Technology

A Biofueled Car- That Flies?

The Skycar is a combination parasail, swamp boat and dune buggy. Sponsored by a British knight and arctic adventurer, the design team is planning an expedition from London to Timbuktu in January of 2009.

November 13, 2008 - autobloggreen.com

Estates for All

Wendell Cox looks at how single-family detached housing came to be, and why it's likely to remain a popular option for the middle class.

November 12, 2008 - New Geography

European Bike Sharing Programs Transform Cities

Paris' bike sharing program is well-known, but not alone - these programs are flourishing throughout Europe. The key to their proliferation lies in the new technology they utilize. This article highlights the 'third-generation' Barcelona program.

November 11, 2008 - The New York Times

Freight Rail Flourishes Due To Innovations

In a time of plummeting oil prices, one might think rail would lose business to trucks, but the freight business is more detailed. In this interview with Burlington Northern Santa Fe CEO Mathew Rose, one gains an insight into freight rail's future.

November 11, 2008 - Business Week

Traffic Hackers

Two traffic engineers in Los Angeles hacked into a traffic light control system with the intent to influence upcoming contract negotiations.

November 8, 2008 - Los Angeles Times

'Gold Rush' for Geothermal

Warren Buffett, Google and others are investing heavily in geothermal energy development, spurred on by state incentives for renewables and higher gas prices.

November 7, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Tree Fungus In Your Tank

An organism discovered in the Patagonian rainforest produces a mixture of chemicals similar to diesel.

November 7, 2008 - Guardian.co.uk

Skyscraper Lights Don't Have to be Dangerous or Wasteful

One architecture critic addresses two skyscraper-related conundrums: Decorative lighting that tops the buildings are energy inefficient, and they are dangerous to migrating birds.

November 4, 2008 - Chicago Tribune

Ailing Chrysler Drops Hybrid SUV Just As It Goes On Lots

No sooner had Chrysler released its new hybrid SUV- a Dodge Durango 40% more efficient than its gas-only counterpart- than it has been forced to close the factory where both versions are produced in order to save on costs.

October 31, 2008 - Bloomberg.com

'The Earth in Your Pocket'

That's how developers at Google describe the release of Google Earth for the iPhone. Boing Boing's Joel Johnson wonders why it wasn't released for Android first.

October 27, 2008 - Boing Boing

Real-Time Subway Monitoring

In a trial run starting in December, monitors in one New York City subway station will display the exact location of every train on the line, giving riders a more accurate idea about how long they'll have to wait for the next train.

October 26, 2008 - The New York Times

Oil Price Plunge Dampens Green Technology

The new 'oil shock' is one of plummeting oil prices and its effect on alternative technologies and energy. Combined with the credit crisis, the fallout in some green technologies is shown by difficulties in attracting capital and customers.

October 22, 2008 - The Washington Post

Neighborhood Mapping A Booming Business

Bernt Wahl is a pioneer of neighborhood mapping techniques. This profile in Wired profiles this growing industry, and Wahl's struggles with intellectual property. Who owns your neighborhood?

October 20, 2008 - Wired

Property Rights Redux

Roy Gothie, a planner for the Maryland State Highway Administration, argues that 'only a societal decision to redefine an individual's rights regarding property can restore [Chesapeake Bay].'

October 20, 2008 - Baltimore Sun

Tesla Laying Off Employees and Delaying All-Electric Sedan

Electric car start-up in Silicon Valley said Wednesday that it would lay off employees and delay production of its second car, the Model S, until 2011.

October 18, 2008 - The New York Times

Hunkering Down Never Looked So Good

Raised and fortified homes in Beachtown, a community in Galveston, Texas, took a direct hit from Hurricane Ike, and survived, intact.

October 15, 2008 - New Urban News

T. Boone Meets Gov. Palin To Talk Energy

Oil, gas and wind man T.Boone Pickens is clearly interjecting himself and his plan into presidential, and vice-presidential politics. Recently, he sat down with Sarah and Todd Palin to promote his plan of using natural gas as a transportation fuel.

October 11, 2008 - Boone Blog

Green Technology for Cities

Writing from the Connected Urban Development conference in Amsterdam, reporter Scott Smith says that "the sustainable future will be a networked future."

October 10, 2008 - WorldChanging

Environmentalism Over Aesthetics

John Barber laments cities' tendency to (rightfully) favor environmental consciousness over aestheticism. Low-carbon street lighting is the latest eco-trend to retrofit, and potentially blight, the streets of Toronto.

October 8, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

New Jersey to Lead in Wind Power

By 2020, New Jersey will have tripled its wind energy use.

October 8, 2008 - Newsday

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.