soil
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Where Soil Meets Data: Yushu Xia’s Mission To Support a Healthier Planet
Xia discusses her research projects, mentorship goals, and the importance of staying ahead in a changing scientific landscape.
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What Does It Mean for Soil To Be Healthy?
Yushu Xia’s research bridges field-based science and advanced modeling to inform more resilient land management strategies that benefit farmers, ranchers, communities and the planet.
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Lamont Alumna Receives Prestigious Prize
Susan Trumbore, who earned her Ph.D. at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is among the recipients of the 2020 Balzan Prize, one of the most prestigious international awards in natural science and humanities.
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Scientists See Fingerprint of Warming Climate on Droughts Going Back to 1900
In an unusual new study, scientists say they have detected a growing fingerprint of human-driven global warming on global drought conditions starting as far back as 1900.
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Can Soil Help Combat Climate Change?
Soil naturally absorbs a huge amount of carbon. Some scientists think we can use it to our advantage in the fight against global warming.
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High Levels of Lead Contaminate Many Backyards in Brooklyn Neighborhood
An ongoing study finds that 92 percent of private yards in Greenpoint may have unsafe levels of lead in their soil.
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Emerging Use Cases for Digital Soil Nutrient Maps of Ethiopia
By basing efforts to improve soil fertility directly on soil nutrient composition, the Ministry of Ethiopia will be able to identify key problems that are often overlooked, and to customize responses.
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Composting—Turning Garbage into Black Gold
Forty percent of our food is wasted, but through composting, food waste can be turned into black gold—so called because compost, the mixture of decayed organic matter, is valuable as a nutrient-rich soil additive. In the United States, however, less than 3 percent of food waste is composted.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

