Parking rules in Dallas have been stuck in the past for over 50 years. That all changed when the Dallas City Council voted to update these outdated parking codes. This move is a big step forward for small businesses, housing, and neighborhoods. The old rules were a nightmare for small businesses. Take, for example, a hotel owner who wanted to build a small hotel, re...
On October 29, 2024, the city of Valencia, Spain, faced a massive flood. This event, known as the DANA floods, left a deep mark. The floods caused 223 deaths and forced 15, 000 people to leave their homes. The damage was not just about people. The environment and the economy also took a big hit. The financial loss was staggering, over 50 billion euros. The floods sho...
Urban trees are powerful allies in the fight against city heat. Their cooling effects are influenced by many factors, some of which are not directly related to climate. A recent study dug deep into this topic. It looked at 229 cities spread across four different climate zones. The goal was to figure out how well trees cool these cities and what makes them more or les...
College students today face a rising tide of loneliness. It might seem like a personal issue, but city design plays a big role. Think about the streets, the mix of buildings, and the services around campus. These elements shape how students feel and interact. Let's dive into how city planning can either boost or bust student well-being. The way streets are laid out ...
In Switzerland, a long-term study has shown that neighborhoods filled with well-planned trees have lower death rates. This isn't just about making cities look nice. Trees do a lot for people's health. They clean the air, provide shade, and make it more enjoyable to be outside. This is especially important as cities get hotter due to climate change. Governments are s...
The places where people live can have a big impact on their brain health. Recent research shows that the environment around you can change your chances of developing dementia. This study looked at lots of different research to figure out how things like air pollution and access to parks affect the brain. The study found that living near busy roads can make it about ...
In the heart of London, where new skyscrapers are constantly rising, a surprising discovery has been made. While preparing to build a new 32-story office tower, archaeologists found remnants of a Roman basilica that dates back nearly 2, 000 years. This basilica was part of the forum, the central hub of Roman London, where people gathered for shopping, socializing, an...
You might think that coasts are always buzzing with activity, but how do we really know? Well, one way scientists have been checking is by looking at how brightly lit these areas are at night. Over the past decade, from 2014 to 2023, researchers took a close look at the nighttime lights (NTL) along Italy's coasts to understand how much and how intensely human activit...
Have you ever noticed how the sounds around you can change how you feel? Like how birds chirping makes a park feel peaceful, but traffic noise can make it feel busy and maybe even uncomfortable? Scientists call this 'soundscape appropriateness', or SA for short. It's like how well the sounds around you fit with what you're seeing and doing. A team of researchers in ...
Have you ever wondered if everyone in your city has the same access to important services like public transport, restaurants, and entertainment? This study dives into that question by focusing on Wuhan, China. The researchers wanted to see if people living in different areas have equal access to these services. To figure this out, they created a new model that consi...