Research News

Photo of Lab
Did You Know Vacuums Aren’t Actually Empty? A Columbia Physics Grad Student Explains

September 22, 2026

According to Lucia Rondini, they are ‘fizzy’ with quantum objects, popping in and out of existence all the time.

Photo of Goran
A Career Spent Collecting Earth’s Seismic Clues

September 09, 2026

Professor Göran Ekström tracks incidents like landslides and glacier collapse using tools once used only to monitor earthquakes.

Photo Collage of Birds, Plants and Insects
Columbia to Lead $20 Million National Research Center on Organismal Resilience

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Synthesis Center for Organismal Resilience will leverage real-world data and innovative AI techniques to improve understanding of how plants and animals build resilience in dynamic environments.

Photo
Columbia Wins National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center for the Third Consecutive Time

July 30, 2026

Building on discoveries from its prior iteration, the center will shift its focus to developing advanced electronic materials for semiconductors, quantum devices, and more. 

Photo
Tropical Trees Show Unexpected Capacity to Adapt to Drought

July 30, 2026

Most tropical tree species can adjust water-use strategies across rainfall conditions, offering hope in a warmer, drier world.

Photo
Tropical Trees Show Unexpected Capacity to Adapt to Drought

July 30, 2026

Most tropical tree species can adjust water-use strategies across rainfall conditions, offering hope in a warmer, drier world.