Friday Eye Candy: Time-Lapse Shows How Rivers Meander

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." -Heraclitus, as quoted by Plato in Cratylus.

1 minute read

February 6, 2015, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

By United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Engineer Office [Public domain] / Wikimedia Commons

Joseph Stromberg takes inspiration from one of the entries in Time Magazine's Timeleapse project—the satellite images of Ucayali River, which from 1984 to 2012 meandered widely around its corner of Peru.

Stromberg uses the time-lapse as the impetus to explain the physical forces that cause rivers meander. Also there's a point to be made, familiar to cities built along rivers around the world: "We think of rivers as stable features of the landscape: something we can build towns and cities next to, and expect to stay in the same spot permanently. But in reality, they're constantly moving — and as much as we try it's impossible to keep them entirely under control."

FULL STORY: This mesmerizing time lapse shows a river changing course over time

Thursday, February 5, 2015 in Vox

Environment World Friday Eye Candy Rivers Flood Plain Satellite Imagery View More

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

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

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.