LDEO April 2023 Newsletter: Earth Science News
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Our World Near and Far
Wood anatomy detail in Alnus sp. pith. Sample collected at Twelve Summit, Alaska (2011). Anatomical microsection prepared at LDEO Tree Ring Lab by dendroanatomist Arturo Pacheco-Solana.
Sea Level Rise: A Crash Course for All
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory presents a public lecture on the driving forces and dynamics reshaping global coastlines.
1,000-Plus Years of Tree Rings Confirm Historic Extremity of 2021 Western North America Heat Wave
Scientists quickly pronounced the summer 2021 heat wave that hit western North America to be unprecedented, but they had no long-term physical proof. Now they do.
Exploring the Sundarbans and Back to Dhaka
Our group of 24 Americans and Bangladeshis continued to explore the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, the world’s largest, rice farming in embanked low-lying islands, and heritage sites of Bangladesh.
Across the Ganges to Southwest Bangladesh and the Sundarbans
Our group of 23 American and Bangladeshi students and professors traveled from the Jamuna River to the Ganges and Gorai Rivers and then down to an embanked island on the edge of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest.
Cutting Confederate Ties, the U.S. Navy Names Ships for a Pioneering Female Oceanographer and a Daring Enslaved Pilot
Marie Tharp was a marine scientist in a man’s world. Robert Smalls was a skilled sailor, but held as a slave. Both are now being honored by the U.S. Navy.
Taking My Class to Bangladesh
I am here in Bangladesh with the 10 students and TA in my undergraduate Sustainable Development course for a Spring Break trip to see what they have been learning about. We are accompanied by 2 Dhaka University professors, 8 Bangladeshi students, and Carol Wilson from LSU. We will be touring the country by bus and boat to learn about the environment and people of Bangladesh.
Without Changes, Global Food Systems May Drive World Beyond Climate Targets, Says Study
Production of meat, dairy and rice are the leading sources of food-related emissions. Improved management practices and changes in diet could go a long way to addressing the issues.
Earth Month
The first Earth Day ignited a movement to stop polluting our planet. Today, we are called to #InvestInOurPlanet by responding to the global climate crisis. This Earth Day, join us in our commitment to realizing a just and sustainable future. Visit our Earth Day website for ideas, including celebrating our planet’s wonders by sharing your #ColumbiaBeautifulPlanet photos on social media throughout the month of April.
The Vetlesen Prize
On April 26, we are proud to host the Vetlesen Prize Lectures:
Present-day Sea Level Rise: The Role of Space Observations with 2020 Laureate Anny Cazenave
Living with Pressure: Adventures with Olivine and Beyond with 2023 Laureate David L. Kohlstedt
Events
Lamont-Doherty’s next in-person Public Lecture will take place on May 9, At the Speed of Volcanic Eruptions featuring Terry Plank, volcanologist and Arthur D. Storke Memorial Professor in our Geochemistry Division. Register here.
View the recording of Lamont-Doherty's March public lecture, How Much Will Sea Level Rise? Diving into the Past to Predict Future Change, presented by Jacky Austermann, Assistant Professor in our Seismology, Geology, and Tectonophysics Division.
View the recording of our March Earth Series lecture, Financing the Future: Investors and the Climate Crisis, with Tamer Center for Social Enterprise co-director Bruce Usher and School of International & Public Affairs professor Caroline Flammer, moderated by Columbia Climate School founding dean Alex Halliday.
All lectures take place at 4:00 pm at Faculty House, 64 Morningside Drive, New York, NY. A reception follows at 5:00 pm.
April 18, 2023: Food Systems Transformation-Why We Are All Responsible with Ertharin Cousin, Founder and CEO, Food Systems for the Future and former US Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture. Register.
View the recording of the March lecture: Unleashing The Green Giant: Africa's Potential for Transformation Through Climate Action with James Irungu Mwangi, Founder, Climate Action Platform for Africa and Executive Director, the Dalberg Group.
Hudson River Field Station
Henry Gourdine, once an Ossining-based commercial fisherman on the Hudson, photographed while mending his nets. Fishers are long-time stewards of the waterway. Credit: Martha Cooper c/o Arts Westchester
Coming Soon to the Hudson River Field Station: Our River, Ourselves: Who Protects the River?
In June 2023, our Hudson River Stewards Wall, Our River, Ourselves: Who Protects the River?, will be unveiled to the public. Located within the Hudson River Field Station, this piece designed and curated by Emily Marcet of Wolf Tree Design will highlight the Hudson River and the individuals who work tirelessly to protect and preserve it. The Stewards Wall seeks to bring awareness and honor the scientists who study and research the Hudson, the advocates who fight to defend and protect it, the educators who teach and share knowledge with the public, and the communities and cultures that are intertwined with the river. The preservation, protection, and restoration of the Hudson River requires a unified effort. We hope this installation will inspire everyone to play a role in protecting the beautiful and biodiverse Hudson River. Stop by the field station this summer to check it out!
Education
Explore Summer 2023 Pre-College Programs at the Climate School
Columbia Climate Corps climate- and sustainability-focused traveling programs combine intentional travel with in-depth educational opportunities. Students gain critical skills and knowledge through excursions and place-based learning, discover and develop new and existing passions around climate change, and build lasting friendships.
Join us on an exciting summer program to Chile & Argentina to learn about climate impacts and risk from July 22 to August 11, 2023! Home to vast mineral deposits, towering mountain ranges, and dramatic desert landscapes, Chile and Argentina have come to play an important role in powering the renewable energy transition while already encountering impacts of climate change. During this three-week journey, learn about the impacts of climate on the mining industry, diminishing water resources, and climate risks in local communities as you travel from Santiago to the Atacama Desert.
Take Action! Become one of Lamont’s High School Polar Ambassadors Today!
Are you or do you know a high school student who is passionate about climate change? If so, the Polar Ambassadors Program is a perfect fit! The Polar Ambassador Program focuses on engaging high school students in conversations about climate change and polar science, and how connected the poles are to their own communities. We are working broadly with high school students reaching across diverse communities and backgrounds to enhance their knowledge of polar science, climate science, and systems science. Applying their newfound knowledge, students will help develop activities and strategies to spread awareness with their communities and peers. Through gathering remotely and in person (where possible), we will learn and share together, developing new and impactful communications, and planning opportunities to engage with the public. Fill out a quick form to get involved!
Lamont in the Media (Selected Stories)
1,000 Years of Tree Rings Show Just How Hardcore the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Wave Was
Gizmodo
Why Hurricanes Don't Cross the Equator
Newsweek
UN Report Urges All-Out Climate Push – Now
Christian Science Monitor
What to Know as a Giant Mat of Seaweed Is Coming to Shore
PBS Newshour
How El Niño May Test the Limits of Our Climate Knowledge
Time
Earth's Inner Core May Be More Complex Than Researchers Though
Science News
Extreme Weather Events Are Becoming More Severe, Not Less
AP News
Extreme Floods and Droughts Worsening with Climate Change, Study Finds
CBS News
Stripping Confederate Ties, the U.SNavy Renames Two Vessels
New York Times
Greenland Temperatures Surge up to 50 Degrees Above Normal, Setting Records
Washington Post
The Food System Is Awful for the Climate. It Doesn’t Have to Be
Wired
