Historical
Hidden Realms Beneath Our Feet: The Secret Underground Cities You Never Knew Existed. AI-Generated.
When most people imagine hidden worlds, they think of science fiction or fantasy. But scattered across the globe are astonishing, real-life subterranean cities—built not by imagination, but by necessity. These underground marvels tell stories of survival, resilience, and engineering far beyond their time.
By Nowshad Ahmadabout a year ago in FYI
Why no one can visit this Dangerous Island ?
The National Geographic team was preparing to shoot a documentary for the first time on a remote island from where no one had ever returned alive. As they approached the shore, strange, unclothed figures emerged from the jungle and launched a rain of arrows at the National Geographic ship. The director’s leg was injured in the attack, and the crew was forced to retreat in panic. But what is this island, and why, despite all our advanced technology, have we humans never been able to truly reach it?
By Chronicle of Powerabout a year ago in FYI
Extremist Thinking and Its Negative Effects
Extremist Thinking and Its Negative Effects One day, Iblees (Satan) said to his companion, “Come, let me show you a spectacle.” He pointed to a small town and said, “It has been decreed that this town must be destroyed today.” In the marketplace, a sweet-maker had placed a large cauldron on a stove, in which sugar syrup was boiling. Iblees dipped his finger into the syrup and smeared a bit of it onto a wall. Before long, flies arrived. Seeing the flies, a lizard took position to catch them. A cat, sitting nearby, pounced on the lizard. Just then, a soldier passed by with his hunting dog. The dog lunged at the cat. The cat, startled, lost balance and fell into the cauldron of syrup. Angered by the disruption, the sweet-maker threw a heavy blow at the dog, killing it instantly. The soldier, furious at his dog's death, attacked the sweet-maker and left him badly injured. The locals, seeing the sweet-maker being beaten, attacked the soldier. When news of this reached the army, the soldiers, driven by revenge, launched a full assault on the town. Within a few hours, the entire town was reduced to rubble—all because of a single act of extremism. This fictional story reflects the reality of our current society. We live in a world where narrow-mindedness, prejudice, and intolerance are on the rise. People are unwilling to give space to others. Even minor disagreements can spark lifelong feuds. This rigid mindset is growing day by day. The reason is that many of us view people and situations only in black and white—right or wrong—with no room for in-between. But people are complex. Every person goes through different circumstances that shape their behavior. If someone reacts angrily in a certain moment, there may be a reason behind it. It doesn’t mean they are always rude or harsh. They could be kind and gentle but temporarily overwhelmed by a particular situation. Often, extremist thinking begins at home, when parents teach their children that certain relatives are "not good." In the neighborhood, we hear people say, “That family isn’t good.” In institutions, one group says another party or organization isn’t good—without explaining why. These vague judgments are passed down from one generation to the next, without question. Such extremism grows to the point that we admire even the flaws of someone we love, but view even the beauty of someone we dislike as dull or dark. We see this when families reject marriage proposals simply because the suitor is from a different clan. For example, a Syed family may reject a wonderful proposal just because the other party isn't Syed. This shows how we reduce people and choices to just black or white, while life is mostly lived in the grey area—a space where clear judgments cannot always be made. The grey area means not everything is absolutely right or wrong. We need to allow space for different perspectives. Life is never static. It’s complicated and filled with highs and lows. Sometimes it’s dark, sometimes dazzlingly bright. With time, people evolve. What once seemed wrong may now seem right. Different people, cultures, and experiences shape our views. A custom praised in one culture may be frowned upon in another. This diversity is the beauty of the universe—one that the Creator Himself has embedded in nature. If He wished, He could have created us all the same. But instead, the world holds seven billion unique individuals. This means we must learn to tolerate, accept, and respect differences, rather than jumping to conclusions. Sometimes, people become fanatical followers of their favorite personalities. This blind devotion can be very dangerous. When people stop thinking critically and follow blindly, they lose their freedom of thought. They consider everything their role model does as right—even when it’s wrong. They base their life decisions on that person’s opinions and start to hate everyone who disagrees. This blind imitation stunts personal growth. The person becomes closed to new ideas, assuming that only their leader's views are correct. Their life becomes hollow, lacking purpose. The leader, in turn, feels powerful and may exploit followers for personal gain, filling their minds with negativity. This leads to widespread division and chaos in society. Such followers often join groups where no dissent is allowed. Only those who agree blindly are accepted. Those who think differently are rejected or labeled enemies. There are also people who carry deep hatred for others—another form of extremism. This, too, brings great harm. Extreme hatred shuts down the mind. It makes a person unwilling to listen to others, even if they are right. Hatred breeds false assumptions, and the person refuses to see any good in the one they dislike. They isolate themselves, while most of society prefers love and peace. Such hatred brings mental stress, anger, and anxiety. It damages mental health, weakens both the individual and the community, and increases the chances of conflict. People start making rash decisions without proof, harming even innocent lives. Worst of all, hatred kills constructive dialogue. When ideas cannot be shared, solutions cannot be found. Now let us look at the general harms of extremist thinking: A person who thinks in absolutes faces many challenges. Such people lack flexibility, making it hard to adapt to new places or people. They always want to impose their ideas. They are unwilling to compromise or consider other viewpoints, preventing harmony and progress. They also struggle to build teams or connect with others, believing only their view is right. Their divisive words break societies apart. They promote an “us vs. them” mindset, which fuels sectarianism and conflict. Extremists fear new knowledge or experiences because they feel threatened by ideas that challenge them. They fail to realize that embracing change could help them grow and improve. Looking at everything through an extreme lens is mentally exhausting. It can lead to stress, depression, rage, and hopelessness. In the end, such a person becomes ineffective. They fail to solve problems, spread hatred instead of peace, and contribute little to society. If you want a peaceful, successful, and meaningful life, you must cleanse your mind of extremism. Don’t reduce life to just “right or wrong.” Embrace the grey area. This will develop flexibility—a vital trait that helps you navigate all kinds of challenges. You’ll learn to accept others, make room for different ideas, and encourage growth in yourself and others. This attitude opens the door to endless opportunities. The Sufi or wanderer is always traveling. He meets people of all kinds, visits many cultures and regions. This broadens his vision and deepens his insight, bringing him closer to the Creator. His gentle and flexible attitude draws people in, and through him, they are guided to God. A person who lives in the grey area has countless opportunities to grow. Such people accept others, stay humble, and value different opinions. They live in peace. Imagine needing to enter a room, but to reach it, you must first pass through a ten-foot door, then a four-foot door, and finally, crawl through a tunnel. You can only reach the room if you bend for the small door and lie low for the tunnel. Prayer (salah) teaches us the same principle. First we stand, then bow, then prostrate. The real purpose of prayer is to conquer the ego. It teaches us that in life, we must know when to stand, when to bend, and when to lower ourselves completely. Stand firm for truth, admit your faults, and seek forgiveness when needed. Life isn’t confined or limited. It’s a vast field. To succeed, we must broaden our minds, reject extremism, and develop flexibility within ourselves. Only then can we become useful and impactful human beings. Otherwise, we’ll live our whole lives as nothing more than frogs in a well.
By Ikram Ullahabout a year ago in FYI
How KFC Was Born After 65: The Real Story Behind Colonel Sanders
The man seen on the logo of the world’s most famous fast-food chain, KFC, is named Colonel Harland Sanders. He worked hard his entire life and faced many hardships. But what happened at the age of 65 that changed his destiny? What struggles did he go through on his journey to success, and why did his own company, KFC Corporation, file a court case against him?
By Chronicle of Powerabout a year ago in FYI
Mystery of Time Traveler who sent his Photo From Future
This story isn’t too old. Back in 2006, in Ukraine’s capital, a young man was found in a confused state. He was wearing old-fashioned clothes and had an antique camera dangling from his neck. People initially thought he was mentally unstable, but no one knew that he was about to become part of a time travel mystery.
By Chronicle of Powerabout a year ago in FYI
30 Fascinating Facts About Space You Never Knew
Today, we’re diving into some jaw-dropping facts about space, our planet Earth, and the mysterious universe beyond. Why does the sky appear blue from Earth but black from space? The answer lies in sunlight, which contains all colors. When sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere, the blue light gets scattered in all directions due to its shorter wavelength. That’s why the sky appears blue. But in space, there’s no atmosphere to scatter the light, so everything looks black.
By Chronicle of Powerabout a year ago in FYI
Why the Bee give large amount of Honey
It was the third day of summer when Ayaan first asked his grandfather, "Why do bees make so much honey?" They were sitting under the old neem tree, where golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting warm patterns on the dusty courtyard. The air smelled of mangoes and rain-soaked earth. Ayaan had just watched a bee dance in circles over a nearby flower before disappearing toward its hive tucked in a hollow branch.
By MIne Story Nestabout a year ago in FYI
Whispers of Fire: The Day the Amazon Wept
The first I saw was the sky. It was no longer blue. Nor gray. It was red — an appalling, suffocating crimson that engulfed the sun and choked the light. I was in the Amazon rainforest — not as a tourist, but as part of a volunteer environmental research team working with a local NGO called Guardians of the Green. Our job was simple in theory: monitor plant life, photograph rare species, and record illegal logging activity. But nothing prepared us for the horror we’d face in August 2019 — the year the Amazon burned like never before. We were stationed along the Acre region, at the border of the Brazil-Peru. It was a 3-month study. Within our first week, the forest was already sending us signs. Leaves curled beneath our feet. Birds, which would normally be cheeping at dawn, were ghostly quiet. And that odor — initially faint, like smoldering leaves in a neighbor's garden. But on the tenth day, it could no longer be denied. We were making our way back from the edge of a cleared plot when we saw it: a boiling column of smoke, way to the north, heavy and resentful. One of the Brazilian locals, João, a former logger turned conservationist, turned pale. "They've burned again," he growled. It wasn't uncommon. Cattle ranchers and illicit farmers would often set fires through patches of woods to deforest — what was locally known as slash-and-burn. Something did feel off this time, though. Something didn't feel. in control. We phoned in the call and began to pack to depart — a standard drill when there are fires. The nearest safe location was a four-hour walk over heavy ground, and we were out of satellite range. Our best choice was to follow the river. But the fire moved faster than any of us could have dreamed. By night, the fire had spread. The tall trees stood as dry shadows. The air was dense and unbreathable. My lungs would sear with every pace. Ash fell like snow, covering our gear, sticking to our sweat-soaked flesh. Animals darted by in terror — monkeys shrieking, parrots abandoning their nests, snakes fleeing into the river. It was not fire. It was carnage. João led us along a lesser-used route he had walked when he logged. He said to us, "If we don't hurry up, we'll get caught. Fire comes in close around you like an hunter." I remember clutching my notebook -- stupid, maybe, but it had weeks of sketches, notes about plants, and birds spotted. Memories of a forest vanishing by the minute. By the second night, we hadn't eaten much. Not much water. Two of our volunteers were coughing blood. The smoke was so thick it felt like we were breathing in death itself. And yet, we went on. On the third day, we came upon a little village of native people. Half of it had been destroyed by fire. Huts converted into charred wood. An upturned canoe in the river. A child's sandal drifting alongside it. We found one elderly person and two women, dazed and coughing. João spoke to them in a mix of Portuguese and their own language. One of the women had wounds on her arms. We treated the wounds as best we could. They told us other individuals had run further into the woods. We all ate and took turns sleeping that night. The older man, his tone harsh, said to us, "The forest is crying. And the world cannot hear her." Those words still linger in my thoughts. On the fifth day, we finally reached the edge of the forest where emergency workers had set up base. Helicopters whizzed by overhead. Newsmen thronged. But they came too late. Thousands of acres of land were already burned to ashes. Over 3 million plant and animal species were at risk. And the fire was still not brought under control. We received treatment for inhalation of smoke. I was hospitalized in a mobile unit for 24 hours. I hardly recognized myself when I caught a glimpse in the mirror — bloodshot eyes, face covered with black grime, shaking fingers. But the real pain was in store for me when I flipped open my notebook. It was half smudged, edges blackened. The writing was thin, drawings smudged. It was a representation of the entire forest — beautiful, precious, shattered into fragments. --- The people were shocked when I returned home. They queried, "Was it so bad?" I took their hands and brought them to the pictures. To the videos. I told them about the birds that refused to sing. The trees that fell like giants on their knees. The heat that was alive, as if it was hungry to consume us. But what hurt the most was the apathy. The way people scrolled past headlines. The way governments hesitated to act. The way corporations made statements but continued to do the same thing. That fire was not merely a tragedy. It was a warning. The Amazon produces 20% of the world’s oxygen. It stores billions of tons of carbon. It is home to more species than any other ecosystem on Earth. But in 2019, fires in the Amazon increased by over 80% compared to the previous year. It wasn’t just climate change — it was greed, politics, and human neglect. We nearly lost the forest. And we’re still losing it. --- It's been years now. I still keep the charred notebook with me. I've written essays. Delivered lectures. Planted trees. Protested pipelines. But every so often, I'll close my eyes and return to that third night — ash clogging the air, stillness all around, and a dying forest begging to be saved. And I wonder: When the planet's lungs are gasping to breathe, how long do we imagine we will survive?
By Muhammad Usamaabout a year ago in FYI
