The Digital Press

A new study from EPFL reveals that cities follow universal laws similar to living organisms, linking population, carbon emissions, and road networks through scalable patterns. This analogy could inform sustainable urban planning by understanding cities' metabolic and systemic behaviors.

Why it matters: Understanding cities as living systems can guide sustainable urban planning and resource efficiency.

The big picture: Cities exhibit universal scaling laws despite geographic, political, and historical differences, suggesting self-organization.

The stakes: Misinterpreting urban scaling could lead to ineffective sustainability policies; integration of density, transport, and economy is crucial.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the biological analogy and data-driven insights but debate implications for city size and sustainability trade-offs.