Proton International

The rise of the cats!

Strolling through Reykjavik, you’ll quickly notice the abundance of cats wandering the streets. These furry companions roam freely, loved and cared for by the locals. But what about dogs? The city’s love affair with cats began in 1924 when Reykjavik banned dogs. This unusual decision stemmed from two concerns: a housing shortage and health risks. With living spaces already cramped, authorities believed removing dogs might improve conditions. Additionally, dogs were seen as less hygienic and potentially capable of spreading diseases to humans. Though the ban was lifted 60 years later, strict regulations on dog ownership made it difficult for residents to adopt them. Cats, however, faced no such restrictions and naturally became the city’s favorite pet. Over time, they cemented their place in Reykjavik’s culture and neighborhoods. Today, you’ll find water bowls scattered around the city and cats lounging comfortably on porches and streets. These beloved animals have become part of the city’s charm. So, if you come across a friendly cat in Reykjavik, don’t hesitate to say hello—they’ll likely enjoy the attention!

Iceland's Ever-Expanding Edventure

We all know that humans and other living beings can grow, but did you know that countries can do so as well? But while we humans stop growing at a certain point, Iceland still continues to grow approximately 2 cm every year. Iceland has quite a unique geology. It lies on top of a hotspot, a place where there are volcanic locales, but which is independent of the movement of tectonic plates. This hotspot is believed to be the cause of the formation of Iceland and gives the island its characteristic volcanoes and geysers. Next to that, it lies on the divergent boundary between two tectonic plates: the Eurasian plate and the North American plate. It is due to the movement of these plates that Iceland keeps growing. Each year they drift apart from each other a bit more, and with that Iceland will grow about 2 cm every year. Now obviously we won’t be able to see this growth of Iceland, but you can see other results of this tectonic movement! The boundary is most visible in Þingvellir National Park, where the diverging plates have left a depressed valley full of cracks between them, a rift valley. Now 2 cm a year is obviously not a lot over a country of 103.000 km2, but keeping up this growth over many years will surely add up. Iceland might even grow so much, it will need a bigger map soon!