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.
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La Mesa: The Incredible Story of Tijuana's Prison-Village
Discover the bizarre history of La Mesa, Tijuana's infamous prison-village where cartel members lived in townhouses with jacuzzis, children attended school, and 7,000 residents created a self-governing society behind prison walls.
Darvaza: Turkmenistan's Eternally-Burning Crater
The story of the Darvaza gas crater, a Soviet-era engineering mishap that became one of the world's most bizarre tourist attractions, and its possible imminent extinction.
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.
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.
The Extreme Problems of the World's Most Densely Populated City.
Manila, the most densely populated city on Earth, faces crushing overcrowding, precarious housing, natural disaster vulnerability, and infrastructure strain that threatens its future survival.
Red Village: The Last Shtetl in the World.
Discover Qirmizi Qesebe, the world's last surviving Shtetl, where Mountain Jews preserve centuries-old traditions in Azerbaijan's Caucasus Mountains, sustained by an unlikely concentration of billionaire benefactors.