New firefighting team trains for fire season: photos

We are all realising that our way of life, the one our parents, who were born and raised especially after the Second World War, taught us, is no longer sustainable. There are too many of us in this world now, and nature can no longer provide us with everything we need.

Capitalism, or consumerism for short, is forcing us to submit to environmentally worn-out logics that would not be sustainable even in the long run, but are even less so in the short time we have left before everything falls apart. Our way of life must change radically if we are to allow the survival of mankind. For example, the introduction of the law in Europe allowing the sale of insect meal aims at exactly that, at sustainability.

Therefore, it is necessary for all of us, while there is still time, to change certain behaviours to help the world. Here, then, are some tips for leading a greener and more sustainable life.

Europe is historically a continent where we do not see extreme natural events, such as tornadoes, massive floods and earthquakes. However, events happen every now and then that are so strong and destructive that they go down in history.

Some of these disasters, which occurred even several centuries ago, are still remembered today for the number of victims claimed and the destruction wrought among the population. Weather, it is known, is unpredictable, and even in a relatively calm region like Europe, it can do damage.

The magazine Focus has listed the 10 worst natural disasters in the history of the Old Continent, some of them very recent, others dating back many centuries as well.

According to theMain Streets Across the World 2022report, which analyzes the main shopping areas of 92 cities around the world, New York Fifth Avenue is the most expensive route in the world followed by Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui. Post pandemic, the most expensive street in Hong Kong loses the top of the ranking and records the worst drop ever, -41%.

In detail, with an average annual fee of 14,547 euros per square meter, the Via Montenapoleone in Milan ranks ahead of New Bond Street in London and Avenue des Champs Élysées in Paris, respectively in fourth and fifth place in the global ranking of the most expensive streets in the world.

Via Montenapoleone in Milan, has earned the title of the most expensive shopping street in Europe and the third overall worldwide, with a jump of two positions compared to the last research of 2019.

Based on the annual Mindbody + ClassPass wellness index, this ranking represents an accurate overview of the top 10 (of the 50 most populous) healthiest US cities.

Using a wide range of criteria, the level of well-being of residents was assessed by considering various factors, such as the amount of exercise taken, the amount of sleep at night, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption.

Factors such as the importance of social relationships, the closeness of friends and family and the spiritual aspect of personal achievement were also taken into account. The complete ranking can be found at mindbodyonline.com

This is a list of the most populous cities in the world, defined based on 2018 United Nations estimates, official census estimates, and the 2021 "Demographia World Urban Areas" report.

"World Urbanization Prospects," a publication by theONU, defines the population of a real city as "the population living within the administrative boundaries of a city." For many of the metropolises, however, the metropolitan area is administratively distinct from the urban agglomeration proper. For this reason, ONU recent estimates distinguish three definitions of cities: cities proper, urban areas and metropolitan areas.

According to the definition of "city proper", based on administrative uniqueness, the Chinese city of Chongqing is the largest in the world.

According to the other two definitions, Tokyo, despite being divided into several administrative units, is the most populous "urban agglomeration" (i.e. the agglomeration without rural areas) in the world, while the Chinese city of Shanghai is the most populous "metropolitan city" (i.e. the area interconnected by common infrastructure and frequent transport).

The data in this gallery include the total population of agglomerations in their highest estimates, thus also including metropolitan areas.

The lonely house on the Icelandic island of Elliðaey has generated numerous theories and speculations, including a refuge for billionaires in the event of an apocalypse or the abode of a religious fanatic.

However, these stories have been disproved. The real story behind the isolated mansion dates back to the 1950s, when it was built by the Elliðaey Hunting Association as a refuge for puffin hunters. The island of Elliðaey, uninhabited for about 90 years, is an ideal nesting habitat for these endangered birds.

Environmentalists visit the island and use the lodge to monitor and protect puffins during their summer breeding season.

Carnival is one of those festivals that have united people through folklore for centuries. It is usually celebrated following the Christian calendar, and comes before the period called Lent (the 40 days before Easter). Its history originates from some pagan holidays, such as the Roman Saturnalia or the Greek Dionysia.

Each country, over the centuries, has come to celebrate it in different ways, but in general you can find, everywhere, some things in common: the floats, the masks, the flowers, the dancing and the parties. It is a time when anyone can be whoever they want, and it once served to subvert, momentarily, existing social orders.

The magazine Forbes has compiled a ranking of what are the 8 best carnivals in the world to take part in. Alongside the most famous, we also find lesser-known but equally beautiful festivals.

A tree first sprouted more than 3,000 years before the birth of Christ. This could be the oldest tree in the world, a majestic cypress tree nicknamed 'Great-grandfather'. The analyses are the result of both direct measurements and approximations and assumptions made taking into account the geography and botany of the place.

Alerce Milenario is its name in the Hispanic language, has survived all these years thanks to its location, at the base of a wet ravine, and could help researchers understand the effects of climate change on flora around the world. 

Its incredible record has not yet been officially published, but researchers claim that it is at least 600 years older than the oldest tree thought to be

Every year, on December 31st, a curious New Year's Eve bike race is organized in Switzerland.

The race is open to everyone, even minors, but it is necessary to have a good basic knowledge of cycling, especially for the first part of the route, the steepest and with almost guaranteed snow. The idea of the race is to descend along the snowy ski slopes, from the top of the Roc d’Orsay to the center of the resort of Villars.

Participants are required to dress up as the best costumes will be awarded. And as you can see from the photos of this year's edition, the imagination of the competitors is really great!

With an area of 510.1 million km², more than 7 billion people live on planet Earth, spread over 5 continents, which in turn are divided into smaller and larger nations.

But what are the ten largest countries in the world in terms of area?

Below there is a list of countries in the world in descending order of area. The values are expressed in km².

The surfaces also include the water masses of the mainland (lakes and rivers).

Browse the gallery to find out which are the largest countries in the world in terms of surface.

Japan is the country where people live better and longer. This is what emerges from the latest report of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the countries most "long-lived" on the planet.

In the country of the Rising Sun you can expect to live 74 and a half years in good health.

It is the first time that the WHO speaks of "healthy life expectancy" and not simply "life expectancy".

At the planetary level, the average value is 73.3 years (70.8 years for males and 75.9 years for females). According to 2015 data from the World Health Organization, women live on average longer than men in all countries of the world except Mali and eSwatini

Every driver will have happened in life to come across a winding and challenging road. Perhaps for the terrain full of pitfalls, or simply for the conformation of the stretch of road itself.

But there are extremely dangerous roads in the world. Roads that for those who travel them is now accustomed to danger. Paths that just looking at them make you panic.

They are the most dangerous roads in the world. From China to Bolivia via Norway and Afghanistan here are the routes to avoid for motorists.