Europe
In France, ancient forests are resurging — growing bigger every year
France's forests are even creeping up on their major cities.
Can you guess the legend to this map?
It shows Europe divided into two bafflingly unfamiliar blocs - what do red and blue stand for?
High in the Alps, where it’s ‘not supposed to melt,’ a rare glacial pond has been discovered
It is rare for them to form, nonetheless reach this size.
Scotland is generating so much wind energy, it could power all of its homes — twice over
Why doesn't the U.S. generate more electricity from wind?
Bank loans at ‘unimaginable’ interest rates: How the Spanish press became corrupted
A new book from the former editor of El Mundo describes a culture of corruption in Spain's press. In exchange for favorable coverage of politicians and corporations, bribes.
What a deer-tooth necklace says about our Ice Age ancestors
The beads are made from red-deer teeth, sourced from 63 individual deer.
Berlin freezes rent for five years
The once-famously cheap city is growing more expensive by the year, pricing out the artists that it was once known for.
Codetermination: A way to rebalance the economy?
Codetermination is one of the most interesting ideas you've never heard of.
Andrew Yang: Alaska proves a universal basic income can work
Andrew Yang argues that the Alaska Permanent Fund shows the path to implementing a nationwide universal basic income.
Are people getting smarter or dumber? Yes.
The Flynn effect shows people have gotten smarter, but some research claims those IQ gains are regressing. Can both be right?
Thumbs up? Map shows Europe’s hitchhiking landscape
Average waiting time for hitchhikers in Ireland: Less than 30 minutes. In southern Spain: More than 90 minutes.
D-Day 75 years on: Harrowing letters & stories from soldiers
Sobering accounts from one of the most pivotal battles in world history.
Paris, destroyed: A map of buildings lost to history
Notre Dame was almost torched in 1871, when Communards set Paris' major buildings ablaze.
Public opinion study in Europe shows drop in anti-immigration sentiment, among other changes
Despite the negative rhetoric, Europeans are getting more liberal about immigration.
In Sweden you can roam anywhere you like, without the landowner’s permission
Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
Cú Chulainn: Irish mythology’s Incredible Hulk
Humanity has long been obsessed with individuals who, in a fit of rage, transform into something not-quite human. Irish mythology serves up another example.
Eight reasons why comedians make good leaders
After a landslide victory, a popular comedian with no political experience becomes Ukraine's next president. Are comedians really the best leaders?
Should France rebuild Notre Dame exactly as it was?
The lack of tall, strong oak trees poses something of a problem for the restoration effort.
New fossils suggest human ancestors evolved in Europe, not Africa
Experts argue the jaws of an ancient European ape reveal a key human ancestor.
Which country is the best? is the wrong question
Policy advisor Simon Anholt believes the question we should ask is, which country is the "goodest"?
Late historian’s 3D map of Notre Dame can help France restore it to impressive detail
Digitally recording historical sites could serve as insurance in the case of disaster.
Are Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez redefining socialism in the U.S.?
Polls show that more Americans today define socialism as an ideology of "equality" than one espousing government control of the economy.
Lasers could cut lifespan of nuclear waste from “a million years to 30 minutes,” says Nobel laureate
Physicist plans to karate-chop them with super-fast blasts of light.
How Brexit has changed the mental map of Britain
Artistic and statistic cartography projects show the U.K. divided like never before.
This is the best (and simplest) world map of religions
Both panoramic and detailed, this infographic manages to show both the size and distribution of world religions.
In Switzerland, gun ownership is high but mass shootings are low. Why?
In the face of seemingly unstoppable gun violence, Americans could stand to gain by looking to the Swiss.
The missing ‘puzzle’ page of Einstein’s unified theory of everything found
Over 100 new pages of Einstein's writings, including long-lost calculations, have been made public.
Finland’s education system is failing. Should we look to Asia?
Finland's recent decline in international test scores has led many to question whether its education system is truly the best.
NASA and ESA team up for historic planetary defense test
Two space agencies plan missions to deflect an asteroid.