CEO Sam Altman conducted a basic-income study which provided low-income participants with $1,000 per month for 3 years. This study was conducted with residents from Texas and Illinois living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. It was found that participants increased their spending by an average of $310 a month, …
Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto churches are experiencing a significant decline in attendance, leading to reduced revenues. Without sufficient funding, many of these institutions are being demolished, repurposed, or readapted. To avoid major construction and development, some churches are repurposed for different uses that change the space's functions while …
Pedestrianized streets are an emerging trend in Canadian cities, transforming public spaces and urban life. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many local business owners resisted car-free street initiatives, citing that the lack of parking and routes would deter the usual customers who typically arrived in cars. The pandemic has prompted cities …
A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, led by researchers at McGill University, analyzed the levels of air pollution in large neighbourhoods for a 15-year period starting in 2001. They found a “very consistent” link between ultrafine air particles (emitted from burning organic materials, …
Cities are searching for more innovative and sustainable ways to accommodate growth and respond to larger issues as urban populations continue to grow. Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are being employed to analyze and monitor urban systems in real-time and …
Vox explores how Pakistan’s rivers, particularly the Indus River, have been engineered beyond their natural limits, leading to significant environmental challenges. Before British colonization, agro-pastoralists living near the Indus River relied on traditional irrigation systems that worked in harmony with the river’s natural flow to cultivate crops and raise livestock. …
Natural habitats and biodiversity are decreasing in cities. Urban planners and designers play a role in increasing opportunities for the public to interact with nature, thereby improving urban mental health. Scientific research indicates that exposure to nature and biodiversity benefits mental well-being. Both large green corridors and small patches of …
This article provides 12 urban projects that exemplify public spaces designed to promote resilience to and mitigate the effects of climate change’s elevated temperatures. These spaces include natural materials, water elements, vegetated surfaces, and ample of shaded areas to improve cities’ quality of life. The United Nations predicts that without …
Salk Institute scientists conducted an experiment that suggests DNA in a mouse’s adult brain can be altered depending on the type of maternal care it experienced in its early life. The scientists first observed the natural differences in maternal care between female mice and their offspring, then examined the DNA …
Starting February 1, 2024, the provincial government of Alberta will begin negotiations with major water license holders for the Red Deer River, Bow River and Old Man River basins amid concerns over water shortages for the first time since 2001. This will be the largest water-sharing negotiation Alberta has ever …