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.
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.
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.
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.
Banana Leaves Make Glorious Comeback in Supermarkets Across Vietnam
After straws, Vietnam’s anti-plastic movement now has a new target: plastic grocery wraps.
A Round Square Education in Action at Renaissance's Science Week
Upon hearing the panicked squeals and shrieks, one might think someone was being tortured in the Renaissance classroom, but the students were actually excitedly conducting a science experiment by plac...
Made-in-Vietnam Portable Bum Guns to Penetrate US Market Next Year
Editor's note: Happy April Fools' Day! This article was part of Saigoneer's 2019 April Fools' Day celebration. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, a...
Quang Binh Company Proposes Cable Car in Space Linking Saigon With Hanoi
Editor's note: Happy April Fools' Day! This article was part of Saigoneer's 2019 April Fools' Day celebration. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, a...
Vietnam Comes to a Halt to Celebrate U-12 Football Victory
Editor's note: Happy April Fools' Day! This article was part of Saigoneer's 2019 April Fools' Day celebration. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, a...
Tam Dao's Bear Sanctuary and the Fight Against Bile Farms
Bear bile farming is a custom that originates from China, having been practiced for thousands of years. The bile, harvested from bears’ gallbladders, is used in various traditional Chinese medicines. ...
Micronutrient Deficiencies Mainly to Blame for Stunting Vietnamese Children: Experts
Medical experts believe that malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency are the direct causes of Vietnamese adolescents’ low height.
In Bac Ninh, Over 200 Children Found to Have Tapeworms
According to recent test results, no less than 209 school kids in Bac Ninh were found to be infected with tapeworms, with the children then being rushed to Hanoi for treatment.
Vietnam Considers Exclusive Inter-Airport Road Between Tan Son Nhat, Long Thanh
Authorities are considering a direct road between Long Thanh and Tan Son Nhat airports that's reserved only for inter-airport travelers.
[Photos] In Ben Tre, a Kindergarten of the Future
Who says schools have to be stodgy concrete blocks?
Grab Is Experimenting With 'GrabWheels' Electric Scooter in Singapore
GrabWheels debuted on the main campus of National University Singapore (NUS) in November last year, but a string of accidents have forced new safety measures be put in place as it moves forw...
In New Urban Plan, Da Lat to Demolish, Move Iconic Landmarks
Lam Dong People's Committee recently issued a major development plan for the Hoa Binh area in central Da Lat.
[Photos] In the Central Highlands, a House Doubles as a Playground for Sunlight
Do you need to rethink your understanding of roofs?
Growing Concerns as More Doctors Quit Public Hospitals for Private Sector
If the situation persists, Vietnam's public hospitals could face serious staff shortage in the future.
15-Year-Old Vietnamese Weightlifter Wins 3 Gold Medals, Sets World Records
Do Tu Tung, a 15-year-old bodybuilder from Bac Ninh recently won three gold medals at the 2019 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Youth World Championships in Las Vegas.
Vietnam's Largest Solar Power System Officially Opens in Dak Lak
The 1.2-million-square-meter cluster of solar panels is capable of producing 100 megawatts at its peak.
Cash-Strapped Saigon Metro Project Requests $1.68m From City to Pay Staff
The management team of Saigon's ongoing metro project has requested advance funds from the city to pay employees who have only received partial salaries since January.
From March, Vietnam Requires Hospitals to Digitize Medical Records
Health authorities hope that the change will help cut back waiting times, confusion caused by doctors' handwriting and improve the archiving and managing of records.
Vietnamese Educational App Elsa Secure $7m From Google's AI Fund
Elsa, founded in 2015 by Vietnamese national Van Dinh Hong Vu and speech recognition researcher Dr. Xavier Anguera, is a mobile application that helps English learners hone their pronunciation and ove...
[Photos] Inside Cat Tien National Park's New Bear Sanctuary Made From Wire and Pebbles
The group of buildings inside Cat Tien National Park provides a comfortable home to 40 sun and moon bears that have been rescued from illegal trafficking and the bear bile industry.
