State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

General174

  • Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius

    Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius

    Biomimicry is the science of studying and emulating nature’s solutions to the problems that human beings are trying to solve. Over the 3.8 billion years that life has existed on Earth, nature, through evolution, has come up with sustainable and robust solutions that work and that endure.

  • Flying Over the Arctic, Collecting Data and Enjoying the View

    Flying Over the Arctic, Collecting Data and Enjoying the View

    By Brian Moses This past week, Operation IceBridge undertook a detailed survey of the ICEX camp, situated on the ice sheet north of Alaska. This complex 3 day mission involves a transit to Fairbanks, AK over the top of the world, refueling in Fairbanks and flying the survey on day two, and a low-altitude nighttime…

  • Improving Climate Prediction in Africa

    Improving Climate Prediction in Africa

    Africa lags the developed world in weather stations but still produces a surprising amount of data. Too bad few people are using it. Scientists at Columbia University and a growing number of others—among them Bill Gates and the charity arm of Google—are pushing to open Africa’s climate archive to the world by making it free.…

  • A Dialogue Between Two Cities, New York and Shanghai

    China’s economic growth continues at a staggering pace as we enter into their 12th Five-Year Plan. GDP per capita has never been higher, and as nearly 20% of the world is lifted out of poverty, the enormous migration of Chinese from rural regions to urban centers places a tremendous strain on society, natural resources, and…

  • Still Time to Apply for Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program

    Still Time to Apply for Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program

    There is still time to apply for classes in Module 3 of the Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program.

  • Crisis in Japan: Earth Institute Reactions

    The largest ever recorded earthquake in Japan’s history has triggered a sequence of events that have killed thousands, crushed and submerged cities and towns and left a financial toll that will take years for an already struggling economy to recover. Videos and stories slowly began to emerge as the sun rose in Japan the day…

  • Finishing up in Khulna

    Finishing up in Khulna

    The last two days have been a little different as I spent much of them in Khulna rather than at the site. Since the Islam family does not have electricity, Hafizul would have to carry the expensive EDM (Electronic Distance Meter) and laptop back and forth to Khulna University to charge. However, we have an…

  • Finally getting it right

    Finally getting it right

    We are driving back to Khulna at 10:30 after our third excellent day in a row.  However, there were still a lot of hiccups along the way. Yesterday, we were set to install the deep well, but when we arrived they were just starting to pull the pipe from the deep well.  We had hoped…

  • South Korean Delegates Visit Earth Institute, Look at Collaborative Efforts in Global Health

    South Korean Delegates Visit Earth Institute, Look at Collaborative Efforts in Global Health

    On February 18, 2011, the Earth Institute hosted about 20 South Korean delegates for a presentation given by the health team at the Center for Global Health and Economic Development. Their trip was an extension of their participation in a Health Emergencies in Large Populations (HELP) course that was developed through a joint effort of…

Blue banner with kids and Earth photos. Text: "Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House, Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10am-4pm.

On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!

  • Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius

    Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius

    Biomimicry is the science of studying and emulating nature’s solutions to the problems that human beings are trying to solve. Over the 3.8 billion years that life has existed on Earth, nature, through evolution, has come up with sustainable and robust solutions that work and that endure.

  • Flying Over the Arctic, Collecting Data and Enjoying the View

    Flying Over the Arctic, Collecting Data and Enjoying the View

    By Brian Moses This past week, Operation IceBridge undertook a detailed survey of the ICEX camp, situated on the ice sheet north of Alaska. This complex 3 day mission involves a transit to Fairbanks, AK over the top of the world, refueling in Fairbanks and flying the survey on day two, and a low-altitude nighttime…

  • Improving Climate Prediction in Africa

    Improving Climate Prediction in Africa

    Africa lags the developed world in weather stations but still produces a surprising amount of data. Too bad few people are using it. Scientists at Columbia University and a growing number of others—among them Bill Gates and the charity arm of Google—are pushing to open Africa’s climate archive to the world by making it free.…

  • A Dialogue Between Two Cities, New York and Shanghai

    China’s economic growth continues at a staggering pace as we enter into their 12th Five-Year Plan. GDP per capita has never been higher, and as nearly 20% of the world is lifted out of poverty, the enormous migration of Chinese from rural regions to urban centers places a tremendous strain on society, natural resources, and…

  • Still Time to Apply for Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program

    Still Time to Apply for Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program

    There is still time to apply for classes in Module 3 of the Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Program.

  • Crisis in Japan: Earth Institute Reactions

    The largest ever recorded earthquake in Japan’s history has triggered a sequence of events that have killed thousands, crushed and submerged cities and towns and left a financial toll that will take years for an already struggling economy to recover. Videos and stories slowly began to emerge as the sun rose in Japan the day…

  • Finishing up in Khulna

    Finishing up in Khulna

    The last two days have been a little different as I spent much of them in Khulna rather than at the site. Since the Islam family does not have electricity, Hafizul would have to carry the expensive EDM (Electronic Distance Meter) and laptop back and forth to Khulna University to charge. However, we have an…

  • Finally getting it right

    Finally getting it right

    We are driving back to Khulna at 10:30 after our third excellent day in a row.  However, there were still a lot of hiccups along the way. Yesterday, we were set to install the deep well, but when we arrived they were just starting to pull the pipe from the deep well.  We had hoped…

  • South Korean Delegates Visit Earth Institute, Look at Collaborative Efforts in Global Health

    South Korean Delegates Visit Earth Institute, Look at Collaborative Efforts in Global Health

    On February 18, 2011, the Earth Institute hosted about 20 South Korean delegates for a presentation given by the health team at the Center for Global Health and Economic Development. Their trip was an extension of their participation in a Health Emergencies in Large Populations (HELP) course that was developed through a joint effort of…