State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Earth’s crust

  • How Does Earth’s Continental Crust Form? A New Bottom-Up Theory

    How Does Earth’s Continental Crust Form? A New Bottom-Up Theory

    Scientists have long believed that continental crust forms in volcanic arcs. The lingering question has been how exactly that happens.

  • The Breathing Ocean

    The Breathing Ocean

    Far south and farther south, where winds are cold and screaming, Waters churn, and deep below, old sediments lie dreaming. A million years’ residuum of life and death and dust, A library of ice ages reposed upon Earth’s crust.

Overhead view of Columbia campus with text Columbia Climate School Class Day 2026: Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations to our Columbia Climate School Class of 2026 and all of our 2026 Columbia University graduates! Learn more about our May 15 Climate School Class Day celebration. 💙 #Columbia2026 #ColumbiaClimate2026

  • How Does Earth’s Continental Crust Form? A New Bottom-Up Theory

    How Does Earth’s Continental Crust Form? A New Bottom-Up Theory

    Scientists have long believed that continental crust forms in volcanic arcs. The lingering question has been how exactly that happens.

  • The Breathing Ocean

    The Breathing Ocean

    Far south and farther south, where winds are cold and screaming, Waters churn, and deep below, old sediments lie dreaming. A million years’ residuum of life and death and dust, A library of ice ages reposed upon Earth’s crust.