cs highlights
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Celebrating the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science
In honor of this year’s theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls,” we’re highlighting just some of the exceptional women researchers from the Columbia Climate School.
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Unexpected Climate Feedback Links Antarctic Ice Sheet With Reduced Carbon Uptake
New study reveals surprising link between West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) retreat and algae growth over the past 500,000 years.
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Greenland Ice Cap Vanished Just 7,000 Years Ago
The first study from GreenDrill finds that Greenland’s Prudhoe Dome ice cap had fully melted much more recently than previously thought.
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Sea Levels Are Rising—But in Greenland, They Will Fall
Even as global warming causes sea levels to rise worldwide, sea levels around Greenland will likely drop, according to a new paper.
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Get Ready for Smokier Air: Record 2023 Wildfire Smoke Marks Long-Term Shift in North American Air Quality
A new analysis of air quality data from the past 70 years shows a broader, continent-wide trend toward smokier skies.
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It’s Been One Year Since Wildfires Devastated Los Angeles. What Have We Learned?
In the wake of the fires, our disaster expert says that “we have the lessons we need to do better and recover better, but there is a stubbornness to learning and applying them.”
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Columbia Climate School Experts on What Gives Them Hope in 2026
2025 was a tough year for climate action. Yet our experts see signs of progress on the horizon, and climate solutions within reach.
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Year in Review: Our Top Stories of 2025
A look back at the stories and videos that shaped our year at State of the Planet.
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Vast Freshwater Reserves Found Beneath Salinity-Stressed Coastal Bangladesh
Drinking water is often scarce in Bangladesh. These researchers have tapped into a potential solution.

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings“
