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 Development

HCMC Proposes Rail Link Between Tan Son Nhat, Long Thanh Airports

This is part of the city's suggestions for the Vietnam Railway Authority's railway development plan for 2021-2030.

Mel Schenck

in Architecture

Vietnamese Architects Are Leaders in the Architecture of the Information Age

Over the past few years, Vietnamese architects have been developing a new architecture beyond modernism for small projects such as houses and schools. Architects around the world are taking notice and...

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Mèo: A Complicated Love Affair

Of all the Asian and Southeast Asian countries that use the animal zodiac, only Vietnam has a cat in place of the rabbit. One theory for why is that while Chinese has a word for rabbit, it also has a ...

in Environment

Nguyễn Văn Thái Becomes Vietnam's 2nd Goldman Environmental Prize Winner

He has dedicated his life to fighting wildlife poaching in Vietnam.

in Health

In the Pandemic, Hanoi's Newfound Cycling Love Sends Bike Sales Zooming

Thanks to COVID-19, gyms, yoga studios, and parks have closed, but the need for physical exercise remains.

in Health

Hanoi Engineers Create Air-Conditioned Booth to Help Doctors Combat Summer Heat

As the weather becomes hotter in Vietnam, the jobs of pandemic medical staff have also become more difficult.

in Health

Vietnam's Childhood Obesity Rate Doubles Over 10 Years, Data Shows

Are Vietnamese children spending less time on active recreations and more at home?

in Society

Learning From Stories of Made-in-Vietnam Social Innovation, as Told by 4 Experts

In Vietnam, the term “innovation” is mostly associated with technological and economic development, but what about “social innovation”?

in Architecture

[Photos] A Phu Tho Home Embraces Traditions and Contemporary Design

Oh, to live amongst exposed brick and polished wood.

in Architecture

[Photos] Hanoi Architects Grow Creative Ecosystem Inside Slender Tube House

Completed last year, the VUUV building takes the tube house structure and turns it into a multi-purpose complex filled with dynamic hangouts and creative platforms. 

in Parks & Rec

Saigon's Only Bonsai School Grooms Budding Artisans on a Century-Old Craft

Bonsai has often been regarded as an activity for the elderly, but the local bonsai community is experiencing an unprecedented renewal thanks to the participation of an unexpected demographic: young p...

in Education

Students Explore Hospitality Careers at EHL’s Junior Academy

“I wasn’t much of a people person...but by being able to meet so many people from so many places and work during my internship…EHL made me grow up out of my little bubble and I became more comfortable...

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Cây Đa: A Tree That Contains Multitudes

A book, a beer and some shade, what else does one need?

in Environment

Two Illustrated Books by Vietnamese Conservationist to Have Global Release

They tell the story of a Vietnamese woman working to rescue a bear and an elephant.

Elise Luong

in Environment

Living From the Earth at Ninh Binh's Lá Library

A stone's throw away from Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh Province sits La Library, an education center promoting sustainable living through sustainable agriculture farming, earthen building tec...

in Tech

Vietnam Proposes Using GPS Trackers to Monitor Incoming Arrivals in Quarantine

The Vietnam-made GPS bracelets would allow authorities to better manage those required to be in isolation at home or in central facilities.

Linh Pham

in Environment

How China's Upstream Dams Affect Communities Along the Red River

Flooding and biodiversity among concerns for people in Vietnam below the cascade of Red river dams.

in Architecture

[Photos] Hanoian Kindergarten Adds a Funky, Sunny Twist to Its Asymmetrical Design

Faced with the restrictions of rigid urban planning rules, school building projects in central areas of cities often have limited control of their land usage and surroundings.

in Tech

Team Behind 500 Startups Vietnam Launches New Venture Fund

Vietnam's venture capital scene is about to welcome a new player run by veterans of the industry.

in Education

Preparing Graduates for University Success at European International School

Being accepted into a top university is just the first step on a student's journey to higher education where soft skills and study habits are keys to long-term academic success.