State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Earth Sciences19

  • From Barisal to Khulna

    From Barisal to Khulna

    We continued to service our GNSS and RSET-MH equipment measuring land subsidence in coastal Bangladesh. Long distances, poor roads and slow ferries made for very long days, but we were able to complete the work at the sites.

  • Dhaka and Beyond

    Dhaka and Beyond

    After a week of meetings and a wedding in Dhaka, we headed back to the field to service equipment measuring land subsidence in Bangladesh.

  • Back to Bangladesh at Last

    Back to Bangladesh at Last

    I am finally back in Bangladesh after a pandemic hiatus. I need to repair precision GPSs that failed over the last few years. They are measuring tectonic movements for earthquake hazard and land subsidence, which exacerbates sea level rise.

  • Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought

    Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought

    It was long accepted that the Vikings were the first people to settle the Faroe Islands, around 850 A.D. until traces of earlier occupation were announced in 2013. But not everyone was convinced. New probes of lake sediments clinch the case that others were there first.

  • American Geophysical Union 2021: Key Events From the Columbia Climate School

    American Geophysical Union 2021: Key Events From the Columbia Climate School

    A guide to some of the most provocative talks at the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists.

  • Collect Our Scientist Cards

    Collect Our Scientist Cards

    These baseball-style cards highlight a few of our amazing scientists, and can now be downloaded for free.

  • Why Did Glacial Cycles Intensify a Million Years Ago?

    Why Did Glacial Cycles Intensify a Million Years Ago?

    A new study suggests that a million years ago, glaciers began sticking more persistently to their beds, triggering cycles of longer ice ages.

  • Tackling a 40 Million-Year-Old Conundrum

    Tackling a 40 Million-Year-Old Conundrum

    A new study bolsters the idea that the uplifts of the Himalayas and Andes that began tens of millions years ago helped trigger the many ice ages that followed.

  • Quantum Phase Transition Is Detected on a Global Scale in the Deep Earth

    Quantum Phase Transition Is Detected on a Global Scale in the Deep Earth

    Scientists have observed and learned to use subatomic phenomena on the earth’s surface. Now, for the first time, they can see similar things deep within the planet.

Colorful icons representing nature, sustainable living, and renewable energy with text "Earth Day 2026"

The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • From Barisal to Khulna

    From Barisal to Khulna

    We continued to service our GNSS and RSET-MH equipment measuring land subsidence in coastal Bangladesh. Long distances, poor roads and slow ferries made for very long days, but we were able to complete the work at the sites.

  • Dhaka and Beyond

    Dhaka and Beyond

    After a week of meetings and a wedding in Dhaka, we headed back to the field to service equipment measuring land subsidence in Bangladesh.

  • Back to Bangladesh at Last

    Back to Bangladesh at Last

    I am finally back in Bangladesh after a pandemic hiatus. I need to repair precision GPSs that failed over the last few years. They are measuring tectonic movements for earthquake hazard and land subsidence, which exacerbates sea level rise.

  • Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought

    Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought

    It was long accepted that the Vikings were the first people to settle the Faroe Islands, around 850 A.D. until traces of earlier occupation were announced in 2013. But not everyone was convinced. New probes of lake sediments clinch the case that others were there first.

  • American Geophysical Union 2021: Key Events From the Columbia Climate School

    American Geophysical Union 2021: Key Events From the Columbia Climate School

    A guide to some of the most provocative talks at the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists.

  • Collect Our Scientist Cards

    Collect Our Scientist Cards

    These baseball-style cards highlight a few of our amazing scientists, and can now be downloaded for free.

  • Why Did Glacial Cycles Intensify a Million Years Ago?

    Why Did Glacial Cycles Intensify a Million Years Ago?

    A new study suggests that a million years ago, glaciers began sticking more persistently to their beds, triggering cycles of longer ice ages.

  • Tackling a 40 Million-Year-Old Conundrum

    Tackling a 40 Million-Year-Old Conundrum

    A new study bolsters the idea that the uplifts of the Himalayas and Andes that began tens of millions years ago helped trigger the many ice ages that followed.

  • Quantum Phase Transition Is Detected on a Global Scale in the Deep Earth

    Quantum Phase Transition Is Detected on a Global Scale in the Deep Earth

    Scientists have observed and learned to use subatomic phenomena on the earth’s surface. Now, for the first time, they can see similar things deep within the planet.