, where more than a billion years of Earth’s history appear to have been erased.
Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School Class of 2026 and all of our 2026 Columbia University graduates! Learn more about our May 15 Climate School Class Day celebration. 💙 #Columbia2026 #ColumbiaClimate2026
