Geography Of The World
The Rare US Mountain Ranges That Runs East To West
Utah's Uinta Mountains are often called the only major US range running east to west, but California's Transverse Ranges and the Ouachitas also qualify.
The Largest Squid Ever Found Off The US Coast
The Largest Squid Ever Found Off The US Coast was a giant squid stranded on Plum Island, Massachusetts, still the biggest documented in American waters.
What Happens To St. Louis If The Missouri And Mississippi Flood Together
When the Missouri and Mississippi flood together, St. Louis floods unevenly. Here is how the 1993 crest tested the city’s floodwall, levees, and defenses.
How Long A Great Lakes Freighter Is Compared To The Empire State Building
Stood on end, the 1,013.5-foot Paul R. Tregurtha would stop 36.5 feet below the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor deck and span nearly four Manhattan blocks.
Why The Colorado Runs Red And The Green Runs Green
In Utah’s Canyonlands, sediment makes the Colorado run red and the Green run green, and dams like Flaming Gorge and Glen Canyon can flip both colors.
How Big Yellowstone Is Compared To Small Countries
Of the many wonderful aspects of Yellowstone National Park is its sheer size, equaling or surpassing that of many small countries.
The Free Ferries Still Running In America
Eight US ferries still charge nothing to ride, including New York's Staten Island Ferry, Texas's Galveston-Port Bolivar route, and Wisconsin's Merrimac Ferry.
The Lake Powell Marinas That Have Closed Because Of Low Water
Low water on Lake Powell in Utah has shut Dangling Rope and Hite marinas, towed Bullfrog's docks to deeper water, and left the Charles Hall Ferry idle.
The Largest Squid Ever Filmed
A squid surfaced off Japan on a fishing line, giving scientists rare footage of a living giant. Then an Antarctic heavyweight entered the picture.
5 US Rivers With The Most Copperheads
Copperheads are commonly seen in West Virginia’s New River Gorge, were radio-tracked in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, and are Missouri’s top venomous snake.
The Day The Teton Dam Burst
Idaho's Teton Dam failed as it first filled in June 1976, flooding Wilford, Sugar City, and Rexburg, killing 11 people, and prompting a new dam safety law.
What Happens If The Columbia’s Dams Come Down All At Once
The Columbia River's 14 mainstem dams supply over half the Northwest's power and water 671,000 acres of farmland. Here is what their removal would undo.
The US Lakes Where Marinas Have Closed Because Of Low Water
Low water moved Bullfrog Marina across Lake Powell, shut Detroit Lake Marina’s moorage by July, and left Lake Sakakawea’s state park slips unusable in 2026.
The Creatures That Live Deeper Than The Titanic
The Titanic rests 12,500 feet down, but octopuses, snailfish, and amphipods live far deeper, down to nearly 36,000 feet in the Challenger Deep.
Where Alligators Go When Lakes Freeze
At a North Carolina swamp park, alligators survive frozen water by brumating with their snouts poking above the ice so they can breathe until it melts.
How A Great Lakes Freighter Compares To The Biggest Ocean Container Ship
The Great Lakes’ biggest freighter is about 300 feet shorter than the world’s largest container ship, and the reason traces to one lock in Michigan.
The American Mountains Where Copperheads Den For The Winter
Copperheads are heading into their winter dens. See the American mountains where they hole up, including Connecticut’s ridges and Illinois’ Snake Road bluffs.
How Deep Lake Tahoe Is Compared To The Empire State Building
At 1,645 feet deep, Lake Tahoe could swallow the Empire State Building with nearly 200 feet of water to spare. Here is how the lake and the tower came to be.
The Sea Creature That Goes Longest Without Eating
The supergiant isopod lives on the deep-sea floor, gorging on rare meals, and a 2026 study found genes that may help it endure long stretches without food.
What Would Happen If A Tsunami Hit The West Coast
Fifteen minutes may be all some Oregon and Washington beach towns get before the first surge, with floodwater pushing up rivers and the land sinking after.
How High Up A Mountain Rattlesnakes Can Live
Western rattlesnakes climb to about 11,000 feet in California, and Yosemite's northern Pacific rattlesnakes range up to roughly 9,000 feet high.
What Lies Beneath America's Deepest Reservoir
Lake Oroville in California reaches about 690 feet deep, covering old Feather River canyons, a Gold Rush townsite, mining works, and Maidu cultural sites.
6 Most Alligator Filled Rivers In The United States
Six U.S. rivers in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas, from the Everglades to the Neches, support some of the densest American alligator populations.
The 10 Tallest Mountains East Of The Mississippi
The 10 Tallest Mountains East Of The Mississippi all rise near the North Carolina-Tennessee line, led by Mount Mitchell in the rugged Black Mountains.
The US Lakes Where Otters Have Returned
The US Lakes Where Otters Have Returned include Lake Erie and Lake Tahoe, where these clean-water indicators are back after vanishing for generations.
What Happens If The Great Lakes Stop Feeding The St. Lawrence
If Lake Ontario stopped feeding the St. Lawrence River, the Moses-Saunders dam, Seaway ships, Montreal's drinking water, and fish habitat would all feel it.
How Loch Ness Compares To The Great Lakes
A loch is just the Scottish word for a lake, and Loch Ness is a British giant, until you set it beside the Great Lakes, which hold 3,000 times more water.
The Rivers Where Flathead Catfish Have Taken Over
Introduced flathead catfish have overrun rivers from North Carolina's Cape Fear to the lower Colorado, crowding out native sunfish, bullheads, and suckers.
The Lowest Mountain Range In The United States
The Lowest Mountain Range In The United States is New Jersey’s Watchungs, low basalt ridges built by ancient lava that sheltered George Washington’s army.
Which Western City Runs Out Of Water First
One already did. Scottsdale cut off Rio Verde Foothills on January 1, 2023, and it took three years to replace. The places that run out are not cities.
The Ocean Animals That Can Dive Deeper Than A Submarine
Discover the ocean animals that dive deeper than many submarines, including whales, sharks, seals, sea turtles, narwhals, and penguins.
Why The Missouri Is Longer But The Mississippi Got The Name
The Missouri outruns the Mississippi by about 200 miles, yet loses its name where they meet. A 1673 naming and a water-volume twist explain why.
How Big Lake Superior Is Compared To Ireland
Lake Superior is 97.3 percent the size of the island of Ireland and 117 percent the size of the Republic. Both are true, and the difference is a 1921 border.
Where Crayfish Go In The Winter
Crayfish ride out winter deep in lakes, wedged in cold streambed gravel, or sealed in burrows down at the water table, waiting for spring to warm.
The US Waters Where Boil-Water Notices Happen Most Often
The US Waters Where Boil-Water Notices Happen Most Often include the reservoir behind Jackson’s water crisis and the Asheville source hit by Hurricane Helene.
The American Coastline That Is Actually Growing
The American Coastline That Is Actually Growing is in Southeast Alaska, where land freed from melting glaciers is rising faster than the sea around it.
What Happens If The Rio Grande Dries Up At El Paso
What Happens If The Rio Grande Dries Up At El Paso? The river already vanishes for months, so wells and desalination keep taps running while farms suffer.
What Happens To Yuma If Lake Mead Hits Dead Pool
At Lake Mead dead pool, Yuma, Arizona could supply homes from wells, but its winter vegetable fields would lose the Colorado River water they depend on.
Why November Is The Deadliest Month On The Great Lakes
November is the deadliest month on the Great Lakes thanks to the Witch of November, the autumn gales that sank the 1913 fleet and the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The Great Lakes Ranked By Number Of Islands
Lake Huron holds far more islands than any other Great Lake, while Lake Erie has the fewest. Here is how the islands of each Great Lake compare, lake by lake.