What does an urbanizing planet mean for sustainability? How is urbanization reshaping Earth? In this talk, Karen Seto will discuss contemporary trends in urbanization and what it means for the planet. The talk will use examples from her book, City Unseen, to show urban landscapes in new perspectives. The book’s satellite images pull back the veil on familiar scenes to highlight the growth of cities over time, the symbiosis between urban form and natural landscapes, and the vulnerabilities of cities to the effects of climate change. Seto will explain the science behind the satellite images that capture the shape, growth, and life of urban settlements around the world—from the remote town of Namche Bazaar in Nepal to the vast metropolitan of Tokyo, Japan.

Seto is the Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.