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What if our cities were designed for wildlife as well as people?

Phys · · 937 words · By Saman Sobhani
Environmental ethics Urban Planning Biodiversity Loss
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What to know about Environmental ethics

The author argues for 'multispecies justice' in urban planning, suggesting that cities should be designed to consider the inherent interests of wildlife rather than viewing nature solely as a service provider for humans. The piece cites examples of legal rights for rivers and the implementation of swift bricks in Scotland as models for this shift in perspective.

Propaganda risk 20%
Claims checked 9
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left17%
Center83%
Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Phys reports: What if our cities were designed for wildlife as well as people?.

Why it matters

Lisa Lock Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Chief Editor On a warm evening in May, swifts scream over rooftops, chasing insects above the traffic.

Common ground

A fox slips along a garden wall while gulls squabble on a supermarket roof.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Black-and-White Fallacy: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

The author argues for 'multispecies justice' in urban planning, suggesting that cities should be designed to consider the inherent interests of wildlife rather than viewing nature solely as a service provider for humans. The piece cites examples of legal rights for rivers and the implementation of swift bricks in Scotland as models for this shift in perspective.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-cities-wildlife-people.html

analyticsAnalysis

20%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Black-and-White Fallacy 60% confidence
Presenting only two options when more exist.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing black-and-white fallacy helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
info Single Source 4
cancel Disputed 1
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Claim 1: “These hollow bricks contain a nesting cavity and cost roughly £30 each”
CORROBORATED
The Conversation and other web results confirm these are hollow bricks with nesting cavities. While the price is cited as £30 in the claim, The Guardian mentions £35, but both agree on the general cost range and function.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Swift bricks are hollow bricks that can be inhabited by cavity-nesting birds such as swifts, an aerial bird once common in the UK that is now on the country's Red List of conservation concern.
https://www.dezeen.com/2026/01/29/swift-bricks-new-buildings…
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web search NEUTRAL — Swifts nest almost exclusively in the cavities of buildings, often just below the roofline or under tiles.Swift numbers have collapsed dramatically in the last 30 years, with a 76% drop in their Welsh…
https://www.rspb.org.uk/wales/news/swifts-in-crisis
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The bricks will be introduced in Scotland after a 12-month consultation to ensure there is an appropriate building standard for the bricks, which, as well as providing nesting places for swifts, help …
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/28/swift-br…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 2: “Colombia's Atrato River was recognized as a subject of rights in 2016”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Colombia Constitutional Court Case reports, Earth Law Center) confirm that the Atrato River was recognized as a subject of rights in 2016 via Judgment T-622.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Atrato slider (Trachemys medemi) is a species of turtle in the family Emydidae endemic to northwestern Colombia. It was described in 2017.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrato_slider
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Republic of Colombia is situated largely in the north-west of South America, with some territories falling within the boundaries of Central America. It is bordered to the north-west by Panama; to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Colombia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Atrato River (Spanish: Río Atrato) is a river of northwestern Colombia. It rises in the slopes of the Western Cordillera and flows almost due north to the Gulf of Urabá (or Gulf of Darién), where …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrato_River
+ 4 more evidence sources
info
Claim 3: “In New Zealand, the Whanganui River was recognized as a legal person in 2017”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only the cross-reference from The Conversation confirms the 2017 legal personhood of the Whanganui River. Wikipedia confirms the river's existence and location but does not mention the legal status in the provided snippets.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whanganui
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Whanganui River is a major river in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the country's third-longest river, and has special status owing to its importance to the region's Māori people. In March …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whanganui_River
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Whanganui Māori are the Māori iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes) of the Whanganui River area of New Zealand. They are also known as Ngāti Hau.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whanganui_Māori
+ 4 more evidence sources
info
Claim 4: “In 2021, the species was added to a list of birds at greatest risk of extinction”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only the cross-reference from The Conversation explicitly states the species was added to a list of birds at greatest risk of extinction in 2021. Other search results discuss the IUCN Red List generally or other bird species, but do not confirm this specific event for the swift in 2021.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — IN, In or in may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British Imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to ⁠1/36⁠ yard or ⁠1/12⁠ of a foot. Derived from the Roman un…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inch
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United S…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killed_in_action
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 5: “In the UK, Scotland has become the first nation to require by law swift bricks in new buildings”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (The Conversation, Smart Thermostat Hub, TikTok/News reports) confirm Scotland is the first UK nation to mandate swift bricks in new buildings via the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Scotland has become the first nation in the UK to require swift‑nesting bricks in all new buildings, following the passage of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.
https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/articles/scotland-ma…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — By requiring swift bricks in new buildings, Scotland has chosen to address this issue at its source. Rather than relying on voluntary measures, the law ensures that new developments actively contribut…
https://noblesolicitors.co.uk/scotland-leads-the-way-in-law-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Scottish Parliament has voted to mandate the installation of swift bricks in every new building, marking a significant victory for nature conservation. This groundbreaking legislation ensures that…
https://www.tiktok.com/@protectthewild_/video/76042139914638…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 6: “More than half the world's population now lives in urban areas”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (The Conversation, Phys) confirm that more than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas/cities.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Over and Over may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_and_Over
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — An over–under or over/under (O/U) bet is a wager in which a sportsbook will predict a number for a statistic in a given game and bettors wager that the actual number in the game will be either higher…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over–under
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Over may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 7: “Barcelona has built green corridors linking parks to the hills beyond the city”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only the cross-reference from The Conversation mentions the green corridors linking parks to hills in Barcelona. Other search results are general Wikipedia entries about the city and football club.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Futbol Club Barcelona (Catalan pronunciation: [fudˈbɔl ˈklub bəɾsəˈlonə] ⓘ), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça ([ˈbaɾsə]), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Ca…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Barcelona ha sido escenario de diversos acontecimientos internacionales que han contribuido a consolidarla, desarrollarla y darle proyección mundial. Los más relevantes han sido la Exposición Universa…
https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain after Madrid.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 8: “UK swift numbers have fallen by around 60% since 1995”
DISPUTED
While several sources (The Conversation, Smart Thermostat Hub, North Shropshire Liberal Democrats) cite a decline of approximately 60% since 1995, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History specifically reports a decline of 42% since 1994, creating a contradiction in the specific percentage.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — .uk is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United Kingdom. It was first registered in July 1985, seven months after the original generic top-level domains such as .com and the first coun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.uk
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Voice UK is a British singing reality competition television series. Created by John de Mol Jr. and Roel van Velzen, it premiered on BBC One on 24 March 2012. Based on the original Dutch singing c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voice_UK
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It compr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom
+ 4 more evidence sources
info
Claim 9: “In England, efforts to require swift bricks by law were rejected by the House of Lords”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only the cross-reference from The Conversation explicitly states that efforts in England were rejected by the House of Lords. Other sources mention the 'four-year battle' in England but do not specifically name the House of Lords as the rejecting body in the provided snippets.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — • Mandatory Swift Bricks: New requirements for nesting spaces in new dwellings "where reasonably practical and appropriate," subject to a 12-month consultation on building standards.
https://www.buildscotland.co.uk/construction-news/326921/sco…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Swift bricks will be installed in all new buildings in Scotland after the Scottish parliament voted in favour of a law to help endangered cavity-nesting birds.The swift move contrasts with the four-ye…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/28/swift-br…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Swift Brick. This is where internal swift bricks come in. These are an easy and cheap way to provide nest sites for Swifts that can be simply included in new housing developments or fitted into ex…
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/swifts-back-in-…
+ 1 more evidence source
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.