LDEO December 2023 Newsletter: Earth Science News
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Ever Curious
Sunrise aboard the R/V Marcus Langseth during the summer 2022 Mexico Experiment in Guerrero to Understand the Shallow Transients near Acapulco (¡ME GUSTA!). Guerrero Seismic Gap has not experienced any large earthquakes in the last 110+ years in an area that regularly produces major earthquakes. Our scientists are studying it to understand why. Credit: Brandon Shuck
Learning How Trees Can Help Unlock Secrets of Our Climate Future
A new cataloging system will help better preserve, track and share thousands of tree ring samples from around the globe.
In Massive Project, Scientists to Probe Deposits Beneath West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Drilling into sub-ice deposits left behind during times when the Earth was warmer than today should provide insights into how a massive ice sheet will react to human-induced climate change.
She's on a Mission to Plumb the Secrets of New York's Disappearing Wetlands
Botanist and climate scientist Dorothy Peteet has been in the business digging deep into bogs, marshes and fens for more than 40 years, revealing natural and human histories going back thousands of years, and their role in changing climate. A final frontier: the obscure remains of New York City’s once widespread coastal wetlands.
Will Events Like Hurricane Otis Become More Common?
Rapidly intensifying hurricanes are hard to predict. Research suggests that climate change may be making them more frequent.
In Many Major Crop Regions, Workers Plant and Harvest in Spiraling Heat and Humidity
The ability of farmworkers to cultivate major crops including rice and maize may be compromised if climate trends continue.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment: Change Is Here, but There Is Hope
The Fifth National Climate Assessment was recently released. The message: change is here, but immediate action can avert the worst impacts.
American Geophysical Union 2023: Key Research From the Columbia Climate School
A guide to notable research to be presented at the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists.
COP28: Delegates From the Climate School Share Their Plans and Hopes
Columbia Climate School representatives will be attending the global climate summit in Dubai. Here’s what they hope to achieve.
Events
AGU23, the world's largest gathering of Earth and space scientists, takes place in San Francisco and online across the globe December 11-15, 2023. Our Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists and other Columbia Climate School experts will be there to present their research. Check out our guide American Geophysical Union 2023: Key Research From the Columbia Climate School.
Lamont and DEES alumni, friends, students, and staff, join us for a reception on December 12. Register here.
Be sure to stop by our booth, #1350, in the Exhibit Hall, too.
COP28 UAE brings the world together at a critical moment for global transformative climate action. Heads of state, business and academic leaders, and members of civil society are gathering in Dubai from November 30 to December 12 to tackle climate change, limit emissions, and halt global warming to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Once again, we are hosting and participating in events in both Dubai and New York, and sharing stories that include a variety of perspectives from our global thought leaders, students, and experts. Learn More
Hudson River Field Station
Microplastic Pollution in the Hudson Estuary
Recent understanding of how plastics break down has uncovered a troubling reality of the prevalence of microplastics all around us. Microplastics result from the breakdown of plastic debris/products and can have harmful impacts on human and ecosystem health. They are prevalent in both terrestrial and aquatic environments where they are easily mistaken as food and make their way into and up the food chain. We are still working on understanding the prevalence and impacts of microplastics in the Hudson Estuary. Our Next Generation of Hudson River Educators interns are seeking to increase our understanding of microplastics in the Hudson and have continued to sample into the school year. To assist in gaining a comprehensive understanding of microplastics in our area of the Hudson, they have targeted and identified 3 sampling areas of interest along Piermont Pier. We are excited to continue this ongoing study and look forward to sharing our findings!
Climate LIVE K12 Is Back: RSVP for Winter 2023 and Spring 2024 Sessions
In the Climate LIVE video series, experts from across the Columbia Climate School discuss topics in climate and sustainability for grade school and university students, educators, parents and the public.
Education
Climate LIVE K12 features live lectures and interactive activities with our scientists and experts for K-12 students, educators, families, and the public! FREE but registration required.
Up Next:
On December 13 4-4:30pm ET, join us for Building Towards Climate Justice and Resilience in Colombia, ideal for students grades 9-12, undergraduates, educators, the public. In this session, Columbia Climate School expert Johanna Lovecchio explores the relationships among urban planning, design, policy, and climate resilience in Colombia, and the ideas and practices that could advance climate justice. RSVP today!
Learn more about all upcoming events in the series.
Pre-College workshops are for high school students (Grades 9-12, and rising 9th graders) who want to sharpen their knowledge and skills in climate change and sustainability, advancing their learning outside of school, and preparing them for the college experience.
The Spring 2024 Pre-College Virtual Workshop, Climate Connections: Why We Should ALL Care About the Polar Regions, focuses on understanding the polar regions and their importance in driving and maintaining natural processes on Earth. Students will dive into understanding the changes that are occurring, the research in these regions, and how to become a Polar Climate Ambassador, trained to step up to educate and advocate for change to mitigate climate change impacts. Register Today!
December 1st is Antarctica Day, a date when we celebrate the signing of the Antarctic Treaty by 12 nations on this day in 1959, setting aside Antarctica for peace and science. This event was spearheaded by a group of scientists who had been part of the 1957-1959 International Geophysical Year, and saw the value of peaceful collaboration to both further our understanding of the vast polar regions, and to protect this pristine region from being divided up by nations seeking resources and expansion. Today there are 56 nations that are Parties to the Treaty. To celebrate the event, the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a large project involving several Lamont scientists, organized a group of conversations with the scientists and our Polar Climate Ambassadors. You can find those short talks centered around student questions here!
Lamont in the Media (Selected Stories)
Electric Vehicle Push Returns North Carolina to Its Lithium Mining Roots
New York Times
Most Dinosaurs Were Killed by Climate Change, Not a Meteorite, New Study Suggests
Salon
Mud Libraries Hold the Story of the Earth’s Climate Past — and Foretell Its Future
Vox
Scientists Discover Healthy Deep-Sea Coral Reef and New Seamounts in the Galápagos
Schmidt Ocean Institute
New York's Metro-North Is an Economic Mudslide Waiting to Happen
Bloomberg
Living in a Neighborhood That Floods, Rain or Shine
New York Times
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Scientists - Show #60
Tough Times with Lou Young
Airlines Race Toward a Future of Powering Their Jets With Corn
New York Times
