The Unseen City Icons

This piece from Discover looks at the iconic "invisible" things that define cities -- like Seattle's clouds, Houston's air conditioning, and L.A.'s Botox.

1 minute read

September 7, 2008, 5:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


The article also looks at the invisible famous aspects of Chicago and Philadelphia.

"The winter curse of deep snowfalls in Chicago is due to its location on the shores of Lake Michigan. When winds from the north or northeast bring cold Arctic air over the relatively warm water above the lake, the incoming air is heated and picks up moisture. The air rises and forms clouds filled with snow, which then produce heavy showers downwind of the shore."

"Do you like your Philly cheese steaks with "whiz?" Part of the key to this creamy yellow dip are emulsifiers, which help keep all of the ingredients mixed together instead of separating out. In the case of many salad dressings, mustard is the emulsifier that keeps oil and vinegar in happy union."

Friday, September 5, 2008 in Discover

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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