Officials say restricted visiting windows could slow melt rates and reduce noise pollution from peak‑season crowds. REYKJAVIK — A coalition of Nordic governments announced Friday that several major glaciers across Iceland, Norway, and Greenland will begin observing regulated “quiet hours” next summer, limiting tourist access during periods when scientists say the ice is most acoustically…
Acoustic engineers claim tone-adjusted car horns can lower road rage by 37 percent; critics call it “legislating manners by frequency.” BRUSSELS — The European Union announced plans this week to begin a continent-wide trial of a new “Polite Honking System,” a program requiring automakers to equip vehicles with sound-modulated horns designed to express “measured alertness”…
Government urges entire population to stop all nonessential activity for 24 hours each quarter; economists call it “a risky experiment in national idleness.” OTTAWA — In a policy move described by supporters as “audaciously calm,” the federal government announced the creation of “Citizen Pause Day,” a recurring quarterly holiday during which all nonessential work, commerce,…
New system uses projected light circles to manage personal space and pedestrian flow, prompting both praise and confusion. BARCELONA — In an effort to ease congestion and improve the “psychological comfort” of visitors in dense public areas, Barcelona has introduced what city planners are calling “Pedestrian Bubbles,” a spatial management system that projects softly glowing…
