natural hazards
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A Slow-Motion Section of the San Andreas Fault May Not Be So Harmless After All
The central section of the great fault spanning California, thought to be creeping along harmlessly at the moment, has experienced big quakes in the past, says a new study.
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Double Trouble: The Importance of Thinking About Compound Risk
Compound risk — when multiple risks occur simultaneously, or one after another — was the topic of a recent discussion as part of the Resilience Media Project, a part of the Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at the Earth Institute.
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How Juneau, Alaska Responds to Yearly Glacier Floods
Glacial flooding is never predictable, but Juneau’s response has become reliably routine, thanks to scientific research and partnerships with government.
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New Images From Under Alaska Seafloor Suggest High Tsunami Danger
Scientists probing under the seafloor off Alaska have mapped a geologic structure that they say signals potential for a major tsunami in an area that normally would be considered benign.
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Lamont to Develop New Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System
A new pilot program led by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory aims to provide earlier and more accurate warnings of damaging ground-shaking from earthquakes and the imminent arrival of tsunamis.
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The Coming Great Quakes in India and Bangladesh?
A new film takes viewers from the eastern highlands of India to the booming lowland metropolis of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh–and explores an ever-more detailed picture of catastrophic earthquake threat that scientists are discovering under the region.
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Walking in the Shadow of a Great Volcano
On a ledge just inside the lip of Chile’s Quizapu volcanic crater, Philipp Ruprecht was furiously digging a trench. Here at an elevation of 10,000 feet, a 1,000-foot plunge loomed just yards away, and wind was whipping dust off his shovel. But the volcanologist was excited. Ruprecht had just found this spot, topped with undisturbed…
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Photo Essay: In the Shadow of a Great Volcano
High in the southern Andes, Chile’s Quizapu crater is one of South America’s most fearsome geologic features. In 1846, it was the source of one the continent’s largest historically recorded lava flows. In 1932, it produced one of the largest recorded volcanic blasts. The volcano is currently inactive, but could revive at any time. What…
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Crowd-Sourcing Tornado Data, and Other Climate Talks
From crowd-sourcing tornado data to teaching Harlem high-school students about climate change and climate justice, IRI scientists will share a number of fascinating projects at the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society
COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aims to advance dialogue, strengthen consensus, and accelerate climate action on a global scale. From November 9–20, 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, heads of state, ministers, scientists, business leaders, and civil society will gather to advance efforts in emission targets, climate finance, and adaptation and resilience. Once again, our experts, students, and global thought leaders from Columbia Climate School and across Columbia University are contributing to key events, sharing insights, and helping shape the dialogue toward ambitious, science-based solutions. Learn More
