Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in FYI.

San Feng Department Store Accident in Korea
In just 20 seconds, the five-story mall building collapsed, crushing 1,500 people under 42,000 tons of rubble, killing 502 people and injuring 937. What happened behind the scenes of the San Feng Mall tragedy in South Korea, which has sounded the alarm for building safety ever since? We'll start right away.
By Nao Fetter3 years ago in FYI
The beavers returning to the desert
As we head towards the end of another extraordinary year, BBC Future is taking a look back at some of our favourite stories for our "Best of 2021" collection. Discover more of our picks here.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
The unlikely protector against Bangladesh's rising seas
Nothing could have prepared Mohammed Shah Nawaz Chowdhury for the sobering reality of Kutubdia Island. The island, off the coast of southern Bangladesh, was rapidly eroding into the sea, causing both land and life to retreat. Many packed up and moved. Those who couldn't, stayed – inching back, as the island they had called home for generations changed around them. "These were families I had gotten to know, trust and respect," he says. "It regularly moved me to tears."
By Lonetoft3 years ago in FYI
7 Really Deadly Experiments
As with any field, there are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to science. Many people have a warped view of what scientists do, believing them to be mad scientists locked away in dark labs putting themselves and others at risk on a daily basis. While there may be some truth behind the caricatures, science is actually a fairly safe occupation with strict regulation surrounding experiments and testing procedures. However, that doesn’t mean that all experiments conducted by scientists are entirely risk-free. From the first documented experiment (on dropping objects from tall buildings) to more recent examples, there have been numerous experiments that could have gone horribly wrong – fortunately for us all, they didn’t, for the most part. Here are 7 really deadly experiments that were conducted by people who should have known better…
By PP3 years ago in FYI
1978, the Australian pilot disappeared strangely
01. Strange flight Time coordinates: October 21, 1978 Location Coordinates: Over Bass Strait, Australia It was just a busy working day for Fred, a pilot who had just turned 20 years old.
By Venus3 years ago in FYI
What kind of country is Poland?
"He who always asks for directions does not get lost." This is a famous Polish proverb, which speaks of Poland's strong nationalist sentiment and its difficult modern history of climbing up the parasitic ladder.
By Lu Na Ba3 years ago in FYI
Bangladesh: A Country Dependent on China
As the saying goes, there is strength in numbers, and in reality, people have long proven this truth from a variety of facts, but when the angle of concern rises, the quantity cannot meet the quality, and the single-minded promotion of quantity becomes a liability instead.
By Luanna3 years ago in FYI
Inventory of Asia's resource-rich but mixed with the "poor" 6 countries, have you been?
I. Afghanistan (GDP per capita: $525) Total economy: $19.99 billion Area and population: total area of 652,300 square kilometers; population: 29.92 million (2005)
By Bobbi Ruivodt3 years ago in FYI
Little-known civilization Armenia
Today the Republic of Armenia is a small country with a land area of about 29,800 square kilometers and a population of more than 3 million people. Armenia ranks 135th among the more than two hundred countries and regions in the world in terms of land area, smaller than the area of Hainan Island in China, and with a population slightly smaller than that of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. However, at one point in history, Armenia's territory was much larger than it is today, and like the Jews, the Armenians were a miraculous people who managed to regain their country after many years of disintegration.
By Tilly Cara3 years ago in FYI
How waste food can reduce our reliance on natural gas
t a large industrial facility not far south-west of Ireland's capital Dublin, one man says old food waste and pig manure can help Europe fight climate change – and reduce its reliance on Russia for energy. Billy Costello explains that decaying organic matter releases biogas, which firms like Green Generation, the one he directs, can collect and purify to produce methane, or biomethane as it's called when it comes from such sources.
By Holy horse3 years ago in FYI
The revival of a historic journey across Spain
As late May approached, the animals were growing restless. In little more than a day, the heat from the southerly desert winds had turned the grass dry, leaving Jesús Garzón's herd of 1,100 sheep and goats little to eat. Garzón knew – and the animals, nervous and bleating, knew as well – it was time to head north, where cool weather and fresh pastures awaited them.
By Udley3 years ago in FYI
The medieval Dutch solution to flooding
This July, gorged by days of rain, the Meuse River broke its banks, and the Belgian town of Liège was its victim. Waters the colour of old gravy raced through town, leaving residents floating in canoes as their homes vanished about them. In the city and its province, over 20 died, one man drowning in his basement.
By Holy horse3 years ago in FYI