State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Turkana Rift

  • In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    Researchers have found that Earth’s underlying crust in the Turkana Rift region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa’s eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on Turkana’s fossil record of human evolution.

Columbia Climate School Giving Day on October 28, 2026, featuring students and renewable energy imagery

October 28, 2026 is Columbia Giving Day! Your gift to Columbia Climate School helps advance interdisciplinary research, educate the next generation of leaders, and transform bold ideas into real-world solutions for climate, Earth, and society.

  • In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    In Eastern Africa, the Cradle of Humankind Is Tearing Apart

    Researchers have found that Earth’s underlying crust in the Turkana Rift region has been significantly thinned, presaging Africa’s eventual breakup—and with that finding, the researchers offer a new perspective on Turkana’s fossil record of human evolution.