WorldAtlas Latest Articles
How The Himalayas Compare To The Rockies
How the Himalayas and Rockies compare in height, length, age, glacier ice, earthquakes, and the rivers they feed, from Everest to the Continental Divide.
Grizzlies Are Being Brought Back To The North Cascades
North Cascades National Park in Washington approved a 2024 plan to restore grizzly bears, but no bears have been released yet. Here is where the effort stands
The Ozark Counties Time Forgot
Beyond lake life and Netflix name recognition, some parts of the Ozarks get less attention than other parts. Here are the counties time forgot.
The Best Small Town In California's Sierra Nevada For Seniors
Grass Valley, a Sierra Nevada foothills town an hour from Sacramento, pairs an affordable, walkable downtown with senior healthcare and property tax relief.
2026's 10 Best Small Towns To Visit In North Carolina
Discover the 10 best small towns to visit in North Carolina in 2026, from Blue Ridge mountain villages to historic harbor towns along the Albemarle Sound.
The Tribes That Hold the Oldest Colorado River Water Rights In The US
The Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and San Juan Southern Paiute hold senior Colorado River rights, but four Upper Basin states are blocking their settlement.
The Widest Tree In America
General Sherman holds the volume record at 52,500 cubic feet — but General Grant has the wider base. How America's biggest trees actually measure up.
7 Small Towns in Pennsylvania with the Best Downtowns
In Pennsylvania, downtown Wellsboro glows under gas lamps, Lititz twists pretzels by hand, and Hershey lines Chocolate Avenue with Kisses, 7 towns in all.
What Would Happen If The Atlantic Conveyor Slowed Down
The Atlantic Conveyor is part of the global ocean conveyor belt, in which water moves around the globe over the course of 1000 years.
The US Rivers With The Highest PFAS Levels
Near wastewater outfalls, PFAS ran highest on South Carolina's Pocotaligo among six US rivers tested, measured in river water and not household taps.
The Rivers Where Trout Grow Largest
The Rivers Where Trout Grow Largest. Arkansas tailwaters have produced browns near forty pounds, while steelhead and rainbows grow big on sea time and salmon.
How Far North Armadillos Have Reached
How Far North Armadillos Have Reached. Breeding populations hold near the fortieth parallel, but one wanderer turned up in Indiana just shy of Michigan.
Green Bush Viper
Green Bush Viper facts, from its rough, dragon-like scales and variable colors to its nighttime ambush hunts in the rainforests of West and Central Africa.
Why Evidence Suggests Dark Energy Is Weakening
Although our leading minds have barely more than a theoretical grasp on what dark energy is, it appears to be weakening.
Who Were The Roman Army’s Most Dangerous Enemies?
The Roman army met its match against Carthage, Parthia, the Sasanians, and the Germanic tribes, from Cannae in 216 BCE to the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE.
The American Power Plants Built Inside A Mountain
From Tennessee's Raccoon Mountain to Washington's Boundary Dam, several U.S. power plants run their turbines deep inside excavated mountain rock.
Gelada
Gelada is the only primate on Earth that lives almost entirely on grass, grazing the Ethiopian highlands by day and sleeping on cliff ledges at night.
Where Manatees Travel Farthest North
Where Manatees Travel Farthest North. Florida manatees follow warm water up the Atlantic coast, and one reached Cape Cod Bay, the northernmost on record.
Which Planet Is The Coldest?
Uranus, not more distant Neptune, reaches the lowest temperature of any planet, about -372°F, while Mercury gets colder at night than anywhere on Earth.
Why Denali Is Harder To Climb Than Everest
Lower summit, harder climb. Thin polar air, 100-pound loads, and rescue that can be days away make Denali a tougher test than Everest for most climbers.
Why Rome Could Never Conquer Nubia
Rome conquered many different civilizations but was never able to establish a permanent foothold in Nubia, a region of great significance in Ancient Egypt.
7 Underrated California Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
Seven California towns worth the detour, from Pioneertown and Solvang to Ojai, Tiburon, Sonoma, Solana Beach and Ramona in the San Diego back country.
The Island That Changed My Mind About Toronto
A ten-minute ferry from downtown Toronto reaches Center Island, with sandy Great Lakes beaches, a pier, rental bikes and the oldest lighthouse.
11 Underrated Ohio Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
11 Underrated Ohio Towns Worth the Drive in 2026. Ride a horse-drawn canal boat in Coshocton, see Sugarcreek's cuckoo clock, and find Christmas in Medina.
What New Horizons Is Still Finding In The Kuiper Belt
NASA's New Horizons probe woke from a 321-day hibernation in June 2026, some 6 billion miles from Earth, and continues to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.
10 Worst Byzantine Emperors
Ranking the Byzantine emperors whose cruelty, cost-cutting and failed schemes did lasting damage to the Eastern Roman Empire.
Which Planet Could You Survive on Longest?
Mars gives a suited astronaut the best survival odds of any planet beyond Earth, while Venus's heat and the giant planets' crushing depths prove far deadlier.
Who Were The Greatest Generals In Ancient Greece?
Discover how Ancient Greece’s greatest generals used strategy, diplomacy, and military innovation to change the course of the ancient world.
The Most Climbed Mountain In America
Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire draws around 125,000 climbers a year, with a 3,165-foot summit most hikers reach in a few hours and views across six states.
How The Andes Compare To The Rockies
Mount Elbert is the highest point in the Rockies and would not make the Andean top fifty. How the two ranges compare, and the statistic that ends the argument.
The Richest Countries In Europe 2026
Europe has been an economic hub of the world for centuries. Strong banking and manufacturing sectors and embracing free trade have been key to its success.
10 Underrated South Carolina Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
Oyster roasts in Bluffton, dawn Thoroughbred workouts in Aiken, a 135-foot peach in Gaffney: 10 underrated South Carolina towns worth the drive in 2026.
The Richest Countries in North America 2026
In 2025, the U.S., Canada, and Panama lead North America in GDP per capita, reflecting diverse economic strengths and strategies.
Why Parker Solar Probe Survives Touching The Sun
NASA's Parker Solar Probe has flown closer to the Sun than any spacecraft, using a carbon heat shield to pass through the corona and study the solar wind.
How Much Of The World's Fresh Water Sits In North America?
North America holds roughly one-quarter of the world’s fresh surface water, with the Great Lakes alone accounting for about 21% of the global supply.
The Richest Countries In The World 2026
The richest country in the world is Luxembourg, followed by Singapore and Ireland, ranked by GDP per capita in PPP values, provided by the IMF for 2025.
The Busiest Cargo Ports
Cargo ports allow for mass transportation of goods by sea. Here are the largest and busiest cargo ports in various states.
How Big Lake Superior Is Compared To Entire States
Lake Superior spans 31,700 square miles, larger than 10 US states by total area and nearly the size of South Carolina, plus a 2,726-mile shoreline.
What Is The Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute
A border drawn more than a century ago still divides Thailand and Cambodia, with disputed temples and territory keeping tensions alive today.
How Big Alaska Is Compared To The Lower 48
Alaska is one fifth the size of the Lower 48 and bigger than Texas, California and Montana combined. Why the maps you grew up with got it wrong twice.