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Cities

The peculiar logic behind how metropolises grow, die, and reinvent themselves.

72 articles

Latest Cities

Zheleznogorsk/Krasnoyarsk-26: Siberia’s Secret Nuclear City
Cities56.25 N, 93.53 E

Zheleznogorsk/Krasnoyarsk-26: Siberia’s Secret Nuclear City

Explore the hidden history of Krasnoyarsk-26, a Soviet secret city built to produce weapons-grade plutonium, its luxurious gilded cage existence, and the devastating environmental legacy that outlasted the Cold War.

Simon WhistlerJuly 5, 2026
The Most Extreme Prison in Russia
Cities51.50 N, 58.44 E

The Most Extreme Prison in Russia

Discover Black Dolphin, Russia's most notorious supermax prison. From its brutal conditions to its depraved inmates, explore what makes this modern-day gulag inescapable.

Simon WhistlerJuly 3, 2026
Alnwick Poison Garden: The Deadliest Plants in the World
Cities55.41 N, 1.71 W

Alnwick Poison Garden: The Deadliest Plants in the World

Explore England's Alnwick Poison Garden, where deadly plants require government permission to grow and visitors risk fainting among nature's most dangerous killers.

Simon WhistlerJuly 1, 2026
The Boötes Void: The Biggest, Emptiest Thing in the Universe
Cities46.00 N, 14.50 W

The Boötes Void: The Biggest, Emptiest Thing in the Universe

Discover the Boötes Void, a 330 million light-year expanse of near-nothingness that changed our understanding of cosmic structure, and explore the theories behind this mysterious region of space.

Simon WhistlerJuly 1, 2026
Cactus Dome: The Nuclear Tomb in Paradise
Cities36.83 N, 116.07 W

Cactus Dome: The Nuclear Tomb in Paradise

The Cactus Dome on Runit Island contains 111,000 cubic yards of radioactive waste from US nuclear testing. As sea levels rise and concrete cracks, this Cold War tomb threatens to release its poison into the Pacific.

Simon WhistlerJuly 1, 2026
The Caribbean Capital City... That is a Ghost Town
Cities16.74 N, 62.19 W

The Caribbean Capital City... That is a Ghost Town

How Mariupol, Ukraine's tenth-largest city, was besieged, destroyed, and rebuilt as a Russian city—erasing its people, culture, and identity in one of the most brutal urban campaigns of the 21st century.

Simon WhistlerJuly 1, 2026

Places Field Notes

Weekly notes from Simon Whistler on remarkable locations, hidden histories, and maps worth following.

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More in Cities

Lesotho: The Country with the Lowest Life Expectancy in the WORLD...
Cities29.61 S, 28.23 E

Lesotho: The Country with the Lowest Life Expectancy in the WORLD...

Discover why Lesotho, the mountain kingdom of Southern Africa, has one of the lowest life expectancies on Earth at just 53 years. Explore the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic, harsh geography, and cautious hopes for the future.

Simon WhistlerJune 26, 2026
Let’s Talk About Jeffrey Epstein’s Island.
Cities18.30 N, 64.83 W

Let’s Talk About Jeffrey Epstein’s Island.

A detailed exploration of Area 51's secret history, from its origins testing the U-2 spy plane through the fast era of Mach 3+ aircraft to modern stealth technology—separating fact from alien fiction.

Simon WhistlerJune 26, 2026
Mount Everest is Way More Dangerous Than You'd Think.
Cities27.99 N, 86.92 E

Mount Everest is Way More Dangerous Than You'd Think.

From the lethal "death zone" above 8,000 metres to ruthless weather, hidden crevasses, and deadly human overcrowding, discover why Mount Everest claims lives in ways most people never imagine.

Simon WhistlerJune 26, 2026
Life Sucks in the Coldest City on Earth.
Cities66.41 N, 112.53 E

Life Sucks in the Coldest City on Earth.

Discover how residents of Yakutsk, Russia survive in the world's coldest major city, where temperatures drop to -64°C and daily life requires extraordinary adaptations.

Simon WhistlerJune 25, 2026
San Francisco is Becoming a Nightmare
Cities37.77 N, 122.42 W

San Francisco is Becoming a Nightmare

Is San Francisco really collapsing? This deep dive separates viral narratives from reality—exploring homelessness, fentanyl, crime, tech inequality, and downtown's decline while revealing why the city might actually be recovering.

Simon WhistlerJune 18, 2026
The Endless Ills of Yekaterinburg.
Cities56.84 N, 60.61 E

The Endless Ills of Yekaterinburg.

From imperial fortress to Soviet industrial powerhouse to cosmopolitan hub, Yekaterinburg embodied Russia's contradictions. Now Putin's war is dragging this once-vibrant city back into darkness.

Simon WhistlerJune 17, 2026