General185
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Summoning ocean bottom seismometers from the deep
After leaving our seismometers on the seafloor offshore Alaska for a few days to record sound waves generated by the air guns of the R/V Langseth, we returned to collect them. The recovery of OBS always involves a certain amount of suspense.
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Ripple Effect Author Talks Efficiency; Cleanup
The outlook for global water is bleak, but Alex Prud’Homme still believes in the power of human ingenuity.
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New health and community facilities in Sauri
Post by Salome Munyendo Members of the small community of Uranga, in Western Kenya, don’t have to walk long distances anymore to access healthcare. Now, they can visit St. Elizabeth Onding dispensary, which was inaugurated recently by local officials and the Sauri Millennium Village team. The villagers were so aware of the need for such…
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Deploying Ocean Bottom Seismometers off Alaska
On July 2, we finished deploying over twenty ocean-bottom seismometers as a part of our marine expedition to study a major tectonic boundary offshore Alaska. Ocean bottom seismometers (OBS’s) are autonomous instruments that sit on the seafloor and record sound waves traveling through the earth and the water. Floats made from glass balls and syntactic…
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A typical day in the high Andes
Each morning starts the same in the Andes: the frost is heavy on the insides of our tents and falls with the slightest movement, while the realization that it´s going to be a freezing exit from the sleeping bag is tempered by gratitude that the thirteen hour night is over. Yes, sunrise in the Andes…
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Climate News Roundup: Week of 6/26
Prodigal Plankton Returns to the Atlantic, Discovery News, Jun 26 According to researchers with the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, a species of plankton called Neodenticula seminae is an Atlantic resident again, 800,000 years after it became extinct in the ocean. The microscopic plant has been documented with sufficient frequency over the last…
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Users Invited to Test New SEDAC Web Site
The NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) operated by CIESIN is a unique source of interdisciplinary data and related information and services related to the human dimensions of global environmental change. To help users more effectively find, access, and use these resources, SEDAC has redesigned its Web site with enhanced search tools, interactive mapping…
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Heading to Sea off Alaska Aboard the R/V Langseth (at last)
Yesterday evening, we left Kodiak aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth and began our 38-day-long research cruise offshore Alaska. As we left port, we were treated to clear skies, calm seas and spectacular views of Kodiak – dark grey mountains tipped with snow emerging from the lush green landscape. Although Kodiak offered beautiful sights and…
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Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade
At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…
COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More
