State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

human evolution

  • In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    Researchers have found that Earth’s underlying crust in the Turkana Rift region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa’s eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on Turkana’s fossil record of 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.

  • New Support For Human Evolution In Grasslands

    A 24 Million-Year Record of African Plants Plumbs Deep Past

  • 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.

  • Scientists Discover World’s Oldest Stone Tools

    Finds Challenge Ideas about Who Were the First Toolmakers

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

  • In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    Researchers have found that Earth’s underlying crust in the Turkana Rift region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa’s eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on Turkana’s fossil record of 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.

  • New Support For Human Evolution In Grasslands

    A 24 Million-Year Record of African Plants Plumbs Deep Past

  • 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.

  • Scientists Discover World’s Oldest Stone Tools

    Finds Challenge Ideas about Who Were the First Toolmakers