20 LED-Laced Drones Light Up Mt Fuji in ‘Sky Magic’

Filmmaker Tsuyoshi Takashiro recently lit up the base of Mt Fuji with a fleet of LED-laced drones in a mesmerizing performance called Sky Magic. Over 20 of the drones were programmed to fly in synchronization as an ensemble of Shamisen (a traditional Japanese string instrument) players plucked out an upbeat song. With the iconic snow-capped silhouette of Mt Fuji looming in the background, the jaw-dropping …

How Jane Jacobs Transformed the Way We Plan Cities

The subject of Google’s latest doodle may be unfamiliar to most, but anyone who’s living in a big city has undoubtedly been affected by her life’s work. Jane Jacobs—an urban planning activist and author of the 1961 book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” who just turned 100—spoke up against the government and powerful developers who sought to clear out small neighborhoods to …

India’s Crosswalk Illusions are More Effective Than Speed-Bumps

To get drivers to slow down at crosswalks, India is experimenting with painted optical illusions instead of speed-bumps. Created by artists Saumya Pandya Thakkar and Shakuntala Pandya, the street paintings appear to be 3D road blocks as drivers approach, forcing them to slow down in their confusion. As they get closer, it becomes apparent that the blocks are actually flat, so drivers don’t actually come …