Geography Of The World
The Year America Promised Away More Colorado River Water Than Exists
In 1922, the Colorado River Compact divided up more water than the river carries, based on its wettest years. A century later, we're all paying the bill.
The US Rivers With The Most Fish Species
The Tennessee River Basin holds half of North America's freshwater fish species. The US rivers with the most fish species, and why the Southeast won so decisively.
The Last Free-Flowing River Left In America
The Yellowstone runs 692 miles with no reservoir on it, the last major undammed river in the Lower 48. It survived because Montana fought a dam and then rewrote its water law.
The Lakes Where Tiger Muskies Grow Largest
Only two tiger muskies over 50 pounds exist on record, and both came from the same lake. Where the hybrids grow largest, and why sterility is the whole reason.
How Stocked Salmon Kept Lake Michigan From Collapsing
Stocked salmon helped revive Lake Michigan by controlling invasive alewives and rebuilding a valuable recreational fishery.
The African Rivers Bigger Than The Mississippi
The Congo beats the Mississippi at everything. The Nile beats it at nothing that involves water. Which African rivers are genuinely bigger, by three measures.
The US States With The Most Ocean Shoreline
Some American counties are so dry the map barely changes when you trace the desert line. Meet the places where sand, salt, scrub, and dry basin win.
Why The Salton Sea Is Turning Toxic
Why is California's Salton Sea shrinking? Discover how the lake became an environmental crisis and what is being done to restore it.
Why The Deep Ocean Has No Plants At All
Learn why the deep ocean has no plants and how marine snow, chemosynthesis, and strange animals sustain life in total darkness.
How Lake Tanganyika Holds Almost As Much Water As All Five Great Lakes
See how Lake Tanganyika holds nearly as much water as all five Great Lakes in North America while learning about its geology, wildlife, and role in Africa.
The Lakes Where Whitefish Grow Largest
The largest whitefish in the world is a 53-pound Arctic predator called the inconnu, French for unknown. Where whitefish grow largest, and why it is not Michigan.
The Towns Buried Under America's Largest Reservoirs
These towns were lost to some of America's largest reservoirs, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of different locals.
How The Alps Compare To The Rockies
The Rockies are 4x longer, but the Alps are taller and steeper, with a café at the summit. The Rockies counter with grizzlies. How the two ranges really compare.
The Coldest Ocean On Earth
The Coldest Ocean On Earth is the Southern Ocean, where surface waters hover near freezing and the world's strongest current circles all of Antarctica.
The Largest Lakes On Every Continent
Under Antarctic ice, inside a supervolcano crater, holding a fifth of Earth's fresh water: meet the biggest freshwater lake on each continent.
The US Reservoirs That Have Never Filled Completely
Some reservoirs were built to hold far more water than they ever have, leaving century-old shorelines that never reached their intended mark.
Why Eastern And Western States Own Water Completely Differently
Why do Eastern and Western states own water so differently? The East shares it by land (riparian); the West by "first in time, first in right." Rain explains it.
Is It Legal To Collect Rainwater In Every State
Yes, in all fifty states. Colorado caps you at two barrels, Utah wants you to register, and the man everyone says was jailed for it had stocked his reservoir with bass.
The Tallest Mountain East Of The Mississippi
The tallest mountain east of the Mississippi is North Carolina's Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft), named for a scientist who died proving it. Yes, you can drive up.
Why Whales Don't Live In The Arctic Year-Round
Why Whales Don't Live In The Arctic Year-Round comes down to food, sea ice, and safer calving, as bowheads and belugas stay while others migrate.
The Native Western Fish Making A Comeback
Native Western fish are fighting back: the Apache trout was delisted, humpback chub downlisted, Klamath salmon returned. But bonytail and others may not make it.
What Happens When A Reservoir Hits Dead Pool
Dead pool is the point at which a reservoir can no longer release water downstream. What it means for Lake Mead, Lake Powell, and the Colorado River.
The Whirlpools Strong Enough To Pull Down Boats
Learn how the world's most powerful tidal whirlpools threaten small boats through fast currents, turbulent waves, and sudden loss of control.
Positive Steps Taken To Clean Up The Great Lakes In The Past Decade
Sealed sediment, deep sewer tunnels, and farm nutrient controls have pulled some of the Great Lakes' worst legacy pollution sites back from the brink.
The US Lakes Where Anglers Spend The Most Money
It's never just the rod and reel. See how boats, fuel, and guides turn a day on the water into billions at the US lakes where anglers spend most.
The Pacific Coast Where Sea Otters Have Come Back
Sea otters were hunted nearly to extinction. See where they've come back on the Pacific coast, from Big Sur to Alaska and BC, and the 840-mile Oregon gap.
The Lakes Where Invasive Plants Have Choked Out Boaters
Invasive weeds have choked the ramps and boat lanes on lakes across the US, from Texas salvinia to Adirondack milfoil, and crews fight to keep them open.
What Happens To Plastic Once It Reaches The Ocean
Plastic can drift for years after reaching the ocean, breaking into invisible fragments, entering marine life, and sinking into places humans can barely reach
The Great Lakes Fish That Live Longest
Meet the Great Lakes fish that live longest, including century-old lake sturgeon and long-lived trout, carp, and freshwater drum.
The Deepest Point In The Gulf Of Mexico
The deepest point in the Gulf of Mexico is the Sigsbee Deep, nearly 3 miles down. Underwater cliffs, salt domes, and brine pools that pickle whatever swims in.
How Many Lakes Are Big Enough To Be Seen From Space?
Most of Earth's 117 million lakes vanish from space. Meet the giants big enough to glow from orbit, from the Caspian Sea to Baikal and the Great Lakes.
How Much Water Lake Mead Has Lost, Measured In Great Lakes
Lake Mead has lost about 6.5 trillion gallons, a historic collapse. Measured against the Great Lakes, it's only ~5% of Lake Erie. The surprising math of scale.
The American Towns Built Directly Below A Dam
Nearly 17,000 US dams are rated high hazard, and the count is rising because towns keep building below them. Oroville, Midland, Rexburg and the risk they live with. (159, would trim)
The Largest Lakes West Of The Rockies
Saltier than the ocean, perched on an active earthquake fault, or ringed by polar bears, the largest lakes west of the Rockies defy the alpine postcard.
How Many Undiscovered Species Are In The Sea?
Scientists estimate that half a million to 2 million marine species remain unknown, while much of the deep seafloor has never been seen.
The Best Catfish Lakes In The United States
Where do America's record catfish come from? Ten US reservoirs grow trophy blue, channel, and flathead cats, backed by state fisheries data.
The Most Isolated Lakes On Earth
The most notable of the isolated lakes are named, mapped, and certainly studied, but to most people, they remain completely inaccessible.
How Much Of The Ocean Is Still Unexplored
How Much Of The Ocean Is Still Unexplored depends on the question, since only about a third of the seafloor is mapped and far less has ever been seen.
The Cargo Great Lakes Freighters Carry The Most
Many are shocked when they realize the true scale of the Great Lakes, which can appear more like oceans. Here's the cargo freighters carry on it the most.
The Sea Creatures That Outlived The Dinosaurs
Non-avian dinosaurs vanished 66 million years ago, but the oceans still hold survivors from much older chapters of Earth’s history.