deglaciation
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Cordilleran Ice Sheet Retreat Caused Volcanic Eruptions, Deoxygenation Events 10,000 Years Ago
New research shows that retreat of an ice sheet in the Pacific Northwest led to many volcanic explosions and ocean areas with low oxygen that threatened the health of marine ecosystems.
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An Artificial Neural Network Joins the Fight Against Receding Glaciers
A new artificial neural network named CALFIN catalogues the rates at which glaciers are melting, demonstrating what the future of glaciology could look like.
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Retreating Glaciers Threaten Herbs Used to Make Iconic Alpine Liqueurs
As glaciers recede in the Italian Alps, a shift toward grasslands is threatening native herbs like Artemisia genipi, a key ingredient in the region’s traditional liqueurs.
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Vicuña Dung Brings Vegetation to the High Andes
Latrines created by vicuñas, wild relatives of llamas, provide vital nutrients for plants on post-glaciated mountain landscapes in the Andes.
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Study Tracks an Abrupt Climate Shift as Ice Age Glaciers Began to Retreat
That change would have affected the monsoons, today relied on to feed over half the world’s population, and could have helped tip the climate system over the threshold for deglaciation.
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What Geology Has to Say About Global Warming
The most important lessons drawn from geology are that the earth’s climate can change radically, and rapidly. We can’t say precisely at what CO2 level we’re in danger of melting Antarctica, but that threshold could be reached in 150-300 years, if CO2 levels keep rising at the current rate.
COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More
