Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Giant Canyon on Mars Is Still Tectonically Active Today
Scientists at Columbia University and Imperial College London have found that the largest canyon system in the solar system is still active and shaping Mars today, billions of years after it first formed.
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What Can Fossil Corals in the Cook Islands Teach Us About Global Sea Level Rise?
Scientists are studying fossil coral reefs in the Cook Islands to reconstruct sea levels during the Last Interglacial, and hoping to improve projections of future change.
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A Career Spent Collecting Earth’s Seismic Clues
Göran Ekström tracks incidents like landslides and glacier collapse using tools once used only to monitor earthquakes.
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Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Leaders in the Green Mountains
Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains is a two-week campus-based program in Vermont for high school students to mobilize action, drive impact and effect change in response to our warming planet. The summer 2026 program welcomed 58 students from the United States, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and the U.K.
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The Changing Shape of Extreme Rain in the U.S.
A recent study led by researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory asks how and why the spatial footprint of extreme rainfall in the U.S. has changed since 1980.
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What NYC Got Right During the Wildfire Smoke Emergency, According to an Expert
Atmospheric chemist V. Faye McNeill explains our new, smoky normal—and how to stay safe.
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Geologist Folarin Kolawole Receives 2026 National Geographic Wayfinder Award
Folarin Kolawole is one of 15 recipients of this year’s National Geographic Society’s Wayfinder Award, which recognizes people whose work is expanding our understanding of the planet and helping to protect its future.
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Ancient Dust Points To Retreat of West Antarctic Ice Sheet During Last Warm Period
Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have been far smaller during one of Earth’s most recent warm periods, according to a new study.
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“Near-miss” Tsunami in Alaskan Cruise Area Offers Lessons for Steep Landscapes Near Glaciers
As glaciers retreat in warming regions, the risk of related hazards can increase, and improved monitoring may help reduce some of those dangers, according to a new study.
On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!
