Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Kiến Ba Khoang: Not an Ant, but a Harbinger of Dread and Divine Punishment

People’s skin erupted with horrific boils that burst open, spilling stinging pus across vicious rashes. According to the Christian Bible, along with water turning to blood, frogs, lice, gnats, diseased livestock, hail, locusts, darkness for three days and the killing of firstborn sons, the boils were one of the plagues God sent down to ancient Egyptians to compel them to free the Israelites.

Khôi Phạm

in Tech

Review: Horror Game 'Tai Ương' Exposes the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Our Culture

Natural disasters, illnesses, accidents, breakages, or even deaths: when a series of consecutive tragedies engulf a family, it’s often said that tai ương has befallen the unfornate victims. The term is also the name of a recently published Vietnamese horror game that has been making waves amongst gaming communities both nationwide and internationally, thanks to its layered narrative, chilling atmosphere, and meticulously crafted game environment.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

WildAct's Trang Nguyễn Turns to Social Media to Inspire a New Generation to Love Nature

Dr. Trang Nguyễn — a wildlife conservation scientist with a PhD from Cambridge and the founder of WildAct — needs little introduction. She has been recognized as one of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30, called a conservation “hero” by Sir David Attenborough on BBC’s Planet Earth III, and had her inspiring story, which includes going undercover to bring down illegal ivory poaching rings in Africa after surviving cancer, covered widely. But much of her work has been behind the scenes or at least in corners devoted to conservations. Her recent arrival on the social media scene, amongst memes, music videos, and TikTok challenges, represents a shift in approach.

Phạm Phú Vinh

in Architecture

Vietnamese Vernacular Modernism Is a Local Language Created by the Ordinary People

In the history of architecture, rarely have we seen such a challenging movement as Vietnamese modernism. Not only does it show how a culture evolves and expresses itself across historical epochs through its building practice, from the traditional to colonial and eventually modern period, but the language of Vietnamese vernacular modernism also reveals deeper understandings of human creative potential.

in Architecture

How Saigon's V.A.R Building Epitomizes Vietnam's Architectural Autonomy

Completed in 1973, the V.A.R building at 9 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Nguyễn Thái Binh Ward, District 1, is a prominent example of Vietnamese mid-20th-century modernist architecture designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm. It not only represents the Vietnamese architectural identity in post-colonial eras, but also exemplifies its cultural autonomy.

in Development

Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project

Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.

in Environment

Opinion: Electric Vehicles Are Southeast Asia's Way out Amid the Global Fossil Fuel Crisis

As the Iran war crunches global energy supplies and disrupts prices, Southeast Asian leaders may need to diversify oil and gas supplies in order to protect ordinary people.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science

Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers. 

Back Society

in Environment

A New Mantis Species in Vietnam Was Named After David Attenborough

If you've ever stared into nature and had the calming voice of an elderly British man enter to narrate the scene, you are probably a David Attenborough fan.

in Architecture

[Photos] New House by VTN Architects Blurs Line Between Man and Nature

"What, you want me to live in a house with walls?"

in Health

Da Nang Trials Group Testing for Covid-19 to Save Resources

Facing a massive number of tests to be done among residents, Da Nang is exploring more cost-effective ways to do COVID-19 testing.

in Environment

Vietnam Increases Carbon Emissions Reduction Target in Next Decade

The country is now aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9% by 2030.

in Environment

New Directive Aims to Strengthen Illegal Wildlife Trade Enforcement

On July 23, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc issued a new directive with the aim of tightening control against illegal wildlife trade and consumption.

in Health

Over 20,000 Hanoians Who Visited Da Nang to Be Tested for Covid-19

The mass testing comes as Vietnam races to stem a fresh outbreak of the novel coronavirus centered in Da Nang.

in Environment

Cà Mau Announces $820m Plan to Fight Climate Change

Cà Mau is among localities in Vietnam most affected by erosion.

Mel Schenck

in Architecture

The Story of Vietnam's Urban Energy and Aspirations Told via Southern Modernist Architecture

The following article is an edited excerpt from the recently published book Southern Vietnamese Modernist Architecture, presenting the history of the style, and how it contrasts with modernism in nort...

in Health

All Saigon Residents Who Visited Da Nang in July Will Be Tested for Covid-19

To reduce risks of COVID-19 infection, Saigon announced yesterday that the city would test all residents who returned from Da Nang recently.

in Environment

Bring Your Own Containers, We're Going Grocery Shopping

Above a peaceful coffee shop on the quiet road of Nguyễn Khắc Nhu lies a small zero-waste refill shop trying to advocate change.

in Architecture

[Photos] An Airy Home for Those Averse to Air-Conditioning

To some people, air conditioners suck.

in Education

At Kyros Saigon, a Different Therapy Massage Method

Sometimes, it seems like you can’t walk 100 meters in Saigon without tripping over a spa.

in Development

Vietnam Reconsiders Nuclear Power Options in Decade Energy Master Plan

Previous plans to build nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan Province were scrapped in 2016, but the projects might be coming back in the near future.

in Tech

Saigon Unveils New Public Bus App Made by Grab

The Go!Bus app will show travelers information for bus routes and connect them to Grab cars or bikes to bring them there if the nearest station is beyond 200 meters away.

in Development

Hanoi Approves Design of New Tu Lien Bridge Over Red River

It will be called the Tứ Liên Bridge and was designed in part by Sun Group.

in Environment

High Chemical Levels Detected in Air Following Warehouse Fire

Heads up, Hanoians!

in Architecture

[Photos] New Da Nang Cafe Serves up Special Blend of Old and New Design

Across Vietnam’s metropolises, loss of heritage continues to be a challenge during a time of overly eager demolition and real estate fever.

in Sports

As Epidemic Subsides in Vietnam, Return of VBA Not an ‘If,’ but a 'When’

Rebooting professional basketball during a global pandemic is no slam dunk.

in Tech

GoViet to Be Renamed Gojek Vietnam to Merge With Indonesian Parent App

Say goodbye to GoViet and hello to Gojek.

in Education

How Foreign Parents Acclimate to Life in Hanoi

Uprooting one’s life and moving halfway around the world isn’t easy for anyone.