Cities
The peculiar logic behind how metropolises grow, die, and reinvent themselves.
72 articlesLatest Cities
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More in Cities
How to Escape from North Korea
An in-depth look at North Korea's supposedly luxurious Hyangsan Hotel, exploring how this Potemkin village of tourism serves as propaganda for the Kim regime.
Hungary May Have Built the Most Corrupt Stadium in the World.
How Viktor Orban's village of 2,000 people became home to a state-of-the-art football stadium, and what it reveals about Hungary's slide toward autocracy.
Huntington, West Virginia: The Story of America's "Overdose Capital"
How Huntington, West Virginia became known as America's overdose capital during the opioid epidemic, and the remarkable community efforts that helped turn the tide against addiction.
Jericho: The Oldest City on Earth?
Discover Jericho, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities with 11,000 years of history, biblical significance, and modern-day challenges in the West Bank.
Kaliningrad: Why Russia Owns a Random Piece of Europe
Explore the complex history and strategic importance of Kaliningrad, Russia's isolated exclave between Poland and Lithuania, from medieval fortress to Cold War stronghold and modern geopolitical flashpoint.
Karachay: The Deadliest Lake in the World
Discover Lake Karachay, the most polluted lake on Earth, where 30 minutes of exposure delivers a lethal dose of radiation. Learn about the Soviet nuclear waste dumping and the 1957 Kyshtym Disaster.