State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Tag: human evolution

  • Two Studies Push Upright Ape Origins in Africa Back by 10 Million Years

    Two Studies Push Upright Ape Origins in Africa Back by 10 Million Years

    Analyses of plant remains and other evidence show that the landscapes our ape ancestors evolved in existed much earlier than previously thought.

  • Tracing Our Roots

    Tracing Our Roots

    High school students in a science communication class blog about research from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • The Path to Our Evolution

    The Path to Our Evolution

    High school students in a science communication class blog about research from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • The Way We Were: Climate and Human Evolution

    The Way We Were: Climate and Human Evolution

    In a remote desert region around Kenya’s Lake Turkana, paleoecologist and geochemist Kevin Uno collects fossils and sediments, searching for evidence about past climate, vegetation, animals, and water. His goal: to understand how climate affected our ancestors millions of years ago.

  • Ancient Humans Left Africa to Escape Drying Climate, Says Study

    Ancient Humans Left Africa to Escape Drying Climate, Says Study

    Ancient humans migrated out of Africa to escape a drying climate, says a new study—a finding that contradicts previous suggestions that ancient people were able to leave because a then-wet climate allowed them to cross the generally arid Horn of Africa and Middle East.

  • Paleontologists Are Unzipping Our Genes

    Paleontologists Are Unzipping Our Genes

    Recently, paleontologists have used genomics to delve into the lives of ancient humans. These studies have capitalized on futuristic techniques to reveal the genealogy, travel plans and sex lives of our ancestors.

  • Fossil Teeth, Traces of Climate & Evolution

    Fossil Teeth, Traces of Climate & Evolution

    From fossil teeth to carbon traces of plants in the soil, scientists are studying how changes in climate may have influenced early human evolution in Africa. Researchers from around the world gathered for a symposium held recently at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Watch the videos.

  • Humans Continue to Evolve

    Humans Continue to Evolve

    Modern day human evolution is a contentious topic, but an array of recent studies indicate that our species is still evolving.

Science for the Planet: In these short video explainers, discover how scientists and scholars across the Columbia Climate School are working to understand the effects of climate change and help solve the crisis.
  • Two Studies Push Upright Ape Origins in Africa Back by 10 Million Years

    Two Studies Push Upright Ape Origins in Africa Back by 10 Million Years

    Analyses of plant remains and other evidence show that the landscapes our ape ancestors evolved in existed much earlier than previously thought.

  • Tracing Our Roots

    Tracing Our Roots

    High school students in a science communication class blog about research from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • The Path to Our Evolution

    The Path to Our Evolution

    High school students in a science communication class blog about research from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

  • The Way We Were: Climate and Human Evolution

    The Way We Were: Climate and Human Evolution

    In a remote desert region around Kenya’s Lake Turkana, paleoecologist and geochemist Kevin Uno collects fossils and sediments, searching for evidence about past climate, vegetation, animals, and water. His goal: to understand how climate affected our ancestors millions of years ago.

  • Ancient Humans Left Africa to Escape Drying Climate, Says Study

    Ancient Humans Left Africa to Escape Drying Climate, Says Study

    Ancient humans migrated out of Africa to escape a drying climate, says a new study—a finding that contradicts previous suggestions that ancient people were able to leave because a then-wet climate allowed them to cross the generally arid Horn of Africa and Middle East.

  • Paleontologists Are Unzipping Our Genes

    Paleontologists Are Unzipping Our Genes

    Recently, paleontologists have used genomics to delve into the lives of ancient humans. These studies have capitalized on futuristic techniques to reveal the genealogy, travel plans and sex lives of our ancestors.

  • Fossil Teeth, Traces of Climate & Evolution

    Fossil Teeth, Traces of Climate & Evolution

    From fossil teeth to carbon traces of plants in the soil, scientists are studying how changes in climate may have influenced early human evolution in Africa. Researchers from around the world gathered for a symposium held recently at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Watch the videos.

  • Humans Continue to Evolve

    Humans Continue to Evolve

    Modern day human evolution is a contentious topic, but an array of recent studies indicate that our species is still evolving.