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 Most Dangerous City in the World...
Colima, Mexico has the highest murder rate on Earth at 140.32 per 100,000 people. Discover how geography, cartel wars, and failed government policies turned this once-peaceful state into the world's most dangerous place.
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.
The Weird World of Ghost Islands...
Explore the mysterious phantom islands that appeared on maps for centuries before disappearing—honest mistakes, deliberate hoaxes, and unexplained vanishings that still puzzle historians today.
The Corner House: Latvia's KGB Headquarters
Discover the dark history of Riga's Corner House, the KGB headquarters where thousands of Latvians were imprisoned, tortured, and executed during five decades of Soviet occupation.
The Lake Catastrophe You've Never Heard Of...
The untold story of how Hooker Chemical, DuPont, and other industrial polluters poisoned White Lake, Michigan—and the decades-long fight for justice by local activists.
NSWC Carderock: The US Navy's Giant Indoor Ocean.
Discover how the US Navy tests warship designs at NSWC Carderock's Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin, a massive indoor ocean in Maryland that simulates typhoons, rogue waves, and combat conditions.