State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

evolutionary biology

  • What Helps Animals Adapt (or Not) to Climate Change?

    What Helps Animals Adapt (or Not) to Climate Change?

    As our climate changes, some animals seem to be able to adapt while others cannot. What makes adaptation possible? Can humans help it along?

  • Hatchets, Ratchets & Pivots: Book Talk by Ruth DeFries

    Hatchets, Ratchets & Pivots: Book Talk by Ruth DeFries

    As Professor Ruth DeFries aptly stated in her opening remarks at yesterday’s book launch for “The Big Ratchet,” if you look at satellite pictures of the earth, you see the imprint of the human species everywhere. Humans have come to dominate the planet. But how did this come to be? This question, among others, is…

Composite banner with modern building at night and portrait of Dean Alexis Abramson that reads "Science for the Planet"

By studying thousands of buildings and analyzing their electricity use, Columbia Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson has been able to uncover ways to significantly cut energy consumption and emissions. Watch the Video: “Engineering a Cooler Future Through Smarter Buildings

  • What Helps Animals Adapt (or Not) to Climate Change?

    What Helps Animals Adapt (or Not) to Climate Change?

    As our climate changes, some animals seem to be able to adapt while others cannot. What makes adaptation possible? Can humans help it along?

  • Hatchets, Ratchets & Pivots: Book Talk by Ruth DeFries

    Hatchets, Ratchets & Pivots: Book Talk by Ruth DeFries

    As Professor Ruth DeFries aptly stated in her opening remarks at yesterday’s book launch for “The Big Ratchet,” if you look at satellite pictures of the earth, you see the imprint of the human species everywhere. Humans have come to dominate the planet. But how did this come to be? This question, among others, is…