New London bus

The New Bus for London is inspired by the much-loved Routemaster and will use the latest green technology when it launches in 2012.

The Mayor unveiled the design for the New Bus for London in May 2010.

The New Bus for London will meet London Buses’ requirements for vehicles in public service in London, including high standards of accessibility, safety and emissions abatement. In addition, it will be more durable, more fuel efficient and better ventilated. The bus will incorporate a double-deck and a platform at the rear near-side corner, so passengers will be able to get on and off easily.

July 2010

Take a ride on the Space Shuttle Atlantis

Video shot from cameras mounted on the SRBs (Solid Rocket Boosters) on the Space Shuttle Atlantis, from takeoff to detachment to splashdown. Multiple angles, some with sound. Simply amazing. Takeoff at 5:05, 5:15, 5:22. A truly beautiful view of the Earth at 24:53.

May 2009

“Then and Now” photos of cities around the world

I was researching “before and after” urban photography and came across a myriad of resources. Since all of them are really fascinating, I decided to share them. I am obsessed with public space and urban history and these are great places to feed my addiction. Looking at these puts life into perspective and helps define a concrete (quite literally) reference point amongst constant change of daily life.

“The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.”

– Aldous Huxley

Toronto Before
A great Toronto-specific blog with historical visual comparisons.

Toronto Then and Now (Part 1, Part 2) by CityNews
A special prepared by CityNews to commemorate Toronto’s 170th anniversary.

Then and Now Flickr Pool
Probably the best place online for Then and Now shots. Especially for North American cities. When I visited, there were close to 1200 photos in the pool.

Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Siege: Now and Then (Part 1, Part 2)
A  great series comparing modern photos to photos from the siege of Leningrad during WWII.

Auschwitz Then and Now
A look back at Auchwitz that is a little less sentimental than the rest of the comparison sets. In this feature, the drawings from WWII are compared to new photos.

Sydney Then and Now
Some historical and modern shots of Sydney, Australia.

New York Then and Now
A collection of great shots of New York.

Then/Now Series by The New York Times
An interactive then and now feature by The New York Times. It features interactive photos that you can scrub to compare the two states.

London Then and Now Flickr Group
A Flickr group dedicated to recreating historical photos of London.

Thames Then and Now
A look at river Thames and how it’s banks have changed over the years.

Paris Then and Now
Ah, of course. How can a list like this be made without Paris?

Moscow Then and Now
To break the monotony of Western cities, I had to include beautiful Moscow.

Please feel free to share your own Then and Now finds in the comments below.

May 2009