State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Earth Sciences76

  • A Swirling Stew of Trichodesmium

    A Swirling Stew of Trichodesmium

    Greetings from the center of that eddy I mentioned in my last post! We’ve been here for five days so far, but tomorrow we are finally moving on.

  • Trichodesmium is Everywhere!

    Trichodesmium is Everywhere!

    We have completed the first two stations of the OUTPACE cruise and we are steaming to Station 3. By noon tomorrow we should be in the center of an eddy that our colleagues back on dry land have used satellite data to identify.

  • Science Nabs Illegal Ivory Sellers

    Science Nabs Illegal Ivory Sellers

    A Toronto-based company has been convicted of selling illegal ivory in the first case to use a technique for dating ivory developed by a scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • OUTPACE Cruise: Setting Sail

    OUTPACE Cruise: Setting Sail

    The OUTPACE 2015 cruise has set sail on February 20! We left port in Nouméa at 8:30 a.m. last Friday morning. I lost sight of land around 10 a.m. or so, and I won’t see it again until we return to port in Papeete, Tahiti on April 3.

  • Webcast Tonight: Focus on Extreme Weather

    Webcast Tonight: Focus on Extreme Weather

    The Columbia Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate brings together experts across the university to integrate research into the physical science of these events with research on their impacts on human society and engineering solutions. The initiative kicks off this evening with a panel discussion, “Preparing for Extreme Weather: Global Lessons from Sandy,” from 6-7:30…

  • Bonjour de Nouméa!

    Bonjour de Nouméa!

    Scientists from research institutions around the world are participating in a research expedition aboard the R/V L ‘Atalante to study how microorganisms in the South Pacific Ocean influence the carbon cycle. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory graduate student Kyle Frischkorn is among them; this is the first in a series of posts in which Kyle shares what…

  • Photo Essay: Fire and Ice off Cascadia

    Photo Essay: Fire and Ice off Cascadia

    A team of scientists traveled to the Pacific Northwest aboard the R/V Atlantis last fall to investigate whether the waxing and waning of ice ages and volcanic eruptions are somehow related.

  • Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Honors Recipients of Science Awards

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Honors Recipients of Science Awards

    From October 2013 to December 2014, a total of 49 professors, scientists and students who are part of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory community were recognized for outstanding achievements in their field. The acknowledgements in education and research included fellowships, medals and awards from many of the top science institutions in the world.

  • Geologist Who Modernized Volcanology Wins the 2015 Vetlesen Prize

    Volcanoes can have multiple personalities, peaceful one minute, explosive the next. A geologist who has untangled these complicated states on land and at sea, improving our ability to see deadly eruptions coming, will receive the 2015 Vetlesen Prize. Stephen Sparks, a volcanologist at the University of Bristol, will be awarded a medal and $250,000 at…

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • A Swirling Stew of Trichodesmium

    A Swirling Stew of Trichodesmium

    Greetings from the center of that eddy I mentioned in my last post! We’ve been here for five days so far, but tomorrow we are finally moving on.

  • Trichodesmium is Everywhere!

    Trichodesmium is Everywhere!

    We have completed the first two stations of the OUTPACE cruise and we are steaming to Station 3. By noon tomorrow we should be in the center of an eddy that our colleagues back on dry land have used satellite data to identify.

  • Science Nabs Illegal Ivory Sellers

    Science Nabs Illegal Ivory Sellers

    A Toronto-based company has been convicted of selling illegal ivory in the first case to use a technique for dating ivory developed by a scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • OUTPACE Cruise: Setting Sail

    OUTPACE Cruise: Setting Sail

    The OUTPACE 2015 cruise has set sail on February 20! We left port in Nouméa at 8:30 a.m. last Friday morning. I lost sight of land around 10 a.m. or so, and I won’t see it again until we return to port in Papeete, Tahiti on April 3.

  • Webcast Tonight: Focus on Extreme Weather

    Webcast Tonight: Focus on Extreme Weather

    The Columbia Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate brings together experts across the university to integrate research into the physical science of these events with research on their impacts on human society and engineering solutions. The initiative kicks off this evening with a panel discussion, “Preparing for Extreme Weather: Global Lessons from Sandy,” from 6-7:30…

  • Bonjour de Nouméa!

    Bonjour de Nouméa!

    Scientists from research institutions around the world are participating in a research expedition aboard the R/V L ‘Atalante to study how microorganisms in the South Pacific Ocean influence the carbon cycle. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory graduate student Kyle Frischkorn is among them; this is the first in a series of posts in which Kyle shares what…

  • Photo Essay: Fire and Ice off Cascadia

    Photo Essay: Fire and Ice off Cascadia

    A team of scientists traveled to the Pacific Northwest aboard the R/V Atlantis last fall to investigate whether the waxing and waning of ice ages and volcanic eruptions are somehow related.

  • Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Honors Recipients of Science Awards

    Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Honors Recipients of Science Awards

    From October 2013 to December 2014, a total of 49 professors, scientists and students who are part of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory community were recognized for outstanding achievements in their field. The acknowledgements in education and research included fellowships, medals and awards from many of the top science institutions in the world.

  • Geologist Who Modernized Volcanology Wins the 2015 Vetlesen Prize

    Volcanoes can have multiple personalities, peaceful one minute, explosive the next. A geologist who has untangled these complicated states on land and at sea, improving our ability to see deadly eruptions coming, will receive the 2015 Vetlesen Prize. Stephen Sparks, a volcanologist at the University of Bristol, will be awarded a medal and $250,000 at…