Podcast appearances and mentions of Monica L Smith

More than half the world's population currently lives in cities, and current estimates suggest that by 2050 nearly 7 out of every 10 people will live in urban spaces. In an increasingly crowded and urbanized world, space has become a precious commodity. As a species, we seem drawn to cities, despite their obvious disadvantages. From the ancient cities of Southeast Asia to the crowded streets of modern Los Angeles, cities offer opportunities for interactions that wouldn't be possible in urban areas. In this episode, we sit down with Professor Monica Smith, who shares her perspective on the importance of infrastructure and shared spaces in the birth and survival of cities past and present. How do cities affect the way that we interact with the natural environment and with our fellow human beings, and how can we think creatively about shared spaces in crowded urban environments? Dr. Monica L. Smith is a professor and Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair in Indian Studies at UCLA. She is an ancient economic historian who uses archaeological data to analyze the collective effects of routine activities through the study of food, ordinary goods, and architecture. Her current research focuses on the Indian subcontinent, a region that has produced some of the world's earliest and most long-lived urban areas. Her most recent book was published by Viking Press in 2019, and is titled “Cities: The First 6000 Years.”

Episode 38: Monica L. Smith – Piecing Life Through Fragments Want to know what it's really like to be an archaeologist? Our guest Monica L. Smith is an archaeologist and author. Monica provides us with an in-depth look at archaeology. Its impact on civilizations past and present. Plus, what it's like to live life as … Continue reading Episode 38: Monica L. Smith – Piecing Life Through Fragments →

Donald Trump addressed the nation to quell fears about the Corona Virus, instead he lied. For the Book Club, Thom reads portions from "Cities: The First 6,000 Years" by Monica L. Smith, "No Visible Bruises : What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us"by Rachel Louise Snyder, and "Treason & Betrayal, The Rise and Fall of Individual -1" by Kenneth Foard McCallion.

Rob drove to Michigan for Mike Rapin‘s wedding and stayed the night with the ORIGINAL podcast host, Nick Nelson. Fun fact: not only is he Rob’s oldest friend, but he started podcasting with Rob back in 2007! This conversation is loose and casual as most episodes are, but once we warm up we hit on some interesting topics such as ancient cities, big cities, and summer vacation. If you hear any funky echoes, that’s because this was recorded in person. I fixed most of it, but hey don’t expect too much from me. Music for this episode was recorded in the New York City subway. Referenced talk about the origin of cities comes from the highly recommended Long Now Seminars: Cities: The first 6,000 years by Monica L. Smith. Go listen/watch! Thanks for listening! It would be cool if you give us a friendly rating on Apple Podcasts, or rate/favorite the episode in the app you’re using right now. Wanna get in touch? Tweet the show @sorrytopic, or at Rob @robrogan. Nick is @NickNelson or @BeerCityBG Feel free to jump in our open Telegram chat.

The present is terrible and the future may be worse, so let's take refuge in the past. Monica L. Smith as an archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of California Los Angeles, whose latest book is Cities: The First 6,000 Years.In it she investigates why cities first emerged, how they have evolved, and why people are drawn to them. She was kind enough to pop by New Statesman towers to give us a flavour, and tell me why cities first emerged, where you can find their ruins and what they have to teach us today.If you like this one, by the way, you might want to check out episode 19, from way back in September 2016, when I spoke to the US history podcaster Rob Monaco about how it was we came to invent cities in the first place.Skylines is the podcast from the New Statesman’s cities site, CityMetric. It’s hosted by Jonn Elledge and produced by Nick Hilton. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Cities were the first Internet,” says archaeologist Monica Smith, because they were the first permanent places where strangers met in large numbers for entertainment, commerce, and romance. And the function and form of cities, she notes, have remained remarkably constant over their 6,000 years of history so far. Modern city dwellers would quickly find their way around any city in the past, given our shared architecture of broad avenues, monumental structures, and densely crowded residences. What we learn from examining the long history of cities is what makes them so freeing and empowering for humans and humanity. Density has always been crucial. So has infrastructure, skill specialization, cultural diversity, intense trade with other cities, an economy of acquiring and discarding objects, the delights of fashion and art, religious focus and political focus, intellectual ferment, and technological innovation. The digital internet has not replaced cities, nor is it likely that anything else will, Smith proposes, for the next 6,000 years. Monica L. Smith is an anthropology professor and also a professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainabilityat UCLA. She has done archeological fieldwork in India, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Italy, and England. Her new book is Cities: The First 6,000 Years.

Today, more than one-half of the world's population lives in cities. In every corner of the world, people are moving to cities at a rapid and geometric pace. The urban migration taking place today is both historic and inevitable. Our cities represent the ultimate triumph and organizing principle of humanity. They are more than either the concrete jungle portrayed by Billy Wilder in the Lost Weekend, or the human zoo, that Desmond Morris claimed. The great San Francisco columnist, Herb Caen, one said of cities, “that they should not be judged just by their length and width, but by the broadness of their vision and the height of their dreams.” They are, in some ways, the ultimate achievements of mankind. Few understand them better than Monica L. Smith, a professor of anthropology and professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the UCLA where she holds a chair in Indian Studies and serves as the director of the South Asian Archeology Laboratory in the Cotsen Institute of Archeology. She is the author, most recently of Cities: The First 6,000 Years My conversation with Monica Smith:

Learn about how studying ancient cities can help us plan modern cities from author Monica L. Smith, an archaeologist and professor in the department of anthropology at UCLA. Plus, learn what happens to light when you turn off the light switch. Get your copy of “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE Additional resources from Monica L. Smith: “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” — https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE UCLA Faculty Profile (Anthropology) — https://anthro.ucla.edu/faculty/monica-l-smith UCLA Faculty Profile (Archaeology) — https://ioa.ucla.edu/people/monica-l-smith Research from Monica L. Smith — https://ucla.academia.edu/MonicaLSmith Other resources discussed: Light Absorption, Reflection, and Transmission | The Physics Classroom — https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-2/Light-Absorption,-Reflection,-and-Transmission When You Turn Off A Light, Where Does The Light Go? | Forbes — https://www.forbes.com/sites/jillianscudder/2017/02/19/when-you-turn-off-a-light-where-does-the-light-go/#678694f7556c If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Learn about the similarities between problems facing ancient and modern cities from author Monica L. Smith, an archaeologist and professor in the department of anthropology at UCLA. You’ll also learn about whether you have a dominant ear. Get your copy of “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE Additional resources from Monica L. Smith: “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” — https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE UCLA Faculty Profile (Anthropology) — https://anthro.ucla.edu/faculty/monica-l-smith UCLA Faculty Profile (Archaeology) — https://ioa.ucla.edu/people/monica-l-smith Research from Monica L. Smith — https://ucla.academia.edu/MonicaLSmith Other resources discussed: Side biases in humans (Homo sapiens): three ecological studies on hemispheric asymmetries | Springer Nature — https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00114-009-0571-4 Most People Prefer Right Ear for Listening | Live Science — https://www.livescience.com/9679-people-prefer-ear-listening.html If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Learn about what the first cities looked like — and why humans built them — from author Monica L. Smith, an archaeologist and professor in the department of anthropology at UCLA. Then, learn what makes pedestrians run into each other. Get your copy of “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE Additional resources from Monica L. Smith: “Cities: The First 6,000 Years” — https://amzn.to/2Y6t7nE UCLA Faculty Profile (Anthropology) — https://anthro.ucla.edu/faculty/monica-l-smith UCLA Faculty Profile (Archaeology) — https://ioa.ucla.edu/people/monica-l-smith Research from Monica L. Smith — https://ucla.academia.edu/MonicaLSmith Additional resources discussed: Patterns of Public Behaviour: Collision Avoidance on a Pedestrian Crossing | Journal of the International Association for Semiotic Studies — https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/semi.1974.12.issue-4/semi.1974.12.4.281/semi.1974.12.4.281.xml The Experiments for Exploring Dynamic Behaviors in Urban Places Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Department of Architecture | Mouse.class — https://www.academia.edu/6177126/Mouse.class_The_Experiments_for_Exploring_Dynamic_Behaviors_in_Urban_Places_Program_Authorized_to_Offer_Degree_Department_of_Architecture If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Download the FREE 5-star Curiosity app for Android and iOS at https://curiosity.im/podcast-app. And Amazon smart speaker users: you can listen to our podcast as part of your Amazon Alexa Flash Briefing — just click “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing.

Guy Mcpherson, author most recently of 'Only Love Remains', joins Thom in studio to consider if it may be too late to human-caused climate change. Do you think he is right? Is there time to fix the damaging climate change effects or has the Arctic melted too much for us to stop it? ~~~ Thom's insightful listeners add their ideas to the climate change debate. ~~~ Thom reads from 'Cities: The First 6000 Years' by Monica L. Smith. ~~~ Nuclear power plants are not prepared for the effects of climate change. Beyond Nuclear's Paul Gunter discussed the dangers of flooding, earthquakes and climate change on America's nuclear power infrastructure. ~~~ Thom reads from 'Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster' by Adam Higginbotham. ~~~ Thom checks in with Luke Vargas, Chief Foreign Correspondent for Talk Media News.

Grocery stores have a lot of germs. For one thing there is a lot of raw meat and fish moving around in the store. Some of those germs can cause you and your family to get really sick. I begin this episode with some very important advice on how to protect yourself from this very real threat. http://www.menshealth.com/health/supermarket-safetyConflict can be ugly and messy. It can also be positive and productive, according the Liane Davey author of the book, The Good Fight (https://amzn.to/2YXKnwG). Liane joins me to explain how to have “productive conflict” that actually gets to a solution. Plus she reveals how to avoid unproductive conflict that does little more than to cause trouble and make things worse. Conflict is part of life. How we handle it is what matters. Do you sleep in the fetal position? A lot of people do and it may be messing with your self-confidence. Listen as I explain how and why and how you can counteract the effects. https://www.businessinsider.com/amy-cuddy-advice-waking-up-right-2016-1More than half of the world’s population lives in cities. Yet cities are full of problems: crime, high taxes, traffic, ridiculously high cost of housing and many more. Monica L. Smith, a professor of anthropology at UCLA and author of the book Cities: The First 6,000 Years https://amzn.to/2InT5yt) joins me to reveal why people love living in cities, why cities are a relatively new invention (6,000 years ago) and what the future holds for urban environments and the people who live there. This Week's Sponsors-Ancestry. To get 20% off your Ancestry DNA test go to www.Ancestry.com/something-BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK-Quip. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something-Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something-ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com

S4 E25: In this episode meet Tyler Kepner, author of K: A HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN TEN PITCHES; Monica L. Smith, author of CITIES; and Matthew Sleeth, author of REFORESTING FAITH. Each of these authors wants to ensure that the history and importance of particular people and places are acknowledged, explored, and celebrated—whether it’s a beloved baseball pitcher, a bustling city, or the beauty of trees in the natural world. And, learn why one author’s recording experience reminded him of reading aloud in first grade. K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches by Tyler Kepner: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/532815/k-a-history-of-baseball-in-ten-pitches/ Cities by Monica L. Smith: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/553231/cities/ Reforesting Faith by Matthew Sleeth: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/573382/reforesting-faith/

MONICA SMITH is a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds the Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair in Indian Studies and serves as the director of the South Asian Archaeology Laboratory in the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology. Monica Smith's Edge Bio Page (https://www.edge.org/memberbio/monica_l_smith) The conversation: https://www.edge.org/conversation/monicalsmith-infrastructure-as-dialogue