Engineering masterpieces you’ll want to visit

Would you cross a 492-foot-high glass bridge? 10 unreal bridges

Image: Andreea Popa

Humans have found ingenious ways to cross large bodies of water since the dawn of time. Bridges are synonymous with communication, and thanks to them, mankind has been able to develop cities, entire societies, and booming economies. From suspension to stone bridges, in this article, we have selected 10 remarkable structures that you may not know about but are worth acknowledging for their high cultural and architectural value. Are you up for the challenge?

Image: Felix Fuchs

In the heart of Singapore, there is a pedestrian bridge called Henderson Waves. This structure, inaugurated in May 2008, was named for its wave-like shape. The total length of the bridge is 899 feet, with 7 semi-curves alternating above and below its deck. It is 26 feet wide and rises 118 feet above the Henderson Road Expressway, making it the highest pedestrian bridge in the country.

Henderson Waves is a very popular walking route among tourists; from its platform, you can get different views of the city and landscapes. It is also part of the Southern Ridges Walk, famous for crossing three parks that offer 6 miles of beautiful gardens.

Image: Jordi Vich Navarro

At almost 8,070 ft long and 1,104 ft high, the Millau Viaduct is a true engineering marvel. This multi-span cable-stayed bridge over the spectacular Tarn Valley in Aveyron, Southern France, is the highest in the world and is considered one of the greatest engineering achievements of modern times.

Its construction in an area with winds that can reach 80 miles per hour required several years of studies and seven 285 ft high masts weighing 700 tons each. Millau Viaduct was finally inaugurated in December 2004, after 36 months of work, and is expected to have a lifespan of more than 120 years.

Image: Jeff Ackley

You probably don't walk across the Golden Gate or Brooklyn Bridge expecting to find a market or a shopping center. But centuries ago, it was common for stores —and even houses— to be built on the second floor of a bridge. The most prominent example that still exists today is located in Italy: Ponte Vecchio ("old bridge" in English).

Rebuilt over the Arno River after a flood in 1345, it is said to be the oldest stone bridge in Europe. It was also the only bridge in Florence that wasn't destroyed by bombs during World War II. Nowadays, you can still visit the workshops and jewelry stores that characterize this medieval arch bridge.

Image: Herney

Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, commonly called Ponte JK, crosses Lake Paranoá and was completed in 2002. This spectacular architectural marvel -with a beauty that matches the monumental scale of the Brazilian capital- was named after the president who decided to move the seat of government from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia.

Ponte JK's steel and concrete structure consists of three asymmetrical arches. The design was inspired by the movement of a stone skipping over water. It has a total length of 3,900 ft and a width of 79 ft, divided into six dual traffic lanes, plus special pedestrian and bicycle paths. Together with the stunning modern buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer, this impressive bridge is an integral staple of the city.

Image: Robs

If Henderson Waves is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore, The Helix, with a length of 920 ft, is the longest in the South Asian country. Located in the ultra-modern Marina Bay area, it is named after the two steel spirals that structure it, resembling the double helix of DNA.

The Helix, made of fritted glass and perforated steel mesh, was inaugurated in 2010 and has won several awards for its great architectural value. It offers four viewing platforms from where you can contemplate the stunning city skyline. As a curiosity, the bridge is lit at night with LED lights forming the letters C, G, A, and T, representing the four bases of DNA: cytosine and guanine, adenine and thymine.

Image: Tim Trad

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is 230 ft above the Capilano River in British Columbia, Canada. The 450-foot-long suspension bridge welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and is one of Vancouver's main attractions. The original bridge, made of hemp ropes and cedar planks, was built in 1889. However, after several renovations, it was completely rebuilt in 1956.

Capilano Bridge is currently privately owned but can be accessed by paying an entrance fee. In the park, you can enjoy different features such as Treetops Adventures, a group of towering platforms and suspension bridges, and Cliffwalk, a cantilevered walkway clinging to the cliff above the canyon. If you want to enjoy the temperate West Coast rainforest ecosystem from a privileged high view, visiting Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is the way to go.

Image: Simon Van Rompaey

Opened in 2018, Cầu Vàng ("golden bridge" in English) in the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang has already become a global phenomenon, an internet sensation, and an eye-catching attraction for visitors from all over the world.

This ingenious structure is 490 ft long and stands 4,500 ft above sea level. Its impressive design evokes the image of the hands of god pulling a golden thread from the mountains. The pedestrian bridge, which sits proudly against the lush greenery, is now one of Vietnam's most recognizable landmarks and a global icon that has elevated Da Nang as a "must-visit" destination.

Image: Sepp Rutz

This multi-span road bridge won many awards after its inauguration in 199, thanks to its elegant design. Sunniberg Bridge spans the Landquart River near the village of Klosters in eastern Switzerland. With a length of 1,726 ft, it curves through the valley with a unique Y-shaped support structure that blends seamlessly with the surrounding alpine landscape.

Sunniberg Bridge has become a landmark in the area and a true icon of Swiss engineering. It's especially beautiful during the winter when the tops of the Alps are snow-capped. So, if you're thinking of a skiing getaway, this is a great option!

Image: Aravind Balabhaskar

Just 25 miles from Dresden, Germany, you can find the Saxon Switzerland National Park. The major landmark of this park is Bastei ("bastion" or "fortification" in English), a majestic rock formation rising 636 ft above the Elbe River, connected by an impressive sandstone bridge built in 1851.

Since then, this 250 ft long bridge has been the main tourist attraction of the area and an inspiration for many artists due to its stunning panoramic views. In fact, Bastien has been the birthplace of the first German landscape photographers.

Image: Jessica Gale

Located in the northwest of Vietnam, Bach Long ("white dragon" in English) is the longest glass bridge in the world. Standing 492 feet high, this construction was inaugurated in 2022. Throughout its 2,073 feet long, it offers a panoramic view of the sublime natural landscape of the rural region of Son La.

Seen from a distance, Bach Long Bridge looks like a long strip of white silk, contrasting with the jungle-like mountains. Constructed of huge 40-millimeter-thick glass panels, the bridge is completely see-through and can support up to 450 people at a time. At sunset, it’s lit by a system of multicolored lamps that lead into a cave filled with natural stalactites and stalagmites. The Bach Long glass bridge has become the pride and joy of the locals and is admired by visitors from all over the world. That said, it’s not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo!

We just know that we know nothing

12 facts that people often get wrong

No one can claim to know everything, but most people go through life confident about certain things. However, some of these widely held beliefs are not actually correct, despite their popularity. Let’s have a look at some "facts" you might have gotten wrong!

The idea that insects—particularly mosquitoes—are not animals is widespread, but it’s also incorrect. In fact, insects are the most diverse group within the Animal kingdom, with more than a million species described and representing more than half of the animal population of the planet.

The mistake comes from not considering that "fruit" is not only a culinary term but also a botanical one. Botanically, a fruit is the part of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. This makes tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, and many other foods that we call vegetables actually fruits in the scientific sense.

Countries have a political delimitation, while continents are divided according to geographical criteria. The Russian Federation is the largest country on Earth, bordering fourteen other countries and extending across eleven time zones. It spans across a good part of Eastern Europe, but also across the Ural mountains—one of the recognized borders between Europe and Asia—and stretches deep into northern Asia.

While cold weather isn’t harmless, it is not the direct cause of illnesses like the flu, which are caused by viruses. In colder months, people tend to spend more time indoors and often avoid ventilating rooms, creating conditions that make it easier for viruses to spread and cause illness.

Bats might not prefer to be out during bright daylight, but this does not mean that they are blind. In fact, many species have excellent eyesight, though it is adapted to low-light or nighttime conditions. On top of that, bats also use echolocation, which allows them to navigate and hunt with remarkable precision in complete darkness.

The belief that you must wait a full day before reporting someone missing is a myth popularized by movies and TV shows. In reality, the law does not require a waiting period. In fact, law enforcement agencies stress that the first 24 hours are often the most critical, so a missing person should be reported immediately.

Some man-made structures are visible from space without magnification, but despite popular belief, the Great Wall of China is not one of them. While it is quite long, being over 13,000 miles long, it is relatively narrow, and its earthy colors blend in with the surrounding landscape, making it nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye from orbit.

This one is tricky: Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth (29,032 feet)… if you measure the distance from sea level to peak. For the actual tallest mountain, the answer might vary depending on how you measure. Measured from base to summit, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is the tallest at 33,474 feet—though much of it is underwater. Mount McKinley (Denali) in Alaska rises about 18,000 feet from its base to the peak, making it the tallest mountain entirely above sea level. And Ecuador’s Mount Chimborazo, while shorter in height, is the farthest point on Earth from the planet’s center due to the equatorial bulge.

The Earth is tilted on an axis, which causes the amount of sunlight each hemisphere receives to change as it orbits the Sun. Because of this tilt, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and experiences summer, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away and experiences winter—and vice versa. This is why the Southern Hemisphere celebrates Christmas during summer.

Standard medical advice is to gently guide a sleepwalker back to bed rather than waking them, but not because waking them is inherently dangerous. People tend to sleepwalk during deep sleep, so waking them up might startle them or cause confusion and disorientation.

Hair color and thickness are determined by genetics, not by shaving. Hair naturally gets thin at the ends, so when you shave it, the hair shaft appears to be thicker and darker because of the blunt cut. But it's just an optical illusion; the natural size of the shaft remains unchanged.

Coffee is a natural diuretic, meaning it can increase trips to the bathroom. However, the water in brewed coffee still contributes to your hydration and offsets its mild diuretic effect. If you consume coffee in moderation—3 to 5 cups a day, depending on your tolerance—you should be alright. However, drinking extra water on the side is never a bad idea.