State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Earthquakes19

  • Disaster and moving on

    Disaster and moving on

    It looks like we lost the deep well.  The morning started off as planned.  We would finish the calibration of the strainmeters, installing the GPS and training Shaheen for the weekly measurements.  Should be out by noon for the 8-hour drive to Dhaka followed b the 5 hour ride to Khulna the next day.  Then…

  • Finishing up in Jamalganj

    Finishing up in Jamalganj

    Our time in Jamalganj is coming to a close.  We will miss the people here, all of whom have been incredibly helpful.  Moktar and Anowar, who constructed the concrete pillars; Aziz the caretaker, locally known as the chief of Jamalganj for his ability to get things done; his son, Shaheen, who will be making the…

  • Up (roofs) and Down (wells)

    Up (roofs) and Down (wells)

    Today went a lot better than yesterday.  Just as well that I forgot my camera so that there are fewer pictures to document it. We said goodbye to Nano, Humayun and Ellie as they went back to Dhaka.  Their extra hands helped a lot.  And Ellie was a big attraction for all the kids.  Adults,…

  • Delays and progress

    Delays and progress

    The days have been so long and jam-packed days that none of us can believe it’s only been two full days here. The wells and preparations have taken longer than expected, but we are finally seeing progress.

  • On the Road to Jamalganj

    On the Road to Jamalganj

    After 11 hours on the road, we finally reached Jamalganj and the drill site. Unable to face the long daily drive to our planned rest house, we arranged to stay locally.

  • New York Earthquake Barely Causes a Stir

    Though the earthquake that no one really noticed yesterday was the largest to hit the New York area in 18 years, it’s important to note that it wasn’t an unusual event. One person in a WNYC story was quoted as saying that he had fun. Researchers at the Earth Institute have kept close tabs on…

  • Connecting Young and Old

    Nano and I took the train to Rome to meet a colleague for lunch, and after we explored the old city. I have been through Rome a number of times, making my way to and from Calabria, but this was my first time really seeing the city. Nano was a fantastic tour guide. He was…

  • Hiking Monte Pollino

    I grew up in a family that drove on vacations, be it six hours to the beach, eight hours to see relatives, or three days to Idaho. So the seven hour drive from Calabria to Rome is no big deal, although the lack of air conditioning does make it undesirable. When I tell my friends…

  • Fitting Calabria through a Rocky Doorway

    One of the challenges of studying the Calabrian subduction zone is the enormous variation over relatively short distances. Etna is located just 120 kilometers from Stromboli, yet the volcanoes have completely different sources of magma. Fluvial conglomerates in the Crotone Basin have lots of chert, yet conglomerates of the same age just 15 kilometers to…

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

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

  • Disaster and moving on

    Disaster and moving on

    It looks like we lost the deep well.  The morning started off as planned.  We would finish the calibration of the strainmeters, installing the GPS and training Shaheen for the weekly measurements.  Should be out by noon for the 8-hour drive to Dhaka followed b the 5 hour ride to Khulna the next day.  Then…

  • Finishing up in Jamalganj

    Finishing up in Jamalganj

    Our time in Jamalganj is coming to a close.  We will miss the people here, all of whom have been incredibly helpful.  Moktar and Anowar, who constructed the concrete pillars; Aziz the caretaker, locally known as the chief of Jamalganj for his ability to get things done; his son, Shaheen, who will be making the…

  • Up (roofs) and Down (wells)

    Up (roofs) and Down (wells)

    Today went a lot better than yesterday.  Just as well that I forgot my camera so that there are fewer pictures to document it. We said goodbye to Nano, Humayun and Ellie as they went back to Dhaka.  Their extra hands helped a lot.  And Ellie was a big attraction for all the kids.  Adults,…

  • Delays and progress

    Delays and progress

    The days have been so long and jam-packed days that none of us can believe it’s only been two full days here. The wells and preparations have taken longer than expected, but we are finally seeing progress.

  • On the Road to Jamalganj

    On the Road to Jamalganj

    After 11 hours on the road, we finally reached Jamalganj and the drill site. Unable to face the long daily drive to our planned rest house, we arranged to stay locally.

  • New York Earthquake Barely Causes a Stir

    Though the earthquake that no one really noticed yesterday was the largest to hit the New York area in 18 years, it’s important to note that it wasn’t an unusual event. One person in a WNYC story was quoted as saying that he had fun. Researchers at the Earth Institute have kept close tabs on…

  • Connecting Young and Old

    Nano and I took the train to Rome to meet a colleague for lunch, and after we explored the old city. I have been through Rome a number of times, making my way to and from Calabria, but this was my first time really seeing the city. Nano was a fantastic tour guide. He was…

  • Hiking Monte Pollino

    I grew up in a family that drove on vacations, be it six hours to the beach, eight hours to see relatives, or three days to Idaho. So the seven hour drive from Calabria to Rome is no big deal, although the lack of air conditioning does make it undesirable. When I tell my friends…

  • Fitting Calabria through a Rocky Doorway

    One of the challenges of studying the Calabrian subduction zone is the enormous variation over relatively short distances. Etna is located just 120 kilometers from Stromboli, yet the volcanoes have completely different sources of magma. Fluvial conglomerates in the Crotone Basin have lots of chert, yet conglomerates of the same age just 15 kilometers to…