Latest News from State of the Planet
Faculty Spotlight: Why Trees Will Always Have Something to Teach Us
Lamont research professor Brendan Buckley helps his students learn to listen to the trees.
A New 66 Million-Year History of Carbon Dioxide Offers Little Comfort for Today
Scientists have produced a new curve of how atmospheric carbon dioxide affects climate. It makes clear that its effects can be long lasting.
Paving the Way for Backpack Climate Science: North Cascades Glacier Climate Project Turns 40
Forty years after Mauri Pelto began studying the glaciers in northern Washington, much has changed about the glaciers, the project and the people involved.
In the Media
Ancient climate analysis suggests CO2 causes more warming than thought
Analysis of ancient carbon dioxide levels paints troubling picture of Earth’s future climate
Mud libraries hold the story of the Earth’s climate past — and foretell its future
Climate Change Is Only Part of the Problem. Don’t Forget Where (And the Way) We Live
For the Media
Media Contacts
Press Resources
Guides and information to help the media connect with our scientists and experts.
Press Releases
Top stories from State of the Planet.
A New 66 Million-Year History of Carbon Dioxide Offers Little Comfort for Today
Scientists have produced a new curve of how atmospheric carbon dioxide affects climate. It makes clear that its effects can be long lasting.
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.
World Temperatures Will Blow Past Paris Goals This Decade, Asserts New Study
James Hansen warned the world in the 1980s that global warming was coming. Now, he is warning that it is barreling down even faster than expected.
Media Advisories
Upcoming events, research expeditions, and other items of interest.
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.
Upcoming Scientific Fieldwork, 2023 and Beyond
Climate School researchers are carrying out fieldwork on every continent and every ocean. A guide to upcoming projects.
American Geophysical Union 2022: Key Research From the Columbia Climate School
A guide to some of the most provocative and groundbreaking talks at the world’s largest gathering of earth and space scientists.
Communicating Science

There are many resources to help scientists and scholars better connect with the press, public, policymakers, and each other. Here are some handy links, including handbooks, toolkits, insights on the relationships between science and the media, and fellowships for scientists who want to hone their communication skills.
More Resources
Guides & Toolkits
- SciComm Toolkits, American Geophysical Union
- A Scientist’s Guide to Working with the Media, American Geophysical Union
- Giving a Science Presentation to Non-Science Audiences, American Geophysical Union
- Communication Toolkit, American Association for Advancement of Science
- Social Media Workshop for Scientists: Extending Your Digital Footprint with Sree Sreenivasan, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science (Slides)
- A Research Communications Toolbox, Boise State University
- Op-ed Writing: Tips and Tricks, The OpEd Project
- Science Editing Handbook, Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT
- Media Training A to Z, TJ Walker
Videos
- Scientists Ordering Breakfast, NPR
- Life After Death by Powerpoint, Don McMillan
- Undergrads Unwittingly Subjected to World’s Worst Research Talk, NanoNerds
- Masters of Storytelling, TED Talks
- Randy Olson, TEDMED Storytelling
- Gavin Schmidt: The Emergent Patterns of Climate Change, TED
Books
- A Scientist's Guide to Talking with the Media, Union of Concerned Scientists
- (Desk Reference)
- If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?, Alan Alda
- Don't Be Such a Scientist, Randy Olson
- Am I Making Myself Clear?: A Scientist's Guide to Talking to the Public, Cornelia Dean
- Explaining Research: How to Reach Key Audiences to Advance Your Work, Dennis Meredith
Articles
- Inside EurekAlert, the News Hub That Shapes the Science You Read, Wired
- Attention, All Scientists: Do Improv, With Alan Alda’s Help, New York Times
- Science Communication Requires Time, Trust, and Twitter, Science
- The Science and Art of Science Writing, New York Times
- Stop Complaining about Your PR Firm. Here’s How the Media Works
- Public Science 2.0—Back to the Future, Science
- Capably Communicating Science, Science
- Outreach: Field Hospitality, Nature
- Why Scientists and Journalists Don't Always Play Well Together, Forbes
- This Is a News Website Article About a Scientific Paper, The Guardian
- Climate Experts Tussle Over Details. Public Gets Whiplash, The New York Times
Fellowships
- Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program, American Geophysical Union
- AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship, American Association for Advancement of Science
- Energy Journalism Fellows, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University