As coronavirus spreads rapidly across the world, we feel the impact of global urbanization and population density. The UN projects that by 2050, 68 percent of the world population will live in urban areas. One of the new great human challenges before us is to figure out how to make our civilizations smarter, more proactive, and responsive to keep us safe. Smart cities offer a way to keep us thriving, both day to day, and in the face of crises like climate change, pandemics, and terrorism.