State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Ecology53

  • The Sea of Green

    The Sea of Green

    What we call forest—addressing it simply as an object in space—is in fact an ever-shifting process, a living and breathing colony possessed of a body, a purpose, and a lifespan—at once noun, a verb, an adjective. In these budding, bristling eons of development, the forests came to be the lungs of the organic Earth, an…

  • Photo Essay: India, Water, Culture

    Photo Essay: India, Water, Culture

    Take a photographic journey from the crowded streets of Delhi, through the parched state of Rajasthan, and into the farmlands of north Gujarat to get a closer look at some of the many ways water affects the lives of millions of Indians every day.

  • Experience Ecosystems of the Dominican Republic

    Experience Ecosystems of the Dominican Republic

    SEE-U Dominican Republic provides students with many enriching opportunities to engage in fieldwork and study biodiversity and ecosystems in their natural environments.

  • Do It Yourself Biology – Need for Panic?

    Do It Yourself Biology – Need for Panic?

    Disagreements have arisen within the science community about whether or not it is safe and ethical to publish results concerning two new mutant strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus. The controversy is part of an ongoing debate about the safety and practice of unregulated biotechnology and the role of censorship in science.

  • Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic megaflora? What kind of a tree might that be? As with many things, one person’s charismatic megaflora is another person’s tree. For myself, a tree that would draw and hold my attention as a younger person/student is very different than my current definition of a charismatic tree.

  • The Sundarbans

    The Sundarbans

    After finally reaching the Mongla and our boat, we settled into our new home. It is a similar design, but much larger than the one we used in September. As we ate dinner and explored the ship, it started the overnight journey to the southeastern part of the Sundarbans where the wildlife is most plentiful.…

  • Study Ecosystems Abroad in Brazil This Summer

    Study Ecosystems Abroad in Brazil This Summer

    CERC is now accepting applications for the Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) field site program at Brazil. This five-week-long, 6-credit program runs from May 26 to June 30, 2012. No pre-requisite coursework is necessary and students of all majors can apply.

  • A Documentary: CERC Students Explore E-Waste Warehouse

    A Documentary: CERC Students Explore E-Waste Warehouse

    CERC students visit and document their experiences on video at the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s new permanent e-waste warehouse located in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

  • Study Rainforest Ecology in Puerto Rico with SEE-U

    Study Rainforest Ecology in Puerto Rico with SEE-U

    The SEE-U Puerto Rico course provides students with a total immersion experience into the ecology and dynamics of a fragile and threatened environmental system.

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

  • The Sea of Green

    The Sea of Green

    What we call forest—addressing it simply as an object in space—is in fact an ever-shifting process, a living and breathing colony possessed of a body, a purpose, and a lifespan—at once noun, a verb, an adjective. In these budding, bristling eons of development, the forests came to be the lungs of the organic Earth, an…

  • Photo Essay: India, Water, Culture

    Photo Essay: India, Water, Culture

    Take a photographic journey from the crowded streets of Delhi, through the parched state of Rajasthan, and into the farmlands of north Gujarat to get a closer look at some of the many ways water affects the lives of millions of Indians every day.

  • Experience Ecosystems of the Dominican Republic

    Experience Ecosystems of the Dominican Republic

    SEE-U Dominican Republic provides students with many enriching opportunities to engage in fieldwork and study biodiversity and ecosystems in their natural environments.

  • Do It Yourself Biology – Need for Panic?

    Do It Yourself Biology – Need for Panic?

    Disagreements have arisen within the science community about whether or not it is safe and ethical to publish results concerning two new mutant strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus. The controversy is part of an ongoing debate about the safety and practice of unregulated biotechnology and the role of censorship in science.

  • Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic Megaflora: What do Old Trees Look Like?

    Charismatic megaflora? What kind of a tree might that be? As with many things, one person’s charismatic megaflora is another person’s tree. For myself, a tree that would draw and hold my attention as a younger person/student is very different than my current definition of a charismatic tree.

  • The Sundarbans

    The Sundarbans

    After finally reaching the Mongla and our boat, we settled into our new home. It is a similar design, but much larger than the one we used in September. As we ate dinner and explored the ship, it started the overnight journey to the southeastern part of the Sundarbans where the wildlife is most plentiful.…

  • Study Ecosystems Abroad in Brazil This Summer

    Study Ecosystems Abroad in Brazil This Summer

    CERC is now accepting applications for the Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) field site program at Brazil. This five-week-long, 6-credit program runs from May 26 to June 30, 2012. No pre-requisite coursework is necessary and students of all majors can apply.

  • A Documentary: CERC Students Explore E-Waste Warehouse

    A Documentary: CERC Students Explore E-Waste Warehouse

    CERC students visit and document their experiences on video at the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s new permanent e-waste warehouse located in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

  • Study Rainforest Ecology in Puerto Rico with SEE-U

    Study Rainforest Ecology in Puerto Rico with SEE-U

    The SEE-U Puerto Rico course provides students with a total immersion experience into the ecology and dynamics of a fragile and threatened environmental system.