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 Sports

Vietnam Basketball League Welcomes 7th Team, Nha Trang Dolphins, in 2020

The Nha Trang Dolphins will join the Vietnam Basketball Association when the fifth season tips off this May.

in Health

3 Vietnamese, All Home for Tet From Wuhan, Test Positive for Coronavirus

Three Vietnamese nationals are now being treated for the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

in Environment

Vietnam's Economy Among Nations Most Affected by Sea Level Rise: Moody's

A new report from Moody’s Investors Service points to a long-term credit risk from sea level rise in Vietnam.

in Health

Vietnam's 2nd Coronavirus Patient Recovers; Doctors Suspect Inter-Human Transmission

The fast-spreading illness has had a limited impact on Vietnam thus far, but doctors are concerned that this could change.

in Health

Being Human: Facing the Black Mirror of Technology Addiction

The second edition of ‘Being Human,’ our new series dedicated to mental health, focuses on the growing issue of technology addiction.

in Environment

Air Pollution Is Costing Vietnam's Economy $10.8–13.6bn a Year, Research Shows

Air pollution has been a daily annoyance for many Saigoneers, but how does this urban ailment translate into economic terms?

in Environment

Ben Tre Declares Emergency as Saltwater Intrusion Reaches Alarming Levels

An environmental emergency has been declared in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre after local saltwater intrusion reached alarming levels

in Sports

In a D5 Gym, a Soft-Spoken Muay Thai Legend Trains Future Fighters

I first encountered Muay Thai on a photo assignment in Bangkok a number of years ago, and this graceful, devastatingly lethal martial art has piqued my curiosity ever since. After returning to the Uni...

in Tech

Grab Vietnam Appoints Its First Female CEO, Nguyen Thai Hai Van

The current managing director of Grab Vietnam, Jerry Lim, will return to Singapore to his role as Regional Head of Customer Experience.

in Development

Starting This Month, Hanoians Can Travel All the Way to Beijing by Train

The service began on January 1.

in Environment

Saigon Has 13 New Air Quality Monitors, Mostly at Public Schools

They will provide residents with more accurate air quality readings across the city.

in Development

Historic Building Saved From Demolition Following Community Response

In the southern reaches of the Vietnamese capital, a French villa that was expected to be demolished within months has been spared following community support for the structure.

in Architecture

[Photos] Da Nang House Strikes a Balance Between Private and Common Spaces

Located in a suburban area of Da Nang, the house benefits from its green surroundings.

in Sports

Gold-Medal Runner Nguyen Thi Oanh Named Vietnam's Athlete of the Year

She won the award over well-known swimmers and footballers.

in Development

Hanoi's First 2 Metro Lines May Open by End of This Year

Let's begin the new year with updates from Hanoi's much-anticipated urban railway project.

in Sports

Vietnam Football Federation Rakes in $10.4m in Revenue This Year

The recent success of the national football teams has helped bring more capital to the federation.

in Environment

1,300 Pine Trees in National Park Damaged in Illegal Resin Theft

Resin rapscallions pilfered from hundreds of pine trees in Tam Dao National Park.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Ode to Water Hyacinth, Vietnam's Invasive, Beautiful Aquatic Plant

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trappe...

in Sports

Vietnam’s Female Football Team Ranks 32nd of 155 in FIFA World Rankings

The national women's football team is currently the highest-ranked team in Southeast Asia.

in Architecture

[Photos] An Open, Airy Home in Da Nang to Ward off Past Claustrophobia

Architects in Da Nang transformed a standard 100-square-meter plot of land into a simple, cozy home for a young couple.