Alaska Archives - State of the Planet

Preparing for Volcanic Eruptions at Okmok Volcano, Alaska

Researchers are working at a remote ranch in the Aleutians, commuting by helicopter to the brim of a volcano to perform maintenance on their monitoring equipment.

by |October 3, 2022

Abandoned Landscapes and Impermanent Places: Tom Kizzia’s ‘Cold Mountain Path’

Author Tom Kizzia’s 2021 book dives into the history of a town awash in Alaskan legend, telling a story that tries to capture the fascination that many Alaskans feel about the state.

by Alena Zhang and Elza Bouhassira |July 6, 2022

Lazy Bears and Confused Birds: What a Warming Planet Means for Wildlife

In the Arctic, climate change is upsetting the migratory rhythms of many species, disrupting pollinators, and spelling trouble for ecosystems around the world.

by David J. Craig |May 17, 2022
The Tulsequah Glacier, British Columbia

Melting Glaciers Could Produce More Than 3,000 Miles of New Pacific Salmon Habitat

Once filled with ice, glacial valleys are now flowing with water in a warming climate, opening up new habitat for the Pacific salmon and revealing opportunities for a modern-day gold rush in parts of British Columbia and Alaska, a new study finds.

by |March 1, 2022

A Journey Into an Alaskan Volcano

A Columbia Climate School Ph.D. student recounts a research expedition into an active volcano in the Aleutian Islands.

by Jasper Baur |September 14, 2021

Dancers Perform the Ice

A report on the 2021 artists in residence at the Wrangell Mountains Center in McCarthy, Alaska.

by Corinna Cook |September 3, 2021
person in boat paddling through icy sea

Tracking the Impact of Climate Change in Alaska

Sea ice is rapidly melting off the northwest coast of Alaska, endangering the Indigenous population. Researchers joined forces with the local community to understand how climate change is affecting their region.

by Caroline Harting |April 28, 2021
Giant blue/white glacier ice juts out of a cool blue lake. A blue raft with several people onboard is dwarfed in the ice's presence.

Glacier Melt to Redirect Alaska’s Alsek River, Endangering World-Famous Rafting Route

As a glacier in southern Alaska melts, a major river is likely to shift course within the next decade, putting the future of local fisheries and a popular rafting path at risk.

by |April 15, 2021
mendenhall glacier

Controversial Alaskan Mine Receives a Push From the Trump Administration

A proposed rare earth element mine on a mountainous island in Alaska is at the center of a geopolitical conflict and an environmental crisis.

by |September 30, 2020
A crowd of people stand by a waterfall flowing into a lake with a glacier and mountains in the background.

How Juneau, Alaska Responds to Yearly Glacier Floods

Glacial flooding is never predictable, but Juneau’s response has become reliably routine, thanks to scientific research and partnerships with government.

by |July 30, 2020