WorldAtlas Latest Articles

Space

What Falls To Earth From Space Every Year

Stuff is constantly falling from space. We call it space junk. Here's what exactly is falling to Earth from space each year.

Places

5 Tick Infested Areas In South Australia

Ticks are not evenly distributed across South Australia. Discover five areas where their presence has been particularly well documented.

Places

10 Amazing Pacific Northwest Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive

There are few places on Earth as beautiful and varied as the Pacific Northwest in the US. See it all with these 10 amazing day trips that are worth the drive.

Rivers

The Single Canal That Carries The Most Colorado River Water

The All-American Canal moves 3.1 million acre-feet a year, more than the Central Arizona Project and Colorado River Aqueduct combined, without a single pump.

Cities

11 Most Neighborly Towns In Southern California

Southern California's most neighborly towns, where volunteers staff the art centers and neighbors fund the concerts, in Fallbrook, Idyllwild, and Julian.

Cities

9 Most Breathtaking Towns In The Rockies

Even locals look up for these. A river that vanishes into a cave, a prairie that stops dead at the peaks, and a steam train over a 10,000-foot pass.

Travel

9 Underrated Wisconsin Towns Worth the Drive in 2026

These 9 underrated Wisconsin towns pair circus history in Baraboo and Cornish stone cottages in Mineral Point with a WWII submarine tour in Manitowoc.

Lakes

What Happens If A Major Dam Fails In The American West

The flood is only the first hour. A major Western dam holds back power, drinking water, farm irrigation, and flood storage, each failing on its own clock.

Lakes

The Busiest Shipping Routes On The Great Lakes

The heaviest freight on North America's inland seas funnels through a handful of locks, rivers, and canals. Here is where the tonnage piles up.

Lakes

The Great Lakes Ranked By Number Of Beaches

Lake Michigan leads the Great Lakes with 535 monitored US beaches, while Lake Ontario has 55, showing that shoreline length does not predict beach counts.

Animals

Marbled Polecat

Marbled Polecat wears a mottled coat of black, cream and rust, and when cornered it arches its back, throws its tail overhead and sprays like a skunk.

Animals

Mekong Giant Catfish

Mekong Giant Catfish can reach 646 pounds, yet it has no teeth at all and grazes on algae, and only a few hundred adults may be left in the wild.

Space

Why China's Far Side Lunar Samples Matter

The dark side of the moon has long been reputed to contain secrets. Now, China has lunar samples from that famed side. Here's why they matter.

Ancient World

The Wealthiest Roman Emperors Ranked

The days of dictators with unlimited power are not as overt as they once were in Ancient Rome. Here are the Roman Empire's wealthiest emperors.

Travel

9 Small Towns in California's Sierra Nevada with the Best Downtowns

Explore these Sierra Nevada towns with historic downtowns, local museums, art, wine, trails, theaters, and memorable mountain scenery.

Industries

The US Dams That Power Entire States

Six US hydroelectric plants each out-produced a full state's yearly electricity in 2025, with Grand Coulee on top and The Dalles new to the list.

Animals

Binturong

Binturong, also called the bearcat, is neither bear nor cat. It smells of popcorn, grips branches with a prehensile tail, and climbs down trees headfirst.

Animals

European Adder

European Adder is Britain's only venomous snake and the only serpent on Earth that lives north of the Arctic Circle, surviving winters no other snake can.

Space

What Europa Clipper Will Find When It Arrives

With a mission en route to Europa, we may soon discover just what is hidden deep beneath the moon's icy surface layers.

Ancient World

Why the Bronze Age Suddenly Collapsed

Drought, famine, war, and the Sea Peoples brought down the Bronze Age world. A look at what caused the collapse and how quickly it unfolded.

Mountains

Why The Rockies Are Still Rising

Long after the mountains finished forming, the Rockies keep climbing. Hot mantle, a slow-tearing rift, and steady erosion are quietly lifting them.

Travel

9 Small Towns in The Finger Lakes with the Best Downtowns

9 Finger Lakes towns in New York with walkable downtowns, from the It's a Wonderful Life Museum in Seneca Falls to Pulteney Square in Hammondsport.

Travel

10 Small Towns on Florida's Emerald Coast With the Best Downtowns

Florida's Emerald Coast is home to small towns whose downtowns range from Seaside's planned square to Destin's working harbor and Panama City's mural walls.

Space

What The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope Will Do That Webb Cannot

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launched in August 2026, pairs a wide infrared field of view with survey speed the Webb and Hubble were never built for.

Ancient World

Who Were The Most Overrated Roman Generals?

Not all famous Roman generals deserve their praise. There were several of them who, when you really look at their track record, were somewhat overrated

Mountains

The Tallest Mountain In America From Base To Summit

Measured from its deep-sea base, one American peak beats Everest by thousands of feet. See how nine giants rank when height starts at the bottom.

Stories

This Great Lakes Town Dives Into Maritime Heritage

This Great Lakes Town Dives Into Maritime Heritage in Alpena, Michigan, where Thunder Bay's Shipwreck Alley hides scores of wrecks beneath Lake Huron.

Ancient World

How Many Emperors Did The Roman Empire Have?

Rome counted roughly 70 emperors through 395 CE and closer to 90 by 476. Here is why no single number ever settles the question.

Mountains

The Youngest Mountain Range In The United States

Grand Teton, despite its impressive appearance, is actually the youngest mountain range in the entirety of the United States.

Mountains

The American Mountains You Can Reach By Train

These six American mountain railways climb steep grades into the high country, ending at summit buildings, mountain towns, and breathtaking overlooks.

Mountains

The Widest Mountain In The United States

One American mountain spreads so far across the landscape that its width rivals its height for sheer scale, giving it a footprint unlike any other.

Geography

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.

Geography

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.

Climate

The 10 US Cities With the Longest Summers

Some US cities barely see winter at all. Ranked by NOAA normals, here are the ten with the longest thermal summers, from Honolulu to Fort Lauderdale.

Industries

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.

Religion

African Countries With Islam As The Religion Of The Majority

In 19 African countries, Islam serves as the religion of the majority.

Geography

Country Names With 10 Letters

18 countries have names that contain 10 letters, from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan. Discover what other countries make the list!

Society

Life Expectancy in Asia

Japan has the highest average life expectancy in Asia, as well as the world.

Geography

What Continent Is Hawaii In?

Although politically Hawaii is considered part of North America, geographically Hawaii is not part of any continent.

Geography

Landlocked Countries In Asia

Twelve countries in Asia are considered landlocked, although some of them, like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are along the Caspian Sea.