DestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaIraq's answer to the pyramidsEgypt may have the Pyramids of Giza, but Iraq has the Ziggurat of Ur – an incredibly well-preserved engineering achievement that towers over the ruins of an important ancient city.TravelA drive into the cradle of civilisationAlong a single road cutting across the heart of Iraq, you can see where people first learned to write, use maths and invent the wheel.TravelIraq's answer to the pyramidsEgypt may have the Pyramids of Giza, but Iraq has the Ziggurat of Ur – an incredibly well-preserved engineering achievement that towers over the ruins of an important ancient city.TravelA drive into the cradle of civilisationAlong a single road cutting across the heart of Iraq, you can see where people first learned to write, use maths and invent the wheel.TravelKabul’s peaceful garden refugesIn a city torn apart by civil war and violence, gardening provides temporary tranquillity.TravelFive countries that are safer for womenDespite the growing trend in solo travel, women still encounter challenges when they travel abroad alone. But some places are topping the rankings when it comes to safety and equality.TravelSaudi's lineage of interior stylistsIn the remote, mountainous region of 'Asir, women's ingenuity can be seen in a 200-year-old artform that's passed from mother to daughter.Kabul’s peaceful garden refugesIn a city torn apart by civil war and violence, gardening provides temporary tranquillity.TravelFive countries that are safer for womenDespite the growing trend in solo travel, women still encounter challenges when they travel abroad alone. But some places are topping the rankings when it comes to safety and equality.TravelMore travel in the Middle EastA new city rising from the desertThe Black Desert offers visitors millions of years of natural and human history – but this may all change with plans to build a new capital city on the desert's edge.TravelThe ancient road that bridged kingdomsIt's mentioned in the Bible, has been used by a succession of empires and links some of Jordan's most important historical sitesTravelA comfort food that survived a warThrough decades of conflict, two generations of chefs have served hungry customers this lamb dish cooked in colourful teapots.TravelThe Muslim divers breaking the rulesIn predominately Muslim countries, women are discouraged from scuba diving. But with trailblazers proving they can do it, are the figures about to be buoyed up?Travel373 miles of secret treasuresFor the first time, a trail has been mapped through Jordan, allowing tourists to enjoy the different terrains of the country.TravelA rare treasure hidden in plain sightTo preserve the ancient site of Petra for future generations, archaeologists and locals are re-excavating earlier archaeological “dumps” in search of lost treasures.TravelMore travelA lost city of legends in central TurkeyGordion, the ancient capital of Phrygia, was said to be ruled by the legendary King Midas, "the man with the golden touch". But who was he?TravelGet the first draft of history to your inboxExplore the past with our new weekly newsletterCultureHow the Arctic Winter Games can survive without snowIn the face of climate change, Indigenous communities are uniting in Alaska to compete in centuries-old sports and keep traditions alive during "the Olympics of the North".TravelThe bugs that inspired daylight savingsAn early proponent of daylight savings pushed for the time-shift so he'd have more time to hunt insects. The collections and drawings he produced now enjoy international renown.FutureWhat's left of Oppenheimer's New Mexico?The "father of the atomic bomb" long admired the state's desert landscapes. Today, travellers can still see the many places that inspired the physicist – if they know where to look.TravelThe enigma of Europe's Ice Age 'queens'Despite more than a century and a half of speculation, these nude, faceless sculptures remain utterly enigmatic. Who made them? And what might they have been for?FutureDaisy von Pless: The English princess you've never heard ofShe lived in one of the Europe's most stunning castles, initiated visionary social reforms and even tried to stop World War One. So, why was she forgotten?TravelThe US state that's home to Earth's oldest forestThe discovery of a 385-million-year-old forest in Cairo, NY, has stunned the world – but visitors to the region have been able to see rare fossil forests for more than a century.TravelCan you solve these time-based puzzles?From time-bending letters to lives lacking in birthdays, try to solve BBC Future's calendar-based puzzles this leap year.Future