Most cars now have touch screens in the middle of the dashboard. Some tech heavy cars – such as those by companies like Tesla and Rivian – rely nearly entirely on them. They’re also cheaper to make and maintain. But some people hate them. They say they are less safe, confusing, unnecessary, and take longer than a simple button or switch.
But touch screens in cars aren’t going away. Some innovations, such as those by suppliers such as Harman and Continental, may blend some of the best of the old with entirely new possibilities, while managing risks.
Every visitor to Barcelona will sometime take a stroll along La Rambla. The Catalan capital’s leafy boulevard is simply the place to be – but what makes this street world-famous, and what secrets does it hold? Fermin Villar, president of the Friends of La Rambla, clues us in.
La Rambla is a street in central Barcelona. A tree-lined pedestrian street, it stretches for 1.2 km connecting the Plaça de Catalunya in its center with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. La Rambla forms the boundary between the neighbourhoods of the Barri Gòtic to the east and the El Raval to the west.
Mostar is a city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, straddling the Neretva River. It’s known for the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), a reconstructed medieval arched bridge. The nearby alleys are full of shops and market stalls, and the Old Bridge Museum explores the bridge’s long history. A narrow staircase leads up to the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque’s minaret for panoramic city views.
The town of Sonlerto lies in Bavona Valley (Val Bavona), arguably the wildest one among the valleys of Ticino. This spectacular side valley is part of the Maggia Valley. The whole region is part of the Lepontine Alps – a mountain range that covers various parts of Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Uri, Graubünden) and Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy).
The Bavona Valley has seen massive rocks fall from mountains time and time again. Sometimes the stones are as big as houses. Locals then build new houses next to the stones after they fall. Locals refer to it as Splui. As such, it is no surprise that the houses in this area are built from stone.
Volterra is a walled town southwest of Florence, in Italy. The central Palazzo dei Priori has medieval frescoes and a bell tower with expansive views. Volterra Cathedral has a marble entrance and a gilded coffered ceiling. Nearby are the remains of the Etruscan Acropolis. The Guarnacci Etrurian Museum has a rich collection of archaeological artifacts. The Roman Theater complex includes the ruins of 3rd-century baths.
Video timeline: 0:00 – [Brief intro] 1:15 – [Walking tour begins / Piazza dei Priori] 3:20 – [Palazzo dei Priori☀️🏰] 9:50 – [Piazza San Giovanni⛲] 11:40 – [Chapel Addolorata – *tour inside*⛪] 18:30 – […back to Piazza dei Priori…⛲] 19:20 – [Medieval Show…To see the FULL Show skip to 02:31:00 📸🎼] 27:00 – [Cloister of the Cathedral of St.Maria Assunta – *tour inside*⛪] 32:30 – [Piazza San Giovanni⛲] 37:30 – [Baptistry of St.John – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 46:20 – [Cathedral of St.Maria Assunta – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 58:40 – [Piazzetta dei Fornelli⛲] 59:30 – [Via Orto Tondo] 59:40 – [📋𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆📋] 1:02:20 – [Vicolo del Mandorlo] 1:04:50 – [Via Francesco da Volterra] 1:05:50 – [Via San Filippo] 1:08:40 – [Via della Pietraia] 1:10:30 – [Vicolo dei Belladonna] 1:11:50 – [Church of San Cristoforo – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 1:14:00 – [Vicolo Chinzica] 1:15:50 – [Church of Madonna del Gabellino – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 1:17:20 – [Ancient Roman Baths🏛] 1:18:10 – [Via San Felice] 1:20:50 – [Via San Lino] 1:21:40 – [Church of St.Lino – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 1:25:10 – [Church of St.Francis – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 1:27:20 – [Cappella della Croce di Giorno☀️] 1:32:20 – [Porta San Francesco (St.Francis Gate)🏛] 1:34:20 – [Via Ripetta] 1:35:40 – [Porta San Felice (St.Felice Gate)🏛] 1:38:25 – [Panoramic Point⛺] 1:41:10 – [Via Lungo le Mura (along the wall alley)] 1:44:25 – [Porta all’Arco (Gate of the Arch)☀️🏛] 1:45:25 – [Via Porta all’Arco] 1:50:00 – [Piazza Martiri della Libertà⛲] 1:50:50 – [Via di Castello] 1:52:10 – [Via Giacomo Matteotti] 1:55:50 – [Via A.Gramsci] 2:00:00 – [Parrocchia della Cattedrale Church – *tour inside*⛪] 2:02:00 – [Piazza XX Settembre⛲] 2:02:30 – [Panorama on Volterra⛺] 2:05:30 – [Church of St.Augustine☀️⛪] 2:09:20 – [Porta Marconi (Marconi Gate)🏛] 2:12:00 – [Via Don Giovanni Minzoni] 2:15:50 – [Medici Fortress☀️🏰] 2:19:30 – [Porta a Selci (A Selci Gate)🏛] 2:20:40 – […a little far to the north… walking near Porta Fiorentina (Florence Gate)] 2:23:45 – [Church of St.Michael Archangel – *tour inside*☀️⛪] 2:26:10 – [Piazzetta San Michele⛲] 2:27:10 – [Via dei Sarti] 2:28:00 – [Viti Palace☀️🏰] 2:28:50 – [Via delle Prigioni (Prisons’ Alley)] 2:30:45 – [☕️📸🎼… the Medieval Show in Volterra! …☕️📸🎼]
Curieuse Island is a small granitic island 1.13 sq mi in the Seychelles close to the north coast of the island of Praslin. Curieuse is notable for its bare red earth intermingled with the unique coco de mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only growing on the two neighboring islands.
It’s a new and surprising chapter in the theory of evolution. According to recent studies, it’s in our cities, of all places, that animals and plants adapt particularly quickly to changing living conditions.
Nature’s response to the spread of cities is astonishing: Why do catfish in the river of a French city systematically prey on urban pigeons on the banks? Why do female birds on a university campus in California suddenly change their mating behavior? How do mice in New York’s Central Park cope with an altered diet of human food waste? How have killifish in the Atlantic built up resistance to deadly chemical waste?
And, is it possible for moths to adapt to nighttime light pollution? New research provides surprising new insights into Darwin’s theory of evolution. Nowhere else do animals and plants adapt so quickly to new living conditions as in cities. Biologists have long known that animals and plants occupy new habitats in the vicinity of humans.
But now, new genetic analyses show that these adaptations are accompanied by significant changes in DNA. Even more surprising: these evolutionary changes have not occurred over periods of millennia, but within just a few decades. The process has amazed scientists, who watch as nature transforms even our most hostile man-made interventions — pollution, light pollution, noise, garbage and dense development — into creative energy for new adaptations. Some researchers believe that our cities may soon develop their own, brand-new life forms. What are the implications of these developments for the balance between humans and nature on our planet?
Approached with experience and discernment, Toorak Residence is an architectural dwelling with a considered interiority. Designed by Architecton, the luxury home embraces its context, enabling seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor space.
Video Timeline: 00:00 – The Local Project Print Publication 00:15 – Introduction to Architectural Toorak Residence 01:02 – The Levels and Layers of the Home 01:46 – Blurring the Lines Between Living and Landscape 02:30 – The Material Palette of the Architectural Home 03:15 – A Sculptural Champagne Cork 03:28 – Lighting Considerations 04:08 – A Range of Versatile Living Areas 04:44 – Ageing Like a Fine Champagne 05:13 – Subscribe to The Local Project Print Publication
Located in the affluent suburb of Toorak in close proximity to the Melbourne CBD, Toorak Residence is strong element in the impressive architectural environment. Marked externally by a bold sculpture, the home sits at over 1000 square metres and features three spacious levels. Arriving at Toorak Residence, the process of entry is elongated by carefully layered experiential details. Beyond the front gate lies an informal garden space – a tactile composition of pleasant greenery – which effortlessly navigates residents towards the main entrance. Stepping inside the architectural home, the material palette is intentionally restrained. Architecton champions concrete, natural stone, timber and glass as the ideal canvases for light and bases for architectural detail. Flowing out towards the landscape whilst internally welcoming sunlight, Toorak Residence does justice to the rigour of Artchitecton. A house tour reveals the architectural residence to be a peaceful dwelling, encouraging intuitive patterns of movement for superior living.
Monaco, French Principauté de Monaco, sovereign principality located along the Mediterranean Sea in the midst of the resort area of the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera). The city of Nice, France, lies 9 miles (15 km) to the west, the Italian border 5 miles (8 km) to the east. Monaco’s tiny territory occupies a set of densely clustered hills and a headland that looks southward over the Mediterranean. Many unusual features, however, have made Monaco among the most luxurious tourist resorts in the world and have given it a fame far exceeding its size.
Corsica, a mountainous Mediterranean island, presents a mix of stylish coastal towns, dense forest and craggy peaks (Monte Cinto is the highest). Nearly half the island falls within a park whose hiking trails include the challenging GR 20. Its beaches range from busy Pietracorbara to remote Saleccia and Rondinara. It’s been part of France since 1768, but retains a distinct Italian culture.
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