• blogTO notes that the redevelopment of Toronto's Port Lands is continuing.
• Crooked Timber argues that climate denialism exposes the socially constructed nature of property rights.
• D-Brief notes the reburial of Kennewick Man.
• The Dragon's Gaze notes there is no sign of a second planet around Proxima Centauri.
• Lawyers, Guns and Money looks at life in ( Read more... )

• Centauri Dreams looks at ongoing research into the sizes of Alpha Centauri A and B.
• Dangerous Minds notes Finland's introduction of a new Tom of Finland emoji.
• The Dragon's Gaze links to a paper speculating as to the fate of icy dwarf exoplanets in white dwarf systems.
• The Dragon's Tales reports on the intensification of the war in Ukraine's Donbas.
• ( Read more... )

Torontoist's Emily Macrae looks at how the Finnish city of Oulu keeps its citizens biking during winter. As always, planning is key.

With fewer than seven hours of sunlight a day at this time of year, Oulu is an unlikely leader in winter cycling. Timo Perälä discovered that his hometown’s approach was unique while doing research into winter ( Read more... )

• Bad Astronomy's Phil Plait evaluates the doability of Elon Musk's proposal for colonizing Mars.
• blogTO notes that Casa Loma will be transformed into a haunted house for the month of October.
• The Dragon's Tales notes NASA's belief that Europa almost certainly has watery plumes.
• False Steps shares an early American proposal for a lunar base.
• Far Outliers ( Read more... )

• Antipope hosts a guest blogger with an interesting vision for a new iteration of cyberpunk.
• Beyond the Beyond's Bruce Sterling shares a link to a report on Saudi Arabian water resources.
• Centauri Dreams shares a study of nearby brown dwarf WISE 0855.
• Crooked Timber notes the amoral technocracy of the Speers.
• Dangerous Minds shares vintage postcards ( Read more... )

• Anthropology.net notes the ancient Bronze Age trade routes between Iran and Mesopotamia.
• blogTO notes the impending facelift of Osgoode subway station.
• James Bow overhears a conversation at the DMV started by a guy who wanted special vanity plates.
• Centauri Dreams notes a proposed satellite that would be dedicated to the search for planets around ( Read more... )

Friend of the blog Jussi Jalonen has just posted, at the group blog History and Futility, the essay "Refugee Crisis and the North". Here, Jalonen takes a look at the way the Syrian refugee crisis has impacted both his Finland and neighbouring Sweden, looking at the political climate in both countries. One thing I particularly liked is his ( Read more... )

Finland's strained relations with Russia is the subject of Raine Tiessalo's Bloomberg article.

The western nation that shares the longest border with Russia is building up its military arsenal, just in case ( Read more... )

Torontoist's Jamie Bradburn describes the scene on the 13th of September, 1965, as the new City Hall was opened.

When the new City Hall opened on September 13, 1965, that afternoon’s Toronto Star editorial echoed many initial thoughts about our new $31 million landmark:

Suddenly today every Torontonian is ten feet high. For the new City Hall is ( Read more... )

• The Broadside Blog's Caitlin Kelly talks about her favourite things in New York City.
  
• Centauri Dreams features an essay by Nick Nielsen arguing in favour of manned spaceflight.
• The Dragon's Gaze notes the unusual chemical composition of the debris disk of HD 34700.
• The Dragon's Tales notes Finland's interest in a guaranteed minimum income.
• Language ( Read more... )