State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

subduction

  • Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Tightly packed sediments help the Cascadia Subduction Zone generate large earthquakes, and could boost its ability to trigger a large tsunami.

  • Some Islands Started in Diamond-Bearing Regions Under Continents, Geochemists Say

    Journeys Spanning Thousands of Miles, Billions of Years

  • The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    In the islands off Papua New Guinea, the rocks are giving rise to new ideas about the ways mountain chains form. A new scientific model shows how two seemingly opposite processes can take place in the same region.

  • The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    An ancient grain of zircon found In Jack Hill sandstone north of Perth, Inside its crystal lattice bound: Secrets of our planet’s birth.

  • Terry Plank: Volcano Maven

    Terry Plank: Volcano Maven

    “It just looked like black rock, but every once in awhile a boulder at the end would fall off and you’d see it was completely red inside. And it made all these cool sounds and you’d feel these little earthquakes… It was totally cool. How could you not like that?”

Collage of Turkiye beach scene and Columbia University Campus with text: UN Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya, Turkiye, Nov 9-20, 2026

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

  • Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Ocean Sediments Off Pacific Coast May Feed Tsunami Danger

    Tightly packed sediments help the Cascadia Subduction Zone generate large earthquakes, and could boost its ability to trigger a large tsunami.

  • Some Islands Started in Diamond-Bearing Regions Under Continents, Geochemists Say

    Journeys Spanning Thousands of Miles, Billions of Years

  • The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    The Downs and Ups of Mountain Building

    In the islands off Papua New Guinea, the rocks are giving rise to new ideas about the ways mountain chains form. A new scientific model shows how two seemingly opposite processes can take place in the same region.

  • The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    The Dawn of Plate Tectonics

    An ancient grain of zircon found In Jack Hill sandstone north of Perth, Inside its crystal lattice bound: Secrets of our planet’s birth.

  • Terry Plank: Volcano Maven

    Terry Plank: Volcano Maven

    “It just looked like black rock, but every once in awhile a boulder at the end would fall off and you’d see it was completely red inside. And it made all these cool sounds and you’d feel these little earthquakes… It was totally cool. How could you not like that?”