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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This is the DEADLIEST Mountain Peak in the World...
Discover why Annapurna, not Everest, holds the grim title of the world's deadliest mountain peak, with a fatality rate of roughly one in five successful ascents.
The Aral Sea: How the USSR Destroyed the World's Largest Lake
The devastating story of how Soviet agricultural policies transformed the world's fourth-largest lake into a toxic desert, and the fragile efforts to revive what remains.
Pripyat: The City Completely Abandoned in Three Hours.
How the Soviet nuclear city of Pripyat went from a thriving community of 49,000 people to a radioactive ghost town in just three hours after the Chernobyl disaster.
The Great Blue Sinkhole: A Diver's Worst Nightmare
Explore Belize's Great Blue Hole, the world's largest underwater sinkhole. Discover its stunning beauty, deadly diving dangers, and the mysteries lurking in its depths.
Why Nobody Lives on Bikini Atoll.
Discover the tragic history of Bikini Atoll, where 23 nuclear tests displaced an entire population and created a radioactive wasteland that remains uninhabited today.
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.