World

The unprecedented decline in Arctic sea ice could cause the catastrophic release of methane, imperiling the world's climate and economy, reports a new paper published in the journal Nature.

July 25, 2013 - The Guardian

London-based Transport for All bemoans the inaccessibility of our urban environs for older residents. In this article, they ask designer Neil Chambers how he would design a city to 'facilitate an active and flexible lifestyle for the elderly.'

July 25, 2013 - Bettery Magazine

For the past half-century, the automobile has played a profound role in shaping the form of our cities and suburbs. A new book examines the effects cycle-centric planning will have on the built environment.

July 22, 2013 - The Guardian

Extreme temperatures aren’t just a public health concern: they also affect how we get around.

July 22, 2013 - Better Institutions

Throughout history, cities that built the tallest towers were the newbs and rubes of urbanization, proclaims land use attorney Bill Adams in this light hearted put-down of the architectural race for rarified air.

July 21, 2013 - UrbDeZine.com

As the Occupy Movement, Gezi Park protests, and everyday urban reclamation projects demonstrate, power and politics are embedded in place. As public spaces disappear, reclaiming the commons becomes increasingly important, say Leo Hollis.

July 20, 2013 - Aeon

Vexed in your attempts to capture the true character of a place through photographs? Richard I'Anson shares the secrets to taking great city snapshots.

July 19, 2013 - The Guardian

Civic Entrepreneurs, or 'Visionistas', are the dedicated, creative, and perhaps a little crazy, citizens who dream up big ideas for transforming a city, or their piece of it. Otis White suggests how we can encourage such dreamers to become doers.

July 18, 2013 - Governing

The CIA, in partnership with other U.S. government agencies, is funding a $630,000 scientific study into the plausibility and potential effects of climate engineering to reduce global warming. Let the conspiracy theories begin.

July 18, 2013 - Grist

As the planet slowly emerges from the global recession, skyscraper construction is surging once again. One area seeking skyline augmentation is a continent that has heretofore shied away from the height race: Africa.

July 17, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Art, architecture, and incarceration collide in essays on prison design from the Panopticon to the Golden Gulag.

July 16, 2013 - Places Journal

A new study published in the journal Environmental Pollution makes the first conclusive case for the ability of urban foliage to reduce fine particle pollution, reducing breathing problems and saving lives in the process.

July 15, 2013 - The Baltimore Sun

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's progressive transportation advocacy isn't limited to the five boroughs. From bike lanes in Turkey to auto-rickshaws in India, his philanthropy is funding transportation and road safety projects worldwide.

July 15, 2013 - The New York Times

Leave it up to the fine folks at Copenhagenize, the cycling crusaders, to produce a fake commercial based on the real dangers of car driving, rather than the fantasy sold by car companies in their advertisements.

July 12, 2013 - Copenhagenize

Rick Poynor composes a photo essay that documents compelling street art found along his recent travels in Portugal and Spain. For Poyner, its not the wall-filling murals that interest him, but rather 'collectively composed street marking'.

July 12, 2013 - Observatory

The creator of the TED conference has teamed up with Esri to develop an innovative interactive exhibit and online mapping tool to compare 16 global cities along 16 data points, including: population density, open space, and traffic.

July 12, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Analysts have noted a change in the president on climate change in his second term. Call it a "message shift". Rather than addressing it in terms of the need for clean energy and renewables, he now speaks directly to the perils of climate change.

July 11, 2013 - The Hill

'Forget clipboards and cameras," says Heidi Moore. She spotlights six new apps (and five 'tried-and-tested' ones) that can solve your measuring, note-taking, and networking needs on your phone.

July 11, 2013 - Architect

Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.) have introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would create America's first extraterrestrial national park - the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historic park.

July 10, 2013 - CNN

Sure, we were pulled in by the article's provocative title, but we'd have to agree that under the arched canopy of Tipuana trees along Porto Alegre's Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho can be found one of the most wondrous and unique urban streets in the world.

July 10, 2013 - Inhabitat