Cities
The peculiar logic behind how metropolises grow, die, and reinvent themselves.
72 articlesLatest Cities
The Region That Can't Stop Poisoning Itself
The World Health Organisation calls it the greatest mass poisoning in human history. How India's arsenic belt became a nationwide catastrophe—and why it's been so hard to fix.
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.
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.
Ghana is Simply Destroying Itself.
How illegal gold mining known as galamsey is contaminating Ghana's water, destroying forests and farmland, and threatening the country's very survival.
The World's Most Controversial Museum.
Buried in Central Tokyo near the Imperial Palace lies the Yūshūkan museum, a place so egregious it doesn't just get protested or vandalised—it gets bombed. Discover why this shrine-museum complex sparks international outrage.
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.
More in Cities
The Story of Missouri's Toxic Ghost Town.
Discover the tragic story of Times Beach, Missouri—a thriving community destroyed by dioxin contamination, flooding, and government inaction, leaving behind a toxic ghost town.
The Forgotten Worlds of Eastern Europe.
Explore the abandoned towns and monuments of Eastern Europe left behind after the Soviet collapse, from Georgia's decaying spa resorts to Bulgaria's vilified communist monument and Latvia's secret military ghost towns.
The Malacca Straits: The Most Pirate-Infested Waters in the World
Discover why the Straits of Malacca and Singapore remain the world's most pirate-infested waters, from ancient sea peoples to modern fuel-siphoning gangs.
South Yemen: When the Arab World Tried Communism...
The remarkable story of South Yemen, the first and only communist state in the Arab world, from its birth in 1967 to its collapse and the ongoing civil war.
The Neverending Coal Fire of Pennsylvania
Discover the haunting story of Centralia, Pennsylvania, where an underground coal fire has burned for over 60 years, transforming a thriving mining town into an abandoned ghost town.
The US Town Blitzed By Two Tornadoes in One Day
In 1974, the small Alabama town of Tanner suffered a natural disaster so unique it may never happen again: two EF5 tornadoes struck within 30 minutes on the same day.