WorldAtlas Latest Articles
7 Coziest Towns to Visit in the Great Lakes
If you are looking for a cozy place to spend some time in the Great Lakes in 2024, find seven of the best small towns for a fun and relaxing escape.
What Lives At The Bottom Of Crater Lake
Learn what lives beneath Crater Lake, from deep-water moss and hydrothermal bacteria to introduced fish and the threatened Mazama newt.
8 Off-The-Grid Iowa Towns To Visit In 2026
These off-the-grid towns defy expectations of what one can find in Iowa. Discover the state's most colorful towns which lie off the beaten path.
7 Old-Timey General Stores In South Carolina
Whole-hog barbecue, candy barrels, and a store running since before 1808: seven old-timey general stores still keep their counters open in South Carolina.
The Most Polluted Reservoirs In The United States
They still look like fine places to fish and swim, yet mercury, PCBs, and PFAS keep building in the water. The most polluted US reservoirs, explained.
13 Prettiest Downtown Strips In Tennessee
A guide to 13 of Tennessee's prettiest downtown strips, with the shops, museums, courthouse squares, and annual festivals that anchor each one.
What Happens If The Mississippi Jumps Into The Atchafalaya
The Mississippi is trying to jump into the Atchafalaya, and only one structure stops it. What happens to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the US if it wins.
Eastern Brown Snake
Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is the world's second-most venomous land snake and the leading cause of snakebite deaths in Australia.
Corn Snake
The corn snake is a calm, nonvenomous rodent hunter native to the southeastern US, and it is one of the most popular pet snakes anywhere in the world.
Which Moons Are Bigger Than A Planet?
Ganymede and Titan are wider than the planet Mercury. Inside the buried ocean, the moon-made magnetic field, and the rule that makes them moons.
Was Alexander The Great Inspired By Homer?
Alexander the Great carried the Iliad on campaign, visited Troy, and modeled himself on Achilles. Here is how Homer shaped him.
What Happens If Lake Powell Drops Below Its Power Intakes
Cross a single line on the gauge and Glen Canyon Dam stops making power, reshaping who pays for Colorado River water and what survives downstream.
The Deadliest Beaches In America
The water looks ordinary right up until it kills someone. Rip currents, brutal shore break, sharks, and lightning define America's deadliest beaches.
How The Great Wall Of China Actually Worked
No, you can't see the Great Wall of China from space, and it never stopped armies alone. How the wall actually worked, from beacon fires to sticky rice.
The Most Horrifying Punishments In Ancient History
From crucifixion to the Brazen Bull, these practices seem barbaric to us today. Understanding them helps paint a clearer picture of the ancient world.
Britain’s National Archives Mark 250 Years of American Independence
Britain's National Archives Mark 250 Years of American Independence with the war seen from the losing side, drawn from the paperwork Britain filed and kept.
The African Army That Destroyed An Italian Invasion
The Battle of Adwa: how Emperor Menelik II's Ethiopian army destroyed an invading Italian force in 1896 and kept the country independent from Europe.
Which Planet Has the Longest Day?
Venus is considered to be the planet with the longest sidereal and solar day in the solar system, lasting around 243 Earth days.
The Largest Ancient Cities Ever Built
Discover the world's largest ancient cities, from Rome to Chang'an, and explore how these remarkable urban centers grew into the first great metropolises.
Which Planet Is the Windiest?
Discover why Neptune is the windiest planet in the solar system, how fast its winds are, the drivers of its storms, and what scientists still hope to learn.
Could Earth Ever Have Two Moons?
Earth's Moon is an unerring companion in our night sky. But is it alone? Could the Earth ever have two moons, and if so, what would it look like?
10 Small Towns in Texas with the Best Downtowns
Ten Texas towns with the best downtowns, from Port Isabel's fish mural to Fredericksburg's Magic Mile and Bandera's cowboy saloons.
10 Countries with the Largest Uranium Reserves
Australia holds 1.67 million tonnes of recoverable uranium, but Kazakhstan mines the most. How the ten largest resource holders compare.
A Driving Tour of River Road National Scenic Byway
A Driving Tour of River Road National Scenic Byway winds along Michigan's AuSable River, past sand dunes, high bluffs, and the Lumberman's Monument.
8 Underrated Illinois Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
Beyond the bright lights of Chicago, there are many smaller, underrated towns in Illinois worth making the drive for in 2026.
An Afternoon Or More in Creemore, Ontario
An Afternoon Or More in Creemore, Ontario reveals a walkable Mill Street of cafes, a Michelin-starred restaurant, lavender farms, and craft beer.
African Countries With Islam As The Religion Of The Majority
In 19 African countries, Islam serves as the religion of the majority.
Country Names With 10 Letters
18 countries have names that contain 10 letters, from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan. Discover what other countries make the list!
Life Expectancy in Asia
Japan has the highest average life expectancy in Asia, as well as the world.
What Continent Is Hawaii In?
Although politically Hawaii is considered part of North America, geographically Hawaii is not part of any continent.
Landlocked Countries In Asia
Twelve countries in Asia are considered landlocked, although some of them, like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are along the Caspian Sea.
What Are The Contiguous United States?
Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia share a boundary with at least one other state and jointly make up the contiguous United States.
The Longest Mountain Ranges in Asia
The Kunlun Mountains, in China, is the longest mountain range in Asia.
What Is A Cloud Forest?
How cloud forests drink from the clouds, and why Kilimanjaro, Monteverde, Yakushima and the Appalachians all depend on the mist.
The Driest States In The United States
The driest states in the US aren't all deserts. Some are famous for snow. Ranked by NOAA precipitation data, with the geography that keeps each one dry.
The Cities With the Lowest Annual Rainfall in the US
The Cities With the Lowest Annual Rainfall in the US are led by Yuma, Arizona, where barely three inches fall in a year, followed by Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Countries That Use Their Own Calendar
In Ethiopia, it's not the year you think, and there are 13 months. Discover the countries that still run on their own calendars instead of the Gregorian one.