Biodiversity is the variety of life on the Earth. Its spectrum might include anything from the number of species of plants, animals, microorganisms, and the gene pools in these species to the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests, and coral reefs.
The Jetsons, the 1960s futurist cartoon that was made in the US, depicted the namesake family living in Skypad Apartment in the year 2062, in a city called Orbit. The family of four — and their dog — enjoyed a leisurely life in a smart home, complete with a robot maid, flying cars, and other whimsical inventions.
Since the world's first modern skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885, high-rise buildings of over 40 floors have become a norm for dense urban centers. They're now almost a symbol of urban progress and architectural achievement. Since 2000, global skyscraper construction rose by 402 percent.
The global spread of the COVID-19 has been asymmetrical: Some countries like New Zealand or Hong Kong were able to significantly reduce the cases by the middle of 2020, some were already embracing the so-called second wave. In the meantime, large and decentralized countries like the United States have seen the viral epicenters shift from dense cities to provincial areas.
The Champs-Élysées, the iconic avenue stretching for about two kilometres in the heart of Paris, is often said to be the world's most beautiful. Since its completion in the 17th century, the elegant avenue lured shoppers and visitors for centuries, attracting as many as 300,000 visitors a day.
For much of the 20th century, a large house in the suburbs with a white picket sense was the ultimate material aspiration. As the most tangible aspect of the “American Dream", millions associated such dwellings with prosperity and success.
It was the early 19th century when the global human population reached a billion for the first time. Then, in just a couple of centuries, this figure grew more than sevenfold. The world population currently stands at around 7.6 billion. As the globe prepares to be the home of almost 10 billion inhabitants by 2050, members of each generation leave a unique mark in history.
Since the ancient civilizations started to build cities, urban landscapes evolved parallel to the gender roles, associating public spaces with men, and the private sphere with women. However, in the late 20th century, as the global urban population continued to boom, spatial researchers began to emphasize the importance of a gender-sensitive approach to urban planning.
In a city of multitudes, the architectural traditions that characterize the city are far from homogeneous: Sao Paulo is constantly evolving as futuristic designs take their place alongside colonial-era landmarks and much-loved modernist masterpieces.