Nate Berg reports on the new findings published by a team of Harvard researchers looking to uncover the genesis and shape of the world's first cities in "the Cradle of Civilization."
Archaeologist Jason Ur and Computer Scientist Bjoern Menz have just published their findings in this month's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Utilizing satellite imagery and a sophisticated program created to detect the remains of buildings and settlements through radiation, "[t]hey've mapped more than 14,000 settlement sites in a 23,000-square-kilometer region in northeastern Syria, and they suggest that their method can be used to map the entire region," writes Berg.
While UR and Menz found that, in general, those sites located in close proximity to water sources tended to be larger in size and had longer life-spans, they also found that, "not every early civilization made straightforward resource-based decisions about where to settle."
Perhaps it will be unsurprising for planners to learn, based on the last 10 years of intensive research on the origin of cities, that Ur concludes, "there's no one model for the city. There are any number of different approaches."
FULL STORY: Uncovering the World's First Cities
And Then There Was One
Donald Trump ran on an "America First" platform for president. The latest news from the climate talks in Bonn, Germany, though, shows that it is now "America Alone" in terms of nations who haven't adopted the Paris climate agreement.
Ancient Ruins Become Refuges in War-Torn Syria
Its unclear why the "dead cities of Syria" were abandoned by their residents 1500 years ago. But as photographs and a CBS News report attest, these remnants of a prosperous society provide a grim refuge for thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war.
Syrian Uprising Threatens Survival of Treasured Historic Landmarks
Christian Sahner reports on the devastating destruction of historical sites that has befallen Syria since the beginning of the opposition uprising 18 months ago, and urges international communities to take action to protect them from further harm.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
