State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

American Geophysical Union7

  • The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    In the islands off Papua New Guinea, the rocks are giving rise to new ideas about the ways mountain chains form. A new scientific model shows how two seemingly opposite processes can take place in the same region.

  • AGU 2014: Key Events from The Earth Institute

    AGU 2014: Key Events from The Earth Institute

    Scientists at Columbia University’s Earth Institute will present important talks at the Dec. 15-19 meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists. Here is a journalists’ guide in rough chronological order.

  • Explore the Arctic Ocean With ‘IceTracker’

    Explore the Arctic Ocean With ‘IceTracker’

    This week, we are launching a test of “IceTracker”—a tool that allows users to see the trajectories of Arctic sea ice forward or backward from any day between 1981 and 2012, as well as sea-ice speed, air temperature, water depth and the age of the sea ice.

  • AGU 2013: Social Science Perspectives on Natural Hazards

    AGU 2013: Social Science Perspectives on Natural Hazards

    Learn about improving communication of and planning for natural hazards from a social science perspective at AGU2013.

  • The R/V Marcus G. Langseth: Ocean Explorer

    The R/V Marcus G. Langseth: Ocean Explorer

    The Marcus G. Langseth, a research vessel operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, traverses the world’s oceans conducting marine seismic studies that contribute to new understanding of Earth systems. The ship typically spends half the year or more on research expeditions led by Lamont-Doherty scientists and colleagues from other research institutes.

  • IRI@AGU: Schedule of Events + Q&As

    IRI@AGU: Schedule of Events + Q&As

    Four scientists and one PhD student from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society are attending the 2013 American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting. Below are links to Q&As with each of the presenters and the schedule of their posters and presentations.

  • Role-Reversal (and Some Fun) at AGU

    Role-Reversal (and Some Fun) at AGU

    Francesco Fiondella is normally behind the scenes writing web stories, developing audio slideshows and videos for the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). But at this year’s annual American Geophysical Union (AGU), the tables were turned for a brief moment. He was video ambushed by climate scientist Andrew Robertson and forced to explain…

  • A River Runs Through It: Predicting Floods in the Midwest

    A River Runs Through It: Predicting Floods in the Midwest

    Focusing on the American Midwest, Andrew Robertson analyzes the relationships between floods, weather and climate patters throughout the 20th century.

  • Clues from Last Ice Age May Hint at Drying Ahead for Some Regions

    Clues from Last Ice Age May Hint at Drying Ahead for Some Regions

    In the spectacular collapse of ice sheets as the last ice age ended about 18,000 years ago scientists hope to find clues for what regions may grow drier from human caused global warming. In a talk Thursday at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, Aaron Putnam, a postdoctoral scholar at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, painted a…

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 Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    In the islands off Papua New Guinea, the rocks are giving rise to new ideas about the ways mountain chains form. A new scientific model shows how two seemingly opposite processes can take place in the same region.

  • AGU 2014: Key Events from The Earth Institute

    AGU 2014: Key Events from The Earth Institute

    Scientists at Columbia University’s Earth Institute will present important talks at the Dec. 15-19 meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists. Here is a journalists’ guide in rough chronological order.

  • Explore the Arctic Ocean With ‘IceTracker’

    Explore the Arctic Ocean With ‘IceTracker’

    This week, we are launching a test of “IceTracker”—a tool that allows users to see the trajectories of Arctic sea ice forward or backward from any day between 1981 and 2012, as well as sea-ice speed, air temperature, water depth and the age of the sea ice.

  • AGU 2013: Social Science Perspectives on Natural Hazards

    AGU 2013: Social Science Perspectives on Natural Hazards

    Learn about improving communication of and planning for natural hazards from a social science perspective at AGU2013.

  • The R/V Marcus G. Langseth: Ocean Explorer

    The R/V Marcus G. Langseth: Ocean Explorer

    The Marcus G. Langseth, a research vessel operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, traverses the world’s oceans conducting marine seismic studies that contribute to new understanding of Earth systems. The ship typically spends half the year or more on research expeditions led by Lamont-Doherty scientists and colleagues from other research institutes.

  • IRI@AGU: Schedule of Events + Q&As

    IRI@AGU: Schedule of Events + Q&As

    Four scientists and one PhD student from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society are attending the 2013 American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meeting. Below are links to Q&As with each of the presenters and the schedule of their posters and presentations.

  • Role-Reversal (and Some Fun) at AGU

    Role-Reversal (and Some Fun) at AGU

    Francesco Fiondella is normally behind the scenes writing web stories, developing audio slideshows and videos for the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). But at this year’s annual American Geophysical Union (AGU), the tables were turned for a brief moment. He was video ambushed by climate scientist Andrew Robertson and forced to explain…

  • A River Runs Through It: Predicting Floods in the Midwest

    A River Runs Through It: Predicting Floods in the Midwest

    Focusing on the American Midwest, Andrew Robertson analyzes the relationships between floods, weather and climate patters throughout the 20th century.

  • Clues from Last Ice Age May Hint at Drying Ahead for Some Regions

    Clues from Last Ice Age May Hint at Drying Ahead for Some Regions

    In the spectacular collapse of ice sheets as the last ice age ended about 18,000 years ago scientists hope to find clues for what regions may grow drier from human caused global warming. In a talk Thursday at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, Aaron Putnam, a postdoctoral scholar at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, painted a…