State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

climate change137

  • Climate Change to Exacerbate Rising Food Prices

    Climate Change to Exacerbate Rising Food Prices

    Despite all human provisions to maintain a steady and even increasing food supply, post-Green-Revolution agriculture remains heavily dependent on seasonal weather. Just in the past few years, weather extremes caused significant jumps in food prices, causing social, economic, and political disturbances in both developing and developed countries. Between 2006 and 2008, world average prices rose…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    NASA Reels From Climate Science Setbacks, AFP, Mar. 6 NASA’s $424 million Glory satellite, meant to monitor aerosols and solar radiation, crashed into the Pacific last week. Climate scientists were relying on the satellite data to fill critical information gaps. The accident comes at an inopportune time, as Congress is in the process of determining…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Fact-Free Science, New York Times, Feb. 25 President Obama, advocating science as the means to a better future, requested increases in his budget proposal for scientific research and education, especially for developing alternative energy. According to research completed by the Center for American Progress, a majority of Republicans in Congress do not consider climate change…

  • Some Antarctic Ice Is Forming From Bottom

    Imagery From Remote Mountains Turns Normal Theory on Head

  • Giant Jellyfish Swarms – Are Humans the Cause?

    Giant Jellyfish Swarms – Are Humans the Cause?

    Many scientists believe that jellyfish, particularly jellyfish swarms or blooms, are on the increase worldwide, turning up in regions where they never existed before. Research shows shows that many human activities are strongly correlated to jellyfish blooms.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland, USA Today, Feb. 22 A longitudinal study of 28 years found that the brown variant of the Finnish tawny owl is surviving at a better rate than the grey owl. Milder winters with less snow cover allow the brown owls to better camouflage themselves from predators. Researchers from…

  • Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    As scientists continue to try to sort out climate change effects, it’s important to remember also that when it comes to the impact of floods, there are many factors outside of global climate change that affect outcomes for people. Here are a few.

  • Giant CO2 Eruptions in the Backyard?

    Giant CO2 Eruptions in the Backyard?

    Northern New Jersey, southern Connecticut and environs are not necessarily where one would expect to explore the onetime extinction of much life on earth, and subsequent rise of dinosaurs. But it turns out to be a pretty good place to start. Underlying the exurbs are geological formations left by three giant episodes of volcanism starting around 200 million years ago, and…

  • Celebrating the end of the Antarctic field season

    Celebrating the end of the Antarctic field season

    It is the end of a highly successful field season for our ‘Antarctica’s Secrets’ team – a mix of sadness and joy

Banner with images representing environmental issues and text "You Asked: Our Scientists and Experts Answer Your Burning Questions."

You Asked invites you to share your most pressing questions about climate, science, and sustainability. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School experts will respond with clear, evidence-based answers. Pose your questions and story ideas!

  • Climate Change to Exacerbate Rising Food Prices

    Climate Change to Exacerbate Rising Food Prices

    Despite all human provisions to maintain a steady and even increasing food supply, post-Green-Revolution agriculture remains heavily dependent on seasonal weather. Just in the past few years, weather extremes caused significant jumps in food prices, causing social, economic, and political disturbances in both developing and developed countries. Between 2006 and 2008, world average prices rose…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 3/06

    NASA Reels From Climate Science Setbacks, AFP, Mar. 6 NASA’s $424 million Glory satellite, meant to monitor aerosols and solar radiation, crashed into the Pacific last week. Climate scientists were relying on the satellite data to fill critical information gaps. The accident comes at an inopportune time, as Congress is in the process of determining…

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/27

    Fact-Free Science, New York Times, Feb. 25 President Obama, advocating science as the means to a better future, requested increases in his budget proposal for scientific research and education, especially for developing alternative energy. According to research completed by the Center for American Progress, a majority of Republicans in Congress do not consider climate change…

  • Some Antarctic Ice Is Forming From Bottom

    Imagery From Remote Mountains Turns Normal Theory on Head

  • Giant Jellyfish Swarms – Are Humans the Cause?

    Giant Jellyfish Swarms – Are Humans the Cause?

    Many scientists believe that jellyfish, particularly jellyfish swarms or blooms, are on the increase worldwide, turning up in regions where they never existed before. Research shows shows that many human activities are strongly correlated to jellyfish blooms.

  • Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate News Roundup: Week of 2/20

    Climate Change Affecting Owl Color in Finland, USA Today, Feb. 22 A longitudinal study of 28 years found that the brown variant of the Finnish tawny owl is surviving at a better rate than the grey owl. Milder winters with less snow cover allow the brown owls to better camouflage themselves from predators. Researchers from…

  • Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    Flood Impacts: Don’t Forget Other Factors

    As scientists continue to try to sort out climate change effects, it’s important to remember also that when it comes to the impact of floods, there are many factors outside of global climate change that affect outcomes for people. Here are a few.

  • Giant CO2 Eruptions in the Backyard?

    Giant CO2 Eruptions in the Backyard?

    Northern New Jersey, southern Connecticut and environs are not necessarily where one would expect to explore the onetime extinction of much life on earth, and subsequent rise of dinosaurs. But it turns out to be a pretty good place to start. Underlying the exurbs are geological formations left by three giant episodes of volcanism starting around 200 million years ago, and…

  • Celebrating the end of the Antarctic field season

    Celebrating the end of the Antarctic field season

    It is the end of a highly successful field season for our ‘Antarctica’s Secrets’ team – a mix of sadness and joy