State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Greenland4

  • It’s Raining on the Greenland Ice. In the Winter.

    It’s Raining on the Greenland Ice. In the Winter.

    Rainy weather is becoming increasingly common over parts of the Greenland ice sheet, triggering sudden melting events that are eating at the ice and priming the surface for more widespread future melting, says a new study.

  • Uncovering the Future of Greenland’s Ice Sheet

    Uncovering the Future of Greenland’s Ice Sheet

    Joerg Schaefer and Gisela Winckler, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, received funding from the Center for Climate and Life to examine the vulnerability of Greenland’s massive ice sheet.

  • The Melting of the Greenland Ice, Seen Up Very Close

    The Melting of the Greenland Ice, Seen Up Very Close

    A small team of scientists ventures out onto the Greenland ice sheet to study the forces large and small that are accelerating the melting of the world’s second-largest ice mass.

  • Photo Essay: Melting Greenland, Up Close

    Photo Essay: Melting Greenland, Up Close

    As climate warms, the Greenland ice sheet is melting, helping to fuel global sea-level rise. Follow a small team of scientists as they hike onto the sheet to investigate the forces large and small that are demolishing the ice.

  • The Story of Lake Gus

    The Story of Lake Gus

    For this early part of the season the goal is to tease apart a record of historic precipitation and temperature for this region using isotopes from leaf waxes collected in the lake sediments.

  • Scientists Are Superheroes With Super Powers

    Scientists Are Superheroes With Super Powers

    Superheroes are identified by their unique powers and skills, allowing them to see and act in ways that inspire awe in the rest of us. Do scientists have superhero powers?

  • The Greenland Ice Sheet Is Sponging Up Meltwater

    The Greenland Ice Sheet Is Sponging Up Meltwater

    As climate warms, the surface of the Greenland ice sheet is melting, and all that meltwater ends up in seasonal rivers that flow to the sea. At least that is what scientists have assumed until now. A new study has shown that some of the meltwater is actually being soaked into porous subsurface ice and…

  • Fueled by Melting Glaciers, Algae Bloom Off Greenland

    Fueled by Melting Glaciers, Algae Bloom Off Greenland

    Iron particles catching a ride on glacial meltwater washed out to sea are likely fueling a recently discovered summer algal bloom off the southern coast of Greenland, according to a new study. Microalgae, also known as phytoplankton, are plant-like marine microorganisms that form the base of the food web in many parts of the ocean.…

  • Could Climate Change Shut Down the Gulf Stream?

    Could Climate Change Shut Down the Gulf Stream?

    In the 2004 disaster movie “The Day After Tomorrow,”, global warming accelerated the melting of polar ice, disrupting circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean and triggering violent changes in the weather. Could climate change shut down the Gulf Stream?

Banner with images representing environmental issues and text "You Asked: Our Scientists and Experts Answer Your Burning Questions."

You Asked invites you to share your most pressing questions about climate, science, and sustainability. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School experts will respond with clear, evidence-based answers. Pose your questions and story ideas!

  • It’s Raining on the Greenland Ice. In the Winter.

    It’s Raining on the Greenland Ice. In the Winter.

    Rainy weather is becoming increasingly common over parts of the Greenland ice sheet, triggering sudden melting events that are eating at the ice and priming the surface for more widespread future melting, says a new study.

  • Uncovering the Future of Greenland’s Ice Sheet

    Uncovering the Future of Greenland’s Ice Sheet

    Joerg Schaefer and Gisela Winckler, scientists at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, received funding from the Center for Climate and Life to examine the vulnerability of Greenland’s massive ice sheet.

  • The Melting of the Greenland Ice, Seen Up Very Close

    The Melting of the Greenland Ice, Seen Up Very Close

    A small team of scientists ventures out onto the Greenland ice sheet to study the forces large and small that are accelerating the melting of the world’s second-largest ice mass.

  • Photo Essay: Melting Greenland, Up Close

    Photo Essay: Melting Greenland, Up Close

    As climate warms, the Greenland ice sheet is melting, helping to fuel global sea-level rise. Follow a small team of scientists as they hike onto the sheet to investigate the forces large and small that are demolishing the ice.

  • The Story of Lake Gus

    The Story of Lake Gus

    For this early part of the season the goal is to tease apart a record of historic precipitation and temperature for this region using isotopes from leaf waxes collected in the lake sediments.

  • Scientists Are Superheroes With Super Powers

    Scientists Are Superheroes With Super Powers

    Superheroes are identified by their unique powers and skills, allowing them to see and act in ways that inspire awe in the rest of us. Do scientists have superhero powers?

  • The Greenland Ice Sheet Is Sponging Up Meltwater

    The Greenland Ice Sheet Is Sponging Up Meltwater

    As climate warms, the surface of the Greenland ice sheet is melting, and all that meltwater ends up in seasonal rivers that flow to the sea. At least that is what scientists have assumed until now. A new study has shown that some of the meltwater is actually being soaked into porous subsurface ice and…

  • Fueled by Melting Glaciers, Algae Bloom Off Greenland

    Fueled by Melting Glaciers, Algae Bloom Off Greenland

    Iron particles catching a ride on glacial meltwater washed out to sea are likely fueling a recently discovered summer algal bloom off the southern coast of Greenland, according to a new study. Microalgae, also known as phytoplankton, are plant-like marine microorganisms that form the base of the food web in many parts of the ocean.…

  • Could Climate Change Shut Down the Gulf Stream?

    Could Climate Change Shut Down the Gulf Stream?

    In the 2004 disaster movie “The Day After Tomorrow,”, global warming accelerated the melting of polar ice, disrupting circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean and triggering violent changes in the weather. Could climate change shut down the Gulf Stream?