Encouraging New Yorkers to probe the mysteries of the material beneath their feet, the Urban Soils Institute is moving knowledge of urban soils outside the domain of science and into the hands of communities.

Viewed from the perspective of its raw material, Manhattan’s brassy Seagram Building illuminates architecture’s massive energetic and social consequences.

For activists, scientists, and designers, images from the river's past hold the key to imagining its future.

To secure New York City’s pipeline for local food, treat produce like tap water: Protect the source.

Marie Warsh draws on recent archaeological discoveries to revisit the history of the northern end of Central Park. Touching on geology and topography, 19th century military strategy, and new readings of documentation of Central Park's creation, she reveals a more densely layered cultural landscape than is commonly understood.

Elizabeth Ellsworth and Jamie Kruse take us on a field trip through the geoarchitecture of New York City and explain the impact of deep geologic time on our built environment.

As oil spills into the Gulf, blood spills in the streets of Greece, and cash spills from terrorist wallets into the hands of willing airline agents, one wonders who can clean up this mess. We tell our children to clean up after themselves, but can we? Disciplining a child is a perilous affair, but in the end self-discipline is the challenge. Self-discipline requires introspection, but how much of it can we muster in a world careening towards 9 billion people?