State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Tag: Earth Institute Fellows4

  • How Genomics Can Help Famine-Prone Nations Weather Climate Change

    How Genomics Can Help Famine-Prone Nations Weather Climate Change

    A team of biologists and agronomists has identified genomic signatures in plants indicating they are resilient to stresses such as drought or toxic soils. The multi-year study, expected to help developing-world farmers, was done with sorghum, one of the world’s most common crops.

  • Overuse of Water by Indian Farmers Threatens Supply

    Overuse of Water by Indian Farmers Threatens Supply

    Convincing farmers that it’s worth it to reduce their water consumption will rest on our ability to help develop local groups to manage aquifers at the community-level.

  • Study Finds Genetic Clues to How Plants Adapt to Climate

    Study Finds Genetic Clues to How Plants Adapt to Climate

    Using supercomputers to analyze hundreds of thousands of genetic markers, scientists say they have found how a common weed uses its genetic code to adapt to changes in its environment such as cold and drought. The findings could help develop crops that are more adaptable to climate change.

  • How Much Arsenic is Too Little?

    How Much Arsenic is Too Little?

    Five hundred utilities in the U.S. provide drinking water with unsafe levels of arsenic, the Environmental Protection Agency says. But how many people are getting too much arsenic in their water is much less clear, according to a study conducted in part by the Columbia Water Center.

  • In Haiti, Exploring What Drives People to Alter the Landscape

    In Haiti, Exploring What Drives People to Alter the Landscape

    Study of the Pedernales Watershed, located along Haiti’s southern national boundary with the Dominican Republic, may provide insights into the stark contrast in land cover patterns between the two countries.

  • US Groundwater Declines More Widespread Than Commonly Thought

    US Groundwater Declines More Widespread Than Commonly Thought

    Groundwater levels are dropping across a much wider swath of the United States than is generally discussed, according to a new report, suggesting that the nation’s long-term pattern of groundwater use is broadly unsustainable.

  • Postdoc Crosses Disciplines to Put Theory to Practice

    Postdoc Crosses Disciplines to Put Theory to Practice

    The Earth Institute postdoc has provided me with a strong foundation to continue to initiate and develop these sorts of collaborations, has helped me learn how my own research can benefit from being challenged by and contextualized in another field, and has taught me how much fun it can be to share the same sort…

  • Sustainability Certification in Aquaculture: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is?

    Sustainability Certification in Aquaculture: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is?

    Should we certify aquaculture? A look at mounting challenges in the push for sustainable seafood.

  • A Tip of the Psychological Scales, and What it Means for Conservation Efforts

    A Tip of the Psychological Scales, and What it Means for Conservation Efforts

    Despite their differences, both humanitarian crises and environmental issues are faced with an unending struggle to engage the public. A recent study reveals a new psychological mechanism confronting conservation efforts, and points the way to overcoming obstacles related to inaction.

  • How Genomics Can Help Famine-Prone Nations Weather Climate Change

    How Genomics Can Help Famine-Prone Nations Weather Climate Change

    A team of biologists and agronomists has identified genomic signatures in plants indicating they are resilient to stresses such as drought or toxic soils. The multi-year study, expected to help developing-world farmers, was done with sorghum, one of the world’s most common crops.

  • Overuse of Water by Indian Farmers Threatens Supply

    Overuse of Water by Indian Farmers Threatens Supply

    Convincing farmers that it’s worth it to reduce their water consumption will rest on our ability to help develop local groups to manage aquifers at the community-level.

  • Study Finds Genetic Clues to How Plants Adapt to Climate

    Study Finds Genetic Clues to How Plants Adapt to Climate

    Using supercomputers to analyze hundreds of thousands of genetic markers, scientists say they have found how a common weed uses its genetic code to adapt to changes in its environment such as cold and drought. The findings could help develop crops that are more adaptable to climate change.

  • How Much Arsenic is Too Little?

    How Much Arsenic is Too Little?

    Five hundred utilities in the U.S. provide drinking water with unsafe levels of arsenic, the Environmental Protection Agency says. But how many people are getting too much arsenic in their water is much less clear, according to a study conducted in part by the Columbia Water Center.

  • In Haiti, Exploring What Drives People to Alter the Landscape

    In Haiti, Exploring What Drives People to Alter the Landscape

    Study of the Pedernales Watershed, located along Haiti’s southern national boundary with the Dominican Republic, may provide insights into the stark contrast in land cover patterns between the two countries.

  • US Groundwater Declines More Widespread Than Commonly Thought

    US Groundwater Declines More Widespread Than Commonly Thought

    Groundwater levels are dropping across a much wider swath of the United States than is generally discussed, according to a new report, suggesting that the nation’s long-term pattern of groundwater use is broadly unsustainable.

  • Postdoc Crosses Disciplines to Put Theory to Practice

    Postdoc Crosses Disciplines to Put Theory to Practice

    The Earth Institute postdoc has provided me with a strong foundation to continue to initiate and develop these sorts of collaborations, has helped me learn how my own research can benefit from being challenged by and contextualized in another field, and has taught me how much fun it can be to share the same sort…

  • Sustainability Certification in Aquaculture: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is?

    Sustainability Certification in Aquaculture: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is?

    Should we certify aquaculture? A look at mounting challenges in the push for sustainable seafood.

  • A Tip of the Psychological Scales, and What it Means for Conservation Efforts

    A Tip of the Psychological Scales, and What it Means for Conservation Efforts

    Despite their differences, both humanitarian crises and environmental issues are faced with an unending struggle to engage the public. A recent study reveals a new psychological mechanism confronting conservation efforts, and points the way to overcoming obstacles related to inaction.