State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

soils

  • Where Soil Meets Data: Yushu Xia’s Mission To Support a Healthier Planet

    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.

  • Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

    Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

    To feed our burgeoning global population, the world has to at least double crop yields by 2050, by improving seeds of high yielding crops and cultivating healthy fertile soils. A new on-the-spot soil testing kit will help meet this challenge.

  • Mapping Hot Spots of Lead to Protect Children

    Mapping Hot Spots of Lead to Protect Children

    A new study in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization shows how hot spots of lead contamination in soil can be pinpointed in order to safeguard children against drastic health effects. Researchers led by geochemist Alexander van Geen of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, studied soil around two Peruvian mining towns, and found high lead concentrations…

  • Why Soil Matters

    Why Soil Matters

    Soil is the source of all life. Yet “we know more about soils of Mars than about soils of Africa,” says Pedro Sanchez, director of the Earth Institute’s Tropical Agriculture and the Rural Environment Program. To remedy this situation, the Earth Institute is taking part in an ambitious undertaking to map the world’s soils.

Blue banner with kids and Earth photos. Text: "Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House, Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10am-4pm.

On Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 10am to 4pm, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House—our biggest, best science fun and discovery event of the year—will take place on our beautiful campus in Palisades, NY. Mark your calendar and join us for this free, family-friendly celebration of science! RSVP Today!

  • Where Soil Meets Data: Yushu Xia’s Mission To Support a Healthier Planet

    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.

  • Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

    Revitalizing Africa’s Soils

    To feed our burgeoning global population, the world has to at least double crop yields by 2050, by improving seeds of high yielding crops and cultivating healthy fertile soils. A new on-the-spot soil testing kit will help meet this challenge.

  • Mapping Hot Spots of Lead to Protect Children

    Mapping Hot Spots of Lead to Protect Children

    A new study in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization shows how hot spots of lead contamination in soil can be pinpointed in order to safeguard children against drastic health effects. Researchers led by geochemist Alexander van Geen of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, studied soil around two Peruvian mining towns, and found high lead concentrations…

  • Why Soil Matters

    Why Soil Matters

    Soil is the source of all life. Yet “we know more about soils of Mars than about soils of Africa,” says Pedro Sanchez, director of the Earth Institute’s Tropical Agriculture and the Rural Environment Program. To remedy this situation, the Earth Institute is taking part in an ambitious undertaking to map the world’s soils.