coral reefs
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New 400-Year Record Shows Great Barrier Reef Faces Catastrophic Damage
The six hottest years faced by the world’s largest reef system have occurred since 2004, with corresponding mass bleaching events.
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The Hidden Language of Ocean Coral
Logan Brenner, a scientist at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is part of an international collaboration to drill into the ocean’s past.
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Why Hosting an Olympic Competition in Tahiti Is a (Really) Bad Idea
A plan to build a judging tower atop coral may cause irreversible damage to the local marine ecosystem.
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Genetics Could Protect Coral Reefs from Global Warming
A Columbia study provides a blueprint for the use of genomics to help combat climate change.
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Scientists Work to Build Climate Change Resilience in Caribbean Coral Reef
A team from Columbia’s Earth Institute is helping to research and design adaptation strategies to help save the world’s second largest barrier reef.
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Dying Reefs Bigger Threat to Coasts Than Rising Seas, Study Says
If coral reefs continue to degrade, waves on coastlines may substantially increase, leading to greater coastal erosion.
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Bleach Patrol: Turning Surfers into Scientists to Help Coral Reefs
With coral bleaching spreading, a new project and app called Bleach Patrol is putting surfers, divers and snorkelers to work as citizen scientists, keeping an eye on the world’s coral reefs.
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#100. Taking a Fresh Look at Five Issues
This is the 100th blog I’ve written for the State of the Planet. It seemed like a good occasion to take a look at my five most popular blogs to see what has changed in the years since they were written. Is the news better or worse for seawater greenhouses, plastic pollution, turning wastewater into…
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Can We Save Coral Reefs?
We are losing coral reefs at an alarming rate and scientists believe that with business as usual they will likely be gone by the end of the century. However, better local management, coupled with new research on coral reef resilience and adaptability, may help buy some time for these indispensable ecosystems.
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
