The Longest and Oldest Canal in the World

By

Built more than 2,500 years ago with a length of over 3,200 km, this is the longest and oldest man-made canal in the world.

1/4. Which is the longest and oldest canal in the world?



The Grand Canal, the longest and oldest man-made canal in the world, stretches from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province. Its total length is over 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles).


The canal was built in sections starting in the 5th century BC, more than 2,500 years ago. However, it was not until the 7th century, under Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty, that the canal underwent a massive expansion to reach its present scale.

2/4. How many major rivers does this canal connect?



The Grand Canal winds through eight provinces and connects five major rivers: the Hai, Yellow, Huai, Yangtze, and Qiantang.


At its height, the canal had more than 2,000 branches, enabling the transport of surplus grain from the Yangtze and Huai river basins to the imperial capital and northern garrisons. It also played a vital role in trade, cultural exchange, and integration between northern and southern China.

3/4. How many main routes does this project include?



The Grand Canal consists of three main routes: the Beijing–Hangzhou Canal, the Sui–Tang Canal, and the Eastern Zhejiang Canal.

In the 7th century, more than three million peasants were mobilized to expand the canal. Historical records note that nearly half of them died from exhaustion and hunger. By the year 735, nearly 150 million kilograms of grain were transported annually, alongside textiles, ceramics, and other goods.

In 2014, the Grand Canal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4/4. In which year was the canal fully reopened?



As railways grew, the Grand Canal fell into neglect. In 2017, President Xi Jinping stressed that it must be preserved and revitalized.


Restoration projects followed, focusing on preventing water pollution, planting aquatic vegetation, and developing fisheries. In April 2022, the ship lock at Sannü Temple in Shandong Province opened, marking the first time in 100 years that the entire waterway was fully navigable again.

Comment

Viewed in recent months

The Highest-Grossing Animated Movies of All Time

By
 Animated films aren’t just for kids anymore — they’re global box office giants. From Disney classics to surprising newcomers, animated movies have proven that colorful characters and heartfelt stories can rake in billions worldwide. Let’s take a look at the top-grossing animated films of all time (according to The Numbers). 1. Ne Zha 2 (2025) – $2.0 Billion China’s Ne Zha 2 tops the list with a jaw-dropping $2 billion. The sequel continues the epic journey of the fiery mythological hero, proving that Chinese animation can not only compete but dominate on the global stage. 2. Inside Out 2 (2024) – $1.69 Billion Pixar’s Inside Out 2 brought Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust back to the big screen — and audiences couldn’t resist. With nearly $1.7 billion in revenue, the emotional rollercoaster of teenage life struck a universal chord. 3. Frozen II (2019) – $1.45 Billion Elsa, Anna, and Olaf returned to melt (and freeze) hearts around the world. With its unforgettable son...
Read more

Why RAM and SSD Prices Are Rising Faster Than Gold

By
 In recent years, something unusual has been happening in the tech world: memory prices—especially RAM and SSDs—have been rising so fast that, in certain periods, they’ve even outpaced Gold . At first glance, that sounds absurd. Gold is a global store of value. Memory chips are just components… right? Not anymore. The Fundamental Difference: Gold vs. Memory Gold prices typically rise due to: Inflation Economic uncertainty Central bank demand It’s slow, steady, and relatively predictable. Memory, on the other hand, behaves completely differently. RAM and SSD prices are driven by: Highly concentrated supply Rapid technological shifts Explosive demand from emerging industries In short: Gold follows the economy. Memory follows technology. A Market Controlled by Just Three Companies The global memory market is dominated by three giants: Samsung Electronics SK Hynix Micron Technology Together, they control the majority of DRAM and NAND productio...
Read more

Why You Forget Almost Everything You Learned in School

By
 Most people forget almost everything they learned in school, and surprisingly, science says that’s completely normal. In the late 1800s, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted one of the earliest experiments on human memory and discovered something now known as the “forgetting curve.” His research showed that people can forget up to half of newly learned information within days if they don’t actively review or use it. In some cases, the majority disappears within weeks. The brain is constantly filtering information, deciding what is useful enough to keep long term and what can be discarded to conserve mental energy. That becomes a major problem in school systems because most students learn information for short-term performance rather than real-world application. Studies in educational psychology repeatedly show that students often rely on “cramming,” where information is memorized temporarily before exams, then rapidly forgotten afterward. Researchers at institutions like Un...
Read more

America’s Top 20 Universities in 2026: Prestige, Price, and Perspective

By
 Every year, global attention turns to the United States for higher education. With its Ivy League traditions, cutting-edge research, and world-renowned faculty, America remains home to the most prestigious universities worldwide. But with great prestige often comes high tuition costs — and the 2026 rankings reflect both excellence and expense. Below is a look at the Top 20 U.S. universities in 2026 , their annual tuition, and what makes them stand out. 1. Princeton University — $65,200 Princeton continues its reign at the top thanks to small class sizes, a powerful alumni network, and unmatched financial aid policies. Despite its elite status, Princeton offers some of the most generous scholarships, making it more accessible than its price tag suggests. 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — $64,700 MIT is the undisputed global leader in science, engineering, and technology. From AI to space exploration, MIT graduates are shaping the future of innovation. Its tuitio...
Read more

Australia: A Continent of Impossible Animals

By
 There is a place on Earth where evolution seems to have broken all the rules. A place where mammals lay eggs, where animals carry their young in pouches, and where creatures appear as if stitched together from entirely different species. This is Australia, a continent shaped by isolation, time, and extraordinary adaptation. Millions of years ago, Australia was part of a supercontinent called Gondwana, connected to South America, Africa, India, and Antarctica. Life moved freely across its lands, from dinosaurs to early mammals. But around forty-five million years ago, the continent drifted alone, cut off by vast oceans. Isolated from the rest of the world, evolution took its own path, producing a fauna found nowhere else on Earth. Marsupials dominate the Australian landscape. They give birth to tiny, underdeveloped young, which must crawl into a pouch to continue growing. Kangaroos evolved into energy-efficient hoppers, covering dozens of kilometers a day across open plains. Wall...
Read more

Iran — The Hidden Power of Ancient Persia

By
 Iran is not just a country — it is one of the oldest continuous civilizations on Earth. Long before many modern nations even existed, this land was home to powerful kingdoms, groundbreaking ideas, and cultural achievements that shaped the world. The story begins over 2,500 years ago with the rise of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great . His Achaemenid Empire became one of the largest in history, stretching from parts of Europe to South Asia. Persia introduced advanced systems of governance, infrastructure like royal roads, and early concepts of human rights often linked to the Cyrus Cylinder. This wasn’t just a regional kingdom — it was a superpower of the ancient world. Over centuries, Persia was conquered and reshaped by Alexander the Great, Arab dynasties, Mongol invasions, and later powerful Persian empires like the Safavids. In 1979, the country underwent a major transformation known as the Islamic Revolution, leading to the formation of the modern Islamic Republic of ...
Read more

Why Chinese Aircraft Struggle in the Global Market

By
 China has made massive progress in aviation over the past two decades. From building high-speed rail networks to launching its own commercial jets, the country is clearly aiming to compete with industry giants. And yet, despite all that progress, Chinese passenger aircraft still struggle to gain traction internationally. Why? China’s Ambition: Breaking the Boeing–Airbus Duopoly For decades, the global commercial aviation market has been dominated by two companies: Boeing Airbus Together, they control the vast majority of large commercial aircraft sales worldwide. China wants a piece of that market—and its main contender is the COMAC C919 , developed by COMAC . On paper, the C919 is designed to compete directly with aircraft like: Boeing 737 Airbus A320 But competing on paper is very different from winning in reality. 1. Certification Barriers: The Biggest Roadblock One of the biggest reasons Chinese aircraft struggle internationally is certification. ...
Read more

If California were its own country - it would be a global powerhouse, blending natural beauty, innovation, and culture like nowhere else on Earth

By
If California were its own country, it wouldn’t just be another place on the map — it would be a global powerhouse, blending natural beauty, innovation, and culture like nowhere else on Earth. Let’s imagine it. Located on the western edge of North America, California stretches over a thousand kilometers from the Mexican border all the way up to Oregon. It’s the third largest U.S. state by area, covering mountains, deserts, forests, and an endless coastline along the Pacific Ocean. From the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the golden beaches of Malibu , California contains nearly every landscape you can imagine — all inside one border. Its climate is just as diverse. Along the coast, summers are warm and breezy, while inland valleys can reach scorching temperatures above forty degrees Celsius. Up north, towering redwoods thrive in cool, misty air; down south, the Mojave Desert bakes under relentless sun. This mix of microclimates makes California both a paradise for trav...
Read more

the Dalit community and India’s caste system

By
 Imagine being born… and already knowing your place in the world. Not because of your dreams, your talent, or your effort… but because of a system older than most civilizations still standing today. For over 3,000 years, Indian society has been shaped by the caste system — a rigid hierarchy dividing people into fixed social groups. At the top were priests, then warriors, then merchants, then laborers. But below all of them… were the ones who didn’t belong at all. They were called “untouchables.” Today, they are known as Dalits. For centuries, Dalits were treated as if they were less than human. They were not allowed to enter temples. In many villages, they couldn’t drink from the same wells as others. There are even recorded cases where Dalit children had to sit separately in classrooms, or eat from different utensils — not in ancient history, but in modern times. Their work was assigned, not chosen. Cleaning human waste, disposing of dead animals, doing the jobs considered ...
Read more

China’s Ghost Cities — Real Crisis or Media Myth?

By
Entire cities with skyscrapers… highways… shopping malls… But almost no people. Welcome to China’s so-called “Ghost Cities.” Over the past two decades, China experienced one of the fastest urban expansions in human history. Hundreds of millions of people moved from rural areas to cities. To prepare for this massive migration, developers built entire new urban districts from scratch. And sometimes… they built too fast. Places like Ordos in Inner Mongolia became famous worldwide. A brand-new district called Kangbashi was constructed with wide boulevards, government buildings, museums, luxury apartments — designed for over a million residents. But in the early years, hardly anyone lived there. Videos went viral showing empty apartment towers, silent streets, and vacant malls. Western media labeled them “ghost cities.” The narrative was simple: China had built massive cities that nobody wanted. But is that the full story? To understand this, you have to understand China’s economic...
Read more