Nostr notes by Eric Bender

WBZ reports on plans to turn the long-abandoned Forbes ...

2025-04-04T13:17:09Z

WBZ reports on plans to turn the long-abandoned Forbes Manufacturing site on Chelsea Creek into a large park with housing:

Developers and green organizations team up to revitalize area in Chelsea for climate resilience

https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/chelsea-creek-climate-change-mass-audubon/

#Boston #Chelsea #environmentaljustice Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a) [@vida_latina](https://mastodon.world/@vida_latina )

Mass Audubon, GreenRoots, and The Neighborhood Developers Plan ...

2025-04-01T12:37:14Z

Mass Audubon, GreenRoots, and The Neighborhood Developers Plan New Climate Resilient Park with Housing in Chelsea

The Superior Court has approved an offer to purchase 18 acres of waterfront property "to create a broadly accessible, climate-resilient park, mixed-income housing, and community amenities along the Chelsea Creek waterfront... on the former site of the Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Co."

https://greenrootsej.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a70ece8362d78ec63dd5acf79&id=31c4cd1600&e=d89d889fd9 (PDF)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6D14j04H7c

#Boston Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a) [@vida_latina](https://mastodon.world/@vida_latina )

As hurricane and wildfire seasons loom, the Trump administration ...

2025-03-30T12:38:57Z

As hurricane and wildfire seasons loom, the Trump administration works to disable the Federal Emergency Management Administration:

Musk Targeted FEMA. Storm-Battered Communities Are Paying a Price.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/musk-fema-immigrations-doge-freeze-aid.html?unlocked_article_code=1.704.uLxo.Jzj8-vF3mPOr&smid=url-share (shared)

#disaster #hurricane #wildfire #climatechange #climatecrisis #democracy

In MOD. Museum's Beyond Endings exhibit, visitors enter an ...

2025-03-29T16:51:03Z

In MOD. Museum's Beyond Endings exhibit, visitors enter an interview booth and "step into the year 2125 for a job interview at leading death tech service provider Eterna.Life."

"Inside they have a five minute conversation with a metahuman employee.... In the end, each visitor is offered a position at Eterna.Life; the choice to accept or decline is theirs."

https://mod.org.au/exhibits/beyond-endings/

Quite a presentation by Claudia von der Borch on this AI-powered exhibition, at last week's MuseumNext AI meeting!

Melbourne's recently opened National Communications Museum ...

2025-03-29T16:16:11Z

Melbourne's recently opened National Communications Museum (https://ncm.org.au/) features several engaging AI-powered interactive exhibits. One exhibit is an arcade-style game that lets visitors design a "future collection object" for the museum and print a poster of the object to take home.

Enjoyed the presentation by curator Jemimah Widdicombe at last week's MuseumNext conference. (https://www.museumnext.com/events/museum-ai-summit/)

#museum #history #generativeAI #Melbourne

Hoping to visit the main London Museum when it opens next year! ...

2025-03-29T15:38:08Z

Hoping to visit the main London Museum when it opens next year!

For now its website (https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/) has been thoughtfully enhanced with AI-powered features. Among them, AI tools generated alt-text for more than 130,000 objects, doing a very good if not perfect job on a task that was entirely impractical for humans.

Enjoyed an excellent presentation by digital innovations head Trish Thomas and colleagues during last week's MuseumNext AI conference.

#museum #London #generativeAI

Another note for fellow maritime history geeks, this one on ...

2025-03-23T14:34:40Z

Another note for fellow maritime history geeks, this one on Boston sailors and ships during the Quasi War:

When the U.S. went to war against France at sea.

https://ericbender.co/history-of-the-harbor/

#history #Boston #maritime

Dozens of miniature ships moored inside Philadelphia’s Seaport ...

2025-03-23T14:05:21Z

Dozens of miniature ships moored inside Philadelphia’s Seaport Museum for its new exhibition

“Small but Mighty” is an armada of toys and models representing 400 years of maritime history.

https://whyy.org/articles/miniature-ships-exhibit-philadelphia-independence-seaport-museum/

#museum #Philadelphia

Another take (mine) on the bold proposal to remake a decrepit ...

2025-03-22T11:56:46Z

Another take (mine) on the bold proposal to remake a decrepit Charlestown' pier into an imaginative public park:

A Courageous proposal for Pier 5

https://ericbender.co/safe-harbor/

Biggest unanswered question: what this project would cost and who would pay.

#Boston #Charlestown #waterfront #park #harbor #environmentaljustice

Update on funding efforts for the proposed "Ike Dike" ...

2025-03-21T19:10:33Z

Update on funding efforts for the proposed "Ike Dike" project in Texas, whose total cost might now exceed *$57 billion..

Yes, that's *57 billion*...

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/galveston/2025/03/20/516492/house-committee-discusses-bill-to-create-gulf-funding-account-for-ike-dike-other-projects/

#climatechange #climatecrisis #hurricane #sealevelrise #Texas

More on plans to turn Boston's decrepit Pier 5 into an ...

2025-03-21T11:59:59Z

More on plans to turn Boston's decrepit Pier 5 into an amazing public park:

Sailing Organization Touts Big Plans For Charlestown Navy Yard

https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/sailing-organization-touts-big-plans-for-charlestown-navy-yard/

"They want the reconstructed pier to be a kind of harbor community center for the public... Mock-ups show a wave-like main building structure surrounded by walkable green space. There are plans for a 'Learning Lagoon' full of native plants, a pool, classrooms, and lookouts."

#Boston #Charlestown #harbor #park #waterfront

“There’s Just No More Land” Community-led Planned ...

2025-03-18T14:46:22Z

“There’s Just No More Land”

Community-led Planned Relocation as Last-resort Adaptation to Sea Level Rise in Solomon Islands

"Members of the Walande community imagined, financed, and executed their planned relocation, largely without support from the national government or international donors.. People of Walande have shown ingenuity, leadership, and dedication to building a future more protected from the climate crisis."

https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/03/17/theres-just-no-more-land/community-led-planned-relocation-last-resort-adaptation

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 were four famously ugly and ...

2025-03-17T10:58:52Z

The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 were four famously ugly and unconstitutional laws enacted during the Quasi War, an undeclared shooting war between the US and France. (Here, a 1799 naval battle in which at least 33 men were killed.)

Abuse of this legislation was a huge stain on the presidencies of John Adams and Franklin Roosevelt.

I'm astonished to learn that these laws were never revoked and now are being cited by a rogue presidency to justify unlawful actions.

#democracy #history

For decades Charlestown has asked for its abandoned Pier 5 to be ...

2025-03-16T21:05:22Z

For decades Charlestown has asked for its abandoned Pier 5 to be turned into a public park. Two new proposals are at
https://bpda.app.box.com/s/4kydopxi7tuetfboy3nmoz8ixm5cw9hf

Charlestown Marina would extend its floating docks into the space, after the city pays for pier removal, with no public benefits.

Courageous Sailing Center gathered an impressive coalition for a public park with learning lagoon, swimming pool, a center for research vessels and other imaginative touches.

#Boston #Charlestown Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a) [@vida_latina](https://mastodon.world/@vida_latina )

Gray morning but first time out on Boston Harbor since October. ...

2025-03-15T20:39:31Z

Gray morning but first time out on Boston Harbor since October. Here, the Sapphire Coast and its cement barge swing on the tide.

#Boston #harbor #paddling #kayaking

A Story About Salmon That Almost Had a Happy Ending ...

2025-03-13T12:44:28Z

A Story About Salmon That Almost Had a Happy Ending

"Completion of the world’s largest dam removal project — which demolished four Klamath River hydroelectric dams on both sides of the California-Oregon border — has been celebrated as a monumental achievement, signaling the emerging political power of Native American tribes and the river-protection movement... It is fortunate that the project was approved in 2022 and completed last October."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/opinion/salmon-klamath-river-dam.html?unlocked_article_code=1.3k4.FWB2.DxB3HoqFNqXH&smid=url-share (shared)

#ecosystem

A good snapshot of work by MIT's remarkable Miho Mazereeuw on ...

2025-03-12T15:20:08Z

A good snapshot of work by MIT's remarkable Miho Mazereeuw on disaster prevention:

https://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2025/03/11/alum-talk-on-disaster-preparedness/

Her Urban Risk Lab’s Housing Recovery Toolkit (https://urbanrisklab.org/preemptive-recovery-platform/) "brings together disaster managers, housing and planning departments, and community organizations before anything goes wrong in order to plan to rebuild an ideal city... Local governments can use this at their pace whenever they have time, and because it’s an online tool, they’re able to update it when necessary.'”

The annual Shamrock Splash, which raises money for the excellent ...

2025-03-02T20:08:19Z

The annual Shamrock Splash, which raises money for the excellent programs of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, went off swimmingly today on East Boston's Constitution Beach despite the freezing wind.

More photos: https://ericbender.co/safe-harbor/

#Boston #harbor #coastal #environmentaljustice #nonprofit Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

Ed Yong Wants to Show You the Hidden Reality of the World ...

2025-03-02T13:39:59Z

Ed Yong Wants to Show You the Hidden Reality of the World

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/magazine/ed-yong-interview.html?unlocked_article_code=1.004._s_G.dbDnNXHjQeaV&smid=url-share (shared)

Science "is one of the only areas of human endeavor that take us out of ourselves. We exist at a time when we are being crunched ever inward... There is a kind of implosive effect of the modern world, and the science and nature writing that I’m prioritizing, and the birding that I do, are all counters to that. They are a way of radiating your attention outward."

#science #birding #nature

The latest round of proposals for Charlestown's ...

2025-02-24T17:49:12Z

The latest round of proposals for Charlestown's long-abandoned Pier 5 includes two contenders that both abut the pier: Charlestown Marina and Courageous Sailing.

The city will post the proposals later today.

#Boston #Charlestown #park #harbor #environmentaljustice Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

Sea-level rise: a new method to estimate the probability of ...

2025-02-24T13:52:33Z

Sea-level rise: a new method to estimate the probability of different outcomes – including a worst case

(A slightly technical but clear update for non-scientists on predictions for sea-level rise)

https://theconversation.com/sea-level-rise-a-new-method-to-estimate-the-probability-of-different-outcomes-including-a-worst-case-250180

"No matter how quickly we reduce our carbon emissions, our past emissions commit us to ongoing sea-level rise... Decision-makers face a major obstacle: the specific rate and magnitude of future sea-level rise is deeply uncertain."

#sealevelrise #climatechange #climatecrisis

This morning in East Boston, the tower at Belle Isle Marsh ...

2025-02-23T22:56:23Z

This morning in East Boston, the tower at Belle Isle Marsh Reservation and the hill at Condor Street Urban Wild.

The One That Got Away: This Small Town Is Left in Limbo After ...

2025-02-18T14:11:07Z

The One That Got Away: This Small Town Is Left in Limbo After Betting Big on GMO Salmon

"Even with so much public assistance, the project fell apart, and the village that hoped for a transformative industry is carrying the cost."

https://www.propublica.org/article/aquabounty-pioneer-ohio-gmo-salmon-fish

(The saga of genetically modified salmon continues... I wrote about AquaBounty 8 years ago:
https://ensia.com/features/gmo-fish/)

#fish

sorry!

2025-02-10T22:06:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…x4p0
_________________________

sorry!

Why children's books? "Those who write for children have ...

2025-02-08T14:54:51Z

Why children's books?

"Those who write for children have the chance to point them towards beauty that they do not yet know exists: towards versions of joy that they have not yet imagined possible."

(Best essay I've read in months, by Katherine Rundell in the London Review of Books, I think no paywall)

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v47/n02/katherine-rundell/why-children-s-books

#literature #books

We're in our 'global weirding' era ...

2025-02-06T13:32:42Z

We're in our 'global weirding' era

https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2025/02/06/snow-boston-juno-climate-change-global-weirding-courtney-humphries

"We’ll continue to have big snows. They will break records. But what we’re losing is predictability. That’s why climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe has coined the term 'global weirding' to capture what climate change does to the world." --Courtney Humphries

Courtney Humphries (npub1gps…07he) #Boston #climatechange #climatecrisis

Nostr event nevent1qqsr2cw2zu7rumh7j64rqee64ljm274j37mv57mtvztawhe34uyl7pqzyphc4cplyyn0hv6wwvdvp4ypvv8gxqj5qpcdx9zxs4e35sku8lafswtg3rx

2025-02-02T13:26:32Z

#silentsunday

Registration is now open for the Run of the Charles, Boston's ...

2025-02-01T15:27:33Z

Registration is now open for the Run of the Charles, Boston's premier paddling race, to be held on Sunday April 27

https://www.crwa.org/events/runofthecharles

"The Run of the Charles features 3-, 6-, 9- and 14-mile races within the basin of the Charles River... CRWA believes in celebrating recreation on the Charles River and bringing communities together to support the protection, health, and resiliency of Boston's greatest natural treasure."

#Boston #Cambridge #Waltham #Newton #river #environment #paddling

Community groups push for economic equity as state reimagines ...

2025-01-30T15:06:04Z

Community groups push for economic equity as state reimagines industrial waterfront

(Planning for tough challenges in Boston inner harbor's Designated Port Areas.)

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-01-29/community-groups-push-for-economic-equity-as-state-reimagines-industrial-waterfront

“Do we want to see a waterfront that provides economic opportunity for all people?... Do we want to see a waterfront that’s accessible for everybody and that is protected from the worst of the near-term flooding that we’re going to have?”

#Boston #climatechange #environmentaljustice #maritime #shipping

Sunk costs: a mega-airport in the path of climate disaster ...

2025-01-28T13:16:01Z

Sunk costs: a mega-airport in the path of climate disaster

"Flights from one of the world’s largest airport projects may be grounded within 30 years due to the risk of sinking land and rising sea levels, Global Witness finds."

https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/sunk-costs/

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise #environment #environmentaljustice

All scientifically based predictions of sea-level rise will come ...

2025-01-27T14:53:06Z

All scientifically based predictions of sea-level rise will come true. It's just a question of when.

Today there's a second wave of stories about a SLR study that was published last year, predicting a "very likely rise between 0.5 and 1.9 metres by 2100."

There's even coverage in the Daily Mail:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14328807/Global-sea-levels-rise-6-2-FEET-2100-plunging-entire-cities-underwater.html

Here are a news release about the study:

https://www.ntu.edu.sg/news/detail/new-method-projects-very-likely-range-of-future-sea-level-rise

and the open-access paper itself:

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF005295

#climatecrisis #climatechange #sealevelrise

Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in Lego Bricks "Devised by ...

2025-01-27T12:58:12Z

Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in Lego Bricks

"Devised by professional Lego constructor Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught in partnership with the Australian National Maritime Museum, the show explores nine famous shipwrecks from ancient to modern times through detailed models."

https://divernet.com/scuba-news/wrecks/lego-shipwrecks-are-heading-for-chatham/

#history #maritime #Lego #museum

Five ways to cut emissions from shipping "Shipping generates ...

2025-01-26T14:57:57Z

Five ways to cut emissions from shipping

"Shipping generates 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This could increase to 10% if current trends continue... Shipping must adopt major changes and embrace large-scale innovations."

https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-cut-emissions-from-shipping-246829

4. Cruise ships usually "run their power-hungry systems during port calls. Such emissions not only contribute to climate change, but also to local air pollution."

#climatechange #climatecrisis #ship #ocean #environment #environmentaljustice

OK, this is 250 years out of date, but here's a snapshot of ...

2025-01-24T23:29:13Z

OK, this is 250 years out of date, but here's a snapshot of the Revolutionary War breaking out here in Boston in 1775, particularly looking at why the British navy couldn't do much about it.

https://ericbender.co/history-of-the-harbor/

#history #maritime #Boston

My daughter the pediatrician says that her community clinic ...

2025-01-23T00:42:53Z

My daughter the pediatrician says that her community clinic suddenly is seeing far fewer children, apparently because parents are afraid to bring them in.

[@vida_latina](https://mastodon.world/@vida_latina )

It looks like this event has been postponed? ...

2025-01-20T22:03:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…yt6p
_________________________

It looks like this event has been postponed? https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/maritime-history-culture-seminars/shadows-on-atlantic-curating-new-perspectives-on-colonial-maritime-history

Living seawalls designed both to protect shorelines and foster ...

2025-01-17T17:17:49Z

Living seawalls designed both to protect shorelines and foster marine life keep popping up in the U.S. and around the world. A few examples:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/climate-change/article298269808.html
https://news.erau.edu/headlines/to-protect-coast-embry-riddle-bethune-cookman-and-ucf-team-proposes-living-seawall
https://planetforward.org/story/stone-living-lab-sea-level/
https://thetideisout.com/2024/09/06/living-seawalls-aiming-for-ecologically-minded-ocean-construction/
https://sercblog.si.edu/lessons-from-the-field-a-living-seawall-one-year-later/
https://www.sfport.com/wrp/living-seawall
https://www.riversideconservancy.org/riverside-blog/2024/living-seawall
https://mote.org/news/mote-scientists-to-study-sarasotas-new-living-seawall/
https://www.washington.edu/news/2017/05/18/seattle-seawalls-novel-fish-features-are-a-potential-model-for-the-world/

#climatechange #climatecrisis #ocean #coastal #sealevelrise #marine #ecosystem #environment

In New England, climate change is moving fast. The fishing ...

2025-01-15T15:43:32Z

In New England, climate change is moving fast. The fishing industry is not

“The more that we disrupt the climate, it's making it very difficult to make a living on the traditional stocks. The fish are just not here anymore.”

https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/01/15/climate-change-new-england-fishery-regulations

#fish #climatechange #climatecrisis #environment #ocean

Ten Must-See Museums Opening Around the World in 2025 New ...

2025-01-15T15:30:00Z

Ten Must-See Museums Opening Around the World in 2025

New institutions dedicated to artificial intelligence, West African art, barbeque and more are expected to welcome visitors this year

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/ten-must-see-museums-opening-around-the-world-in-2025-180985814/

#museum #art

Mauro Morandi, Italy’s Robinson Crusoe, Dies at 85 He was the ...

2025-01-13T15:13:41Z

Mauro Morandi, Italy’s Robinson Crusoe, Dies at 85

He was the sole resident of Budelli, an undeveloped sliver of paradise off the northern coast of Sardinia. He embraced the solitude, until he was evicted.

"Mr. Morandi lived in an abandoned World War II hut, tacking up canvas tarps in an open area in front. He created sculptures from branches, cooked on a propane stove and read voraciously."

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/world/europe/mauro-morandi-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.o04.bGrQ.BDO99C26kR8v&smid=url-share (shared)

Feds, state close in on building new island in Bay The U.S. Army ...

2025-01-13T15:02:39Z

Feds, state close in on building new island in Bay

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Maryland Port Administration are finalizing their proposal to resurrect an island that has vanished beneath the waves of the Chesapeake Bay. If all goes according to plan, James Island will convert more than 2,000 acres of open water into prime habitat for migratory birds while helping to protect communities on the vulnerable Eastern Shore from further erosion.

https://marylandmatters.org/2025/01/13/feds-state-close-in-on-building-new-island-in-bay/

#climatechange

Three Years of High Tides "Sometimes the best [outreach] ...

2025-01-10T20:14:53Z

Three Years of High Tides

"Sometimes the best [outreach] programs require the least amount of gear: a pair of rainboots, a microphone, a meter stick. Well, that, and about two feet of seawater."

https://stonelivinglab.org/news-article/three-years-of-high-tides

"The ocean gives us a brief window into what our climate future may very well look like, and shows us that the future doesn’t have to be the dystopia of our worst nightmares."

#climatechange #climatecrisis #Boston #sealevelrise #coast #harbor #environmentaljustice

The annual Shamrock Splash, which benefits Save the Harbor, will ...

2025-01-09T22:12:54Z

The annual Shamrock Splash, which benefits Save the Harbor, will be held on March 2, once again at Constitution Beach in East Boston.

https://charity.pledgeit.org/ShamrockSplash

#Boston #EastBoston #coastal #harbor #environmental Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a) [@vida_latina](https://mastodon.world/@vida_latina )

This year's Run of the Charles paddling race will be held on ...

2025-01-09T22:01:20Z

This year's Run of the Charles paddling race will be held on Sunday, April 27.

The 41st ROTC will feature 3-, 6-, 9- and 14-mile races - including a 14-mile relay race. Registration opens on February 1.

You can sign up for email info at
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Ybpsu0z/ROTC2024

#Boston #Cambridge #paddling #river #environment Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

Trial raises hopes for injection-free type 1 diabetes treatment ...

2025-01-09T14:56:35Z

Trial raises hopes for injection-free type 1 diabetes treatment

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/trial-raises-hopes-for-injection-free-type-1-diabetes-treatment-b0z2w6v90

Very early days, but just maybe an actual breakthrough.

I think this is the first clinical trial to demonstrate that you can create genetically altered insulin-producing cells that can be transplanted to someone with type 1 diabetes and function *without requiring immunosuppression drugs*...!

#t1d #diabetes

ironic that the Boston Tea Party, a key trigger in the march ...

2025-01-09T14:27:10Z

ironic that the Boston Tea Party, a key trigger in the march toward the American Revolution, was a protest over a tariff

It's red, plastic, and snaps together: Provincetown's new ...

2025-01-08T12:23:46Z

It's red, plastic, and snaps together: Provincetown's new flood barrier

https://www.mainepublic.org/2025-01-07/its-red-plastic-and-snaps-together-provincetowns-new-flood-barrier

"In less than a half -hour, the crew was able to assemble a 150-foot-wide, water-tight wall and weigh it down with heavy sandbags. The idea was to direct storm water away from a few dozen historic homes... In a world of no perfect answers, Provincetown is experimenting with ways to try to help the people who live here, stay here."

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise #CapeCod #coastal

maybe take a ferry out to the Boston Harbor islands ...

2025-01-08T00:56:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…xvtr
_________________________

maybe take a ferry out to the Boston Harbor islands (https://www.nps.gov/boha/planyourvisit/index.htm) or check out the MIT Museum (https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/). Good luck!

Baby sharks go Boston: Aquarium scientists study how sand tiger ...

2025-01-04T16:20:01Z

Baby sharks go Boston:

Aquarium scientists study how sand tiger sharks, once uncommon in waters this far north, are using their Boston Harbor habitat.

https://www.neaq.org/sand-tiger-shark-research-in-boston-harbor/

(On the left, New England Aquarium scientists tagging a shark in Boston Harbor. On the right, a fuzzy shot of a similar shark that I took in September on Little Mystic Channel.)

#Boston #ocean #shark #harbor #environment #ecosystem

From Loneliness to Belonging: 5 Trends Are Hacking the Museum ...

2025-01-02T13:33:56Z

From Loneliness to Belonging: 5 Trends Are Hacking the Museum Experience

"From fostering creativity to combating loneliness, museums are stepping up to become more than places to visit—they’re becoming places to belong."

https://www.museumnext.com/article/from-loneliness-to-belonging-5-trends-are-hacking-the-museum-experience/

#museum #history #art #science

For my fellow museum geeks, some notes on last week's ...

2024-12-27T18:37:09Z

For my fellow museum geeks, some notes on last week's MuseumNext Digital Exhibitions Summit:

Breaking through physical barriers

How three European museums are enhancing their exhibits and events with ultra-high-resolution scans of their objects plus a cornucopia of other digital techniques.

https://ericbender.co/tag/museum/

#museum #history #art

The First First Responders When disaster strikes along British ...

2024-12-27T17:06:42Z

The First First Responders

When disaster strikes along British Columbia’s coast, Indigenous rescuers are often the first on the scene. Government-led initiatives are now formally recognizing that work.

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-first-first-responders/

Sadly, this is the last story posted by the remarkable Hakai Magazine, which has covered coastal science and societies for a decade. The good news is that some of the Hakai editors are moving on to bioGraphic
(https://www.biographic.com/).

#coastal #environment #ocean

California ports launch clean energy efforts that could be a ...

2024-12-24T12:55:00Z

California ports launch clean energy efforts that could be a model for Mass.

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2024-12-18/california-ports-launch-clean-energy-efforts-that-could-be-a-model-for-mass

"Last month, Massport announced a $60 million investment to build two electric shore power stations – similar to those in Los Angeles – for its growing cruise ship business by 2029. The agency’s move marks the first time in recent years that policymakers directly addressed growing concerns around this industry’s impact on public health."
#Boston #harbor #environment #environmentaljustice #ship

Amazed by the scanning technology for paintings that Richard ...

2024-12-23T15:40:42Z

Amazed by the scanning technology for paintings that Richard Peretti, an immersive technology developer working with the Amelia Scott museum, presented at last week's MuseumNext Digital Exhibitions Summit.

The 3D photometric, non-invasive, multispectral painting scanner “captures detail and texture at the micron level... With this level of precision, distinguishing the digital copy from the original object becomes almost impossible.”

https://www.richardperetti.net/

#museum Global Museum (npub1pzt…apvp)

No flood gauges, no warning: 99% of US streams are off the radar ...

2024-12-22T16:21:10Z

No flood gauges, no warning: 99% of US streams are off the radar amid rising flash flood risks

"One promising solution is expanding the streamgage network through public-private partnerships and encouraging state and local governments, small businesses, academic institutions and nonprofits to build and operate their own sensors."

https://theconversation.com/no-flood-gauges-no-warning-99-of-us-streams-are-off-the-radar-amid-rising-flash-flood-risks-we-saw-the-harm-in-2024-227533

#flood #climatechange #climatecrisis #community

In Florida, a race is on to save the Everglades and protect a key ...

2024-12-21T13:21:40Z

In Florida, a race is on to save the Everglades and protect a key source of drinking water

“This is the biggest, most complicated and most expensive ecosystem restoration project in the world. It’s really important that we get it right.”

https://apnews.com/article/everglades-florida-water-restoration-quality-f59f0a48e58d2fd3d23169c8b8e54e50

#environment #wildlife #coastal #climatechange #ecosystem #water

One of the final stories posted by the wonderful Hakai Magazine: ...

2024-12-20T17:20:32Z

One of the final stories posted by the wonderful Hakai Magazine:

The Canoe in the Forest

An unfinished boat hidden on a remote island in Alaska illuminates a missing chapter in the history of traditional Haida and Tlingit canoe building

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-canoe-in-the-forest/

Fortunately, much of the outstanding Hakai editorial team is joining the California Academy of Sciences' bioGraphic, another excellent publication with no paywall:

https://www.biographic.com/

#ocean #coastal #indigenous #environment

Tricky issues in developing public amenities on the harbor, along ...

2024-12-20T15:13:17Z

Tricky issues in developing public amenities on the harbor, along Boston's Fort Point Channel:

A proposed waterfront amphitheater gets one step closer to reality

https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/12/20/proposed-waterfront-amphitheater-fort-point-newsletter

#Boston #waterfront #publicart #environmentaljustice #climatechange #harbor

In a Major Reversal, the World Bank Is Backing Mega Dams Despite ...

2024-12-19T16:19:31Z

In a Major Reversal, the World Bank Is Backing Mega Dams

Despite continued opposition, the World Bank has approved the first of five big dam projects expected to get its support in the coming months. Climate change has upped the need for renewable energy, but the environmental and social costs of building such massive projects remain.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/world-bank-hydro-dams

#dam #hydropower #climatechange #climatecrisis #renewables

The enormous problem is insurance for existing buildings whose ...

2024-12-19T13:47:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…akr9
_________________________

The enormous problem is insurance for existing buildings whose risks were never understood and are climbing with climate change.

Knowing that museums can be overwhelming, Seattle's Museum of ...

2024-12-18T13:16:20Z

Knowing that museums can be overwhelming, Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture (www.mopop.org) offers sensory-friendly programming with neurodivergent individuals in mind.

Among welcoming measures are sensory rating guides for galleries plus “kits filled with items like noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys, along with sunflower lanyards for those with invisible disabilities,” says CEO Michelle Y. Smith. “We also maintain low-sensory spaces for guests to recharge.”

#neurodivergent #museum

Another story for fellow history geeks: Mishoons, birch bark ...

2024-12-12T17:18:55Z

Another story for fellow history geeks:

Mishoons, birch bark canoes and Native Americans on Boston Harbor

https://ericbender.co/history-of-the-harbor/

#NativeAmerican #indigenous #Boston #harbor #maritime #history #canoe #paddling #islands

After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida put in place regs that ...

2024-12-11T02:43:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…tya2
_________________________

After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Florida put in place regs that made new buildings far more resistant to high winds. But developers kept building right on the coast or in other flood zones.

Just saw this remarkable quote: “We cannot change the fact that ...

2024-12-10T20:05:02Z

Just saw this remarkable quote:

“We cannot change the fact that in Florida we have hurricanes, so we shouldn’t be penalized for it. This is why we have the federal government.”
--Orlando Diaz, president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Professionals

!

from:

Mortgage Regulators Are Shrugging Off Climate Risk. It Could Cost Taxpayers Billions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/business/economy/mortgages-climate-risk-fannie-freddie.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gU4.YRKE.-xVjcmPo2kql&smid=url-share (shared, I hope)

#climatechange #climatecrisis #hurricane #sealevelrise

Public art in East Boston this morning: a mural that Silvia ...

2024-12-07T17:25:17Z

Public art in East Boston this morning: a mural that Silvia López Chavez painted in 2022 at the Shining Star Daycare Center on Border Street, and the trademark car on top of Angelo's Auto Body on Condor Street.

#Boston #publicart

Conjuring the Lost Land Beneath the North Sea New research ...

2024-12-06T17:13:15Z

Conjuring the Lost Land Beneath the North Sea

New research reveals that Doggerland—a sunken swath of Europe connecting Britain to the mainland—was more than a simple thoroughfare. It was home.

https://hakaimagazine.com/features/conjuring-the-lost-land-beneath-the-north-sea/

"Today there are an estimated 190 million people living on land that will likely be underwater by the end of this century. How will we adapt? Where will we go?"

#history #archaeology #climatechange

Inventing Better Futures at the MIT Media Lab Led by aerospace ...

2024-12-05T17:44:00Z

Inventing Better Futures at the MIT Media Lab

Led by aerospace engineer Dava Newman, the pioneering Lab collaborates with industry to break through barriers in technology and human experience.

https://ilp.mit.edu/read/Newman

#space #MIT #design #moon #climatechange

New Orleans’ Striking Advantage in the Age of Climate Change ...

2024-12-03T15:07:26Z

New Orleans’ Striking Advantage in the Age of Climate Change

"The authors of the [LA coastal master] plan freely acknowledge that, even in the best-case scenario, the plan will fail."

"I’ve never met a New Orleanian who feels safe from climate change. Living here, rather, engenders hurricane expertise — and hurricane fatalism. You become your own disaster planner, insurance adjuster, land surveyor and roofer. "

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/30/opinion/new-orleans-hurricanes-climate-change.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ek4.iIho.obk6mgneup41&smid=url-share (shared)

#climatechange #climatecrisis #hurricane

Nostr event nevent1qqsrnwnekdll87zv3sjpztp9xdmc9mcj0h6aw69lm7n0z4hf6t0hepgzyphc4cplyyn0hv6wwvdvp4ypvv8gxqj5qpcdx9zxs4e35sku8lafsuejuup

2024-12-01T15:25:25Z

#silentsunday

Hawking Building review – the Science Museum’s giant new shed ...

2024-12-01T15:10:21Z

Hawking Building review – the Science Museum’s giant new shed of the weird and wonderful

On an old RAF airfield, a no-frills metal barn has been built to house the reserve collections of the London museum and its associates, with 300,000 objects ranging from a 1960s nuclear missile

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/dec/01/hawking-building-science-and-innovation-park-wroughton-swindon-review-science-museum-group-giant-shed-of-the-weird-and-wonderful-gwp-architecture-sam-jacob-studio

#museum

New AI tool generates realistic satellite images of future ...

2024-11-26T13:48:19Z

New AI tool generates realistic satellite images of future flooding

The method could help communities visualize and prepare for approaching storms.

https://news.mit.edu/2024/new-ai-tool-generates-realistic-satellite-images-future-flooding-1125

"The method combines a generative artificial intelligence model with a physics-based flood model to create realistic, birds-eye-view images of a region, showing where flooding is likely to occur given the strength of an oncoming storm."

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise #hurricane

#silentsunday #maritime #maine ...

2024-11-24T13:10:29Z

#silentsunday #maritime #maine

#silentsunday #maritime #Venice #venezia ...

2024-11-24T13:08:50Z

#silentsunday #maritime #Venice #venezia

Two photos of the frigate USS Constitution in Boston Navy Yard, ...

2024-11-23T11:26:15Z

Two photos of the frigate USS Constitution in Boston Navy Yard, taken 50 years apart.

One is this month with the USS Nantucket, a "littoral combat ship" that's sort of a modern frigate, except not as well designed.

The other was in 1974 as the Constitution underwent a major rebuild and I talked my way into a tour by the commander. Asked whether he liked the job, he said it was much better than his previous tour of duty in Vietnam.

#Boston #maritime #history #navy

In the Boston Navy Yard, the USS Constitution fires her 8am ...

2024-11-23T11:16:28Z

In the Boston Navy Yard, the USS Constitution fires her 8am cannon.

Yes, the blast of air shakes the video.

#Boston #maritime #history #navy

Not every city is prepared for climate change. Look up yours. ...

2024-11-20T12:32:18Z

Not every city is prepared for climate change. Look up yours.

https://wapo.st/3OkJysR (shared, I hope)

"Overlaying risk and resilience is a road map to a community’s future. It paints a picture of why a place is positioned to thrive or struggle because climate change won’t be a singular disaster. It’s a succession of stresses, some small, others devastating."

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise

From Sea to Rising Sea (podcast) "What will it mean for the ...

2024-11-19T13:21:49Z

From Sea to Rising Sea (podcast)

"What will it mean for the sea to rise two feet… 4 feet…even 7 feet by the end of the century? Turns out, it depends where you look.

"In this episode, we’re going to drop in on communities on each of America’s three coasts, each coming up with their own set of solutions to the water that is slowly consuming their edges."

https://www.wwno.org/podcast/sea-change/2024-11-18/from-sea-to-shining-sea

#sealevelrise #climatecrisis #climatechange #environmentaljustice

#silentsunday #Boston #harbor ...

2024-11-17T11:42:51Z

#silentsunday #Boston #harbor

#silentsunday #streetart ...

2024-11-17T11:37:10Z

#silentsunday #streetart

Deep congratulations to the MIT Museum for successful completion ...

2024-11-14T11:54:11Z

Deep congratulations to the MIT Museum for successful completion of "The Move", its 10-year effort to reconsolidate and recatalog 1.5 million objects ranging in size from a one-ton magnet to slips of paper (in fact, moving 50 tons of architectural and maritime papers).

This accomplishment is celebrated in the "Moving Objects" exhibition, with memorable objects chosen by the move team. (I wrote the exhibition labels.) Check it out if you get a chance!

https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/exhibitions/moving-objects

#museum #history

Yes, the normal tides here are around 10 feet, the king tides ...

2024-11-13T13:46:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…cnm3
_________________________

Yes, the normal tides here are around 10 feet, the king tides often a little over 12 feet. It turns out that such ramps don't need to meet ADA requirements on steepness. But there was lots of discussion about this issue and the designers seem to be taking it seriously.

Boston's Seaport district offers a master class in ...

2024-11-13T13:33:03Z

Boston's Seaport district offers a master class in outrageously poor planning for climate change and community resources, as noted in last year's Inundation District film. (1/5)

#Boston #harbor #climatechange #climatecrisis #socialjustice

As the remaining gaps on the Seaport waterfront are being filled ...

2024-11-13T13:31:52Z

As the remaining gaps on the Seaport waterfront are being filled in, some developers are making laudable efforts to prepare their properties for climate change and serious public access. One example, Related Beal's Channelside development on the Fort Point Channel. (2/5)

#Boston #harbor #climatechange #climatecrisis #socialjustice

n a Zoom meeting last evening, Related Beal presented its latest ...

2024-11-13T13:29:48Z

n a Zoom meeting last evening, Related Beal presented its latest design for public access to the water at Channelside. This design centered on a large floating dock thoughtfully tailored for the distinctive uses of the water in the Fort Point Channel. (3/5)

#Boston #harbor #climatechange #climatecrisis #socialjustice Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

The Fort Point Channel community asked for safe ways to launch ...

2024-11-13T13:27:39Z

The Fort Point Channel community asked for safe ways to launch not only kayaks and other human-powered boats but 40-foot dragon boats and (a particularly tough challenge) the large floating artworks for which the Channel is known. (4/5)

#Boston #harbor #climatechange #climatecrisis #socialjustice

The latest proposal for a floating dock at the Channelside ...

2024-11-13T13:25:30Z

The latest proposal for a floating dock at the Channelside project on the Fort Point Channel drew an enthusiastic response last night from community members.

There were many calls to further tweak the dock design, especially to make it friendlier for people with disabilities, but lots of applause for the overall approach. (5/5)

#Boston #harbor #climatechange #climatecrisis #socialjustice Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

For museum geeks like me: Opening up the store Most items in ...

2024-11-11T01:41:33Z

For museum geeks like me:

Opening up the store

Most items in museum collections languish unseen in warehouses. Digital tools and public-facing collection centers can bring them into the light.

https://ericbender.co/tag/museum/

“As part of providing radical access to the national collections held by the Victoria & Albert... You can book in advance to see any object on-site up close, and experienced handling staff will be on hand to help you."

#museum #history #art

USS Nantucket, a "littoral combat ship", tied up this ...

2024-11-09T16:08:36Z

USS Nantucket, a "littoral combat ship", tied up this morning at the Charlestown Navy yard next to the frigate Constitution. The Nantucket's crew stood by for the Constitution's daily 8am cannon and then toured the WW2 destroyer Cassin Young.

The Nantucket will be officially commissioned here a week from today.

More on these controversial half-billion-dollar-plus littoral combat ships:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom-class_littoral_combat_ship

#Boston #harbor #maritime #Navy Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

Just learned that the U.K. Science Museum Group's gigantic ...

2024-11-04T16:26:08Z

Just learned that the U.K. Science Museum Group's gigantic National Collections Center, which opened last month in a former Royal Air Force base two hours west of London, is open for guided public tours....

...although those are currently sold out.

https://www.scienceinnovationpark.org.uk/visit-us/public-guided-tours

#museum

Notes for fellow maritime history geek on the grim saga of ...

2024-11-03T17:27:13Z

Notes for fellow maritime history geek on the grim saga of Boston-area shipwrecks in the 1800s:

https://ericbender.co/history-of-the-harbor/

#maritime #history #Boston

The catapult at Newton city hall, ready for this afternoon's ...

2024-11-02T12:47:20Z

The catapult at Newton city hall, ready for this afternoon's pumpkin-smashing festival.

#newton #boston #Halloween #recycling Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

Snails, mussels and seaweed: Boston project aims to bring life to ...

2024-11-01T12:39:57Z

Snails, mussels and seaweed: Boston project aims to bring life to barren seawalls

"In Chelsea Creek, workers are re-engineering the lifeless stone wall into a 'Living Seawall,' by bolting 120 concrete panels onto the granite blocks. Each 40-pound, 2-foot-wide panel resembles a giant snowflake, covered with nooks and grooves. They'll be underwater at high tide, providing a home for seaweed and shellfish."

#Boston #coast #environment #harbor Universal Hub (npub1zgt…c69a)

How these artificial reefs in New York City may offer protection ...

2024-10-30T15:15:48Z

How these artificial reefs in New York City may offer protection from future storms

While the “Living Breakwaters” can’t stop flooding, they will reduce daily erosion and damage from future storms.

(This pioneering project is now mostly completed.)

https://www.fastcompany.com/91218265/artificial-reefs-new-york-city-may-offer-protection-future-storms

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise #harbor #NewYork

You might think that cruise ships had stopped visiting Boston by ...

2024-10-29T18:16:46Z

You might think that cruise ships had stopped visiting Boston by Halloween week, but no. Here's Le Champlain, rather petite for a bluewater cruise ship at 430 feet long, fueling up this morning on the Reserve Channel. This afternoon, she headed out for Martinique.

#boston #harbor #cruiseship

A City of Murals, Decades in the Making For 40 years, Mural Arts ...

2024-10-27T15:12:13Z

A City of Murals, Decades in the Making

For 40 years, Mural Arts Philadelphia has been nurturing art and artists who have left their marks on walls and buildings throughout the city.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/arts/philadelphia-murals.html?unlocked_article_code=1.VU4.BRmA.bKy63dgAZb8k&smid=url-share (shared)

#mural #museum #art #streetart

The real reason billion-dollar disasters like Hurricane Helene ...

2024-10-24T13:37:18Z

The real reason billion-dollar disasters like Hurricane Helene are growing more common

"Over time, migration to hazard-prone areas has increased, putting more people and property in harm’s way. Disasters are more expensive because there is more to destroy."

https://wapo.st/3YiJgaz (shared, we hope)

#climatechange #climatecrisis #hurricane #Helene

Flood Defenses Can Enhance the Public Realm To protect against ...

2024-10-23T17:05:52Z

Flood Defenses Can Enhance the Public Realm

To protect against future flooding, storm surges, and sea level rise, landscape architects are developing an innovative mix of green and grey solutions along the southern coast of Manhattan.

These are not nature-based solutions but forms of armor. And designers are showing how this armature can be woven into the public realm, creating new kinds of infrastructure.

https://dirt.asla.org/2024/10/21/flood-defenses-can-be-a-part-of-the-public-realm/

#climatechange #climatecrisis #sealevelrise

Maryland Students’ Wooden Boats Launched at North Pole to Study ...

2024-10-23T16:50:02Z

Maryland Students’ Wooden Boats Launched at North Pole to Study Climate Change

An international program called Float Your Boat sends the students' toy boats to the Arctic Ocean, where the boats are taken by icebreaker and placed on sea ice alongside one of the International Arctic Buoy Programme's floating GPS beacons. As the sea ice and the beacons drift, students can track the path of their individual boats.

https://www.chesapeakebaymagazine.com/md-students-wooden-boats-launched-at-north-pole-to-study-climate-change/

#climatechange #climatecrisis

Study: Marshes provide cost-effective coastal protection As ...

2024-10-23T13:47:24Z

Study: Marshes provide cost-effective coastal protection

As climate change accelerates sea-level rise and intensifies storms, marsh-fronted seawalls can provide an economical coastal defense, MIT engineers report.

https://news.mit.edu/2024/study-marshes-provide-cost-effective-coastal-protection-1023

“You don’t need a huge marsh to get a good effect. It could be a relatively short marsh, just tens of meters wide, that can give you benefit.”

#sealevelrise #climatechange #climatecrisis

The East Boston and Chelsea Creek waterfronts look their best on ...

2024-10-19T23:37:19Z

The East Boston and Chelsea Creek waterfronts look their best on a sunny-day king tide. But you can see how a foot or two of storm surge could get worrisome at the Shaw's supermarket and the Umana Academy--and would not be so great for the surprisingly low Chelsea Street bridge.

#sealevelrise #hurricane #climatecrisis #climatechange #Boston