State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory131

  • Climate Is Changing Fast in West Antarctica

    Climate Is Changing Fast in West Antarctica

    Fast-rising temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula are having an impact on the ice and marine life, and providing clues about future ecosystem changes elsewhere.

  • In One Simple Line of Data You Can Read a Full Story

    In One Simple Line of Data You Can Read a Full Story

    The lines of data are slowly creeping across our Ross Ice Shelf GIS map and with each new line comes an improved understanding of Ross Ice Shelf. What can you learn from a ‘snapshot’ of data? A radar contains a nice story.

  • Peat Fires Choking Southeast Asia Pose a New Threat to Global Climate

    Peat Fires Choking Southeast Asia Pose a New Threat to Global Climate

    The Indonesian peat fires that have been choking cities across Southeast Asia with a yellow haze are creating more than a local menace—burning peat releases immense stores of CO2, contributing to global warming.

  • Ancient Faults & Water Are Sparking Earthquakes Off Alaska

    Ancient Faults & Water Are Sparking Earthquakes Off Alaska

    Ancient faults that formed in the ocean floor millions of years ago are feeding earthquakes today along stretches of the Alaska Peninsula, and likely elsewhere, a new study suggests.

  • Unlocking the Secrets of the Ross Ice Shelf

    Unlocking the Secrets of the Ross Ice Shelf

    The Ross Ice Shelf is much like the Rosetta Stone. The historic stone inscribed in three scripts told the same story but in different tongues, so when matched together scholars could decode an ancient language. The Antarctic Rosetta Project also brings together three different “scripts,” each written by an Earth system; the ice, the ocean…

  • Polar Ice, Penguin Tracks and Phytoplankton

    Polar Ice, Penguin Tracks and Phytoplankton

    Jeff Bowman, a postdoctoral research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is in Antarctica for the field season studying how phytoplankton and bacteria interact. Follow his reports from Palmer Station.

  • In 2015: Hot, Wet and Opinionated

    In 2015: Hot, Wet and Opinionated

    This year is shaping up to be the warmest year on record since 1880, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And, perhaps not so coincidentally, a new poll says more people in the United States are coming around to the view that climate change is happening.

  • Last Sample and Home

    Last Sample and Home

    We finished our work at the river transect. Now we had one more sample to collect. Alamgir had arranged for drillers at this new site, but they were delayed because of a knife fight between two villages over some property.

  • OSL Samples at Last

    OSL Samples at Last

    The success of the tube wells for drilling and obtaining samples was a great boon to our field program. We drilled three additional tube wells to complete a five-well transect across the abandoned river valley. When we date the samples, we will find out if the river switched position suddenly, possibly from an earthquake.

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The first Earth Day in 1970 ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, our scientists and experts are tackling the most pressing challenges to achieve real-world impact. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future for our planet. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, resources, and inspiration.

  • Climate Is Changing Fast in West Antarctica

    Climate Is Changing Fast in West Antarctica

    Fast-rising temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula are having an impact on the ice and marine life, and providing clues about future ecosystem changes elsewhere.

  • In One Simple Line of Data You Can Read a Full Story

    In One Simple Line of Data You Can Read a Full Story

    The lines of data are slowly creeping across our Ross Ice Shelf GIS map and with each new line comes an improved understanding of Ross Ice Shelf. What can you learn from a ‘snapshot’ of data? A radar contains a nice story.

  • Peat Fires Choking Southeast Asia Pose a New Threat to Global Climate

    Peat Fires Choking Southeast Asia Pose a New Threat to Global Climate

    The Indonesian peat fires that have been choking cities across Southeast Asia with a yellow haze are creating more than a local menace—burning peat releases immense stores of CO2, contributing to global warming.

  • Ancient Faults & Water Are Sparking Earthquakes Off Alaska

    Ancient Faults & Water Are Sparking Earthquakes Off Alaska

    Ancient faults that formed in the ocean floor millions of years ago are feeding earthquakes today along stretches of the Alaska Peninsula, and likely elsewhere, a new study suggests.

  • Unlocking the Secrets of the Ross Ice Shelf

    Unlocking the Secrets of the Ross Ice Shelf

    The Ross Ice Shelf is much like the Rosetta Stone. The historic stone inscribed in three scripts told the same story but in different tongues, so when matched together scholars could decode an ancient language. The Antarctic Rosetta Project also brings together three different “scripts,” each written by an Earth system; the ice, the ocean…

  • Polar Ice, Penguin Tracks and Phytoplankton

    Polar Ice, Penguin Tracks and Phytoplankton

    Jeff Bowman, a postdoctoral research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is in Antarctica for the field season studying how phytoplankton and bacteria interact. Follow his reports from Palmer Station.

  • In 2015: Hot, Wet and Opinionated

    In 2015: Hot, Wet and Opinionated

    This year is shaping up to be the warmest year on record since 1880, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And, perhaps not so coincidentally, a new poll says more people in the United States are coming around to the view that climate change is happening.

  • Last Sample and Home

    Last Sample and Home

    We finished our work at the river transect. Now we had one more sample to collect. Alamgir had arranged for drillers at this new site, but they were delayed because of a knife fight between two villages over some property.

  • OSL Samples at Last

    OSL Samples at Last

    The success of the tube wells for drilling and obtaining samples was a great boon to our field program. We drilled three additional tube wells to complete a five-well transect across the abandoned river valley. When we date the samples, we will find out if the river switched position suddenly, possibly from an earthquake.