WorldAtlas Latest Articles
11 Best Downtowns on the Pacific Coast
These downtowns highlight the best of the Pacific Coast's timeless charm for travelers seeking walkable, beautiful destinations with fewer crowds.
What Happens If Lake Mead Drops Below Its Power Intakes
Hoover Dam has already lost half its output since 2000 without anyone noticing. What happens if Lake Mead falls below the turbines, and why it is a slope not a cliff.
The 7 Least-Crowded Towns In California To Catch Fall Foliage
With its milder weather, smaller crowds, and gorgeous foliage, California is home to many towns to experience the beautiful fall season without the crowds.
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.
What Happens When A River Meets The Ocean
See what happens when a river meets the ocean, and why fresh water floats, salt water pushes upstream underneath it, and the mud never makes it out to sea.
9 Of The Most Adorable Small Towns In Florida
Florida’s most adorable small towns offer mermaid shows, historic streets, coastal seafood, and quirky museums far beyond the major theme parks.
2026's 12 Best Small Towns To Visit In The Northern United States
A ridge hike in the morning and the water by afternoon: meet twelve of the best small towns in the northern US, from Maine's coast to Alaska's harbors.
2026's 9 Most Scenic Ozarks Towns
Scenic Ozark towns reveal Victorian streets, landmark bridges, clear rivers and historic mills across Arkansas and Missouri.
The Longest Stretch Of The Mississippi With No Bridge
Between Helena, Arkansas and Greenville, Mississippi, the Mississippi River runs 131 miles with no bridge and no ferry. Here's why nobody has ever spanned it.
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.
12 Overlooked Towns In Michigan Worth Visiting
The 11 towns are some of the most overlooked destinations in Michigan and are worth visiting. From coastal views to historic museums, they have it all.
How Great Bear Lake Compares To The Great Lakes
Great Bear Lake is bigger than two Great Lakes, deeper than all five, and home to just 500 people. How Canada's Arctic giant stacks up against the famous five.
How Long It Takes Invasive Mussels To Cover A Lake Bottom
A few invasive mussels can carpet a lake bottom in two years or take over a decade. Depth, food, and the species involved decide how fast it happens.
15 Animals Only Found In The United States
Explore and learn about the 15 most interesting animals that are endemic to the United States, from the Red Wolf to the tiny Bobtail Squid.
Why The Aurora Reached Florida
A fierce solar storm sent the northern lights spilling into Florida, painting subtropical skies with an Arctic glow in a rare show of the Sun’s power.
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.
Five Days at Four mph on an English Canal Boat Is Pure Relaxation
Five days and 53 miles on the Shropshire Union Canal with two complete beginners aboard. No license needed, four miles an hour, and nowhere you have to be.
Amazon River Dolphin
Amazon River Dolphin turns pink with age, and much of that color is scar tissue from years of fighting, so the brightest males are usually the oldest ones.
Devil Scorpionfish
Devil Scorpionfish sits so still on the reef that algae grows over its skin, and it breaks cover only to flash the hidden orange and black beneath its fins.
What The Psyche Mission Could Tell Us About Planetary Cores
NASA's Psyche spacecraft arrives at a metal-rich asteroid in 2029, where its readings could sharpen scientists' understanding of the cores of rocky planets.
Who Were The Most Overrated Ancient Generals?
Not all famous generals actually deserved the reputation that they have benefitted from. Here are some of history's most overrated commanders.
One Day, 10 Hours, 17 Bands at the Borderland Festival
Ten hours at Borderland's eighth year in East Aurora, from a video-called grandpa mid-set to Jack White closing on "Seven Nation Army."
Neotropical Rattlesnake
Neotropical Rattlesnake, the most widespread rattlesnake in South America, has an unusually neurotoxic venom that can paralyze and prove fatal to people.
What Happens When A Satellite Burns Up In The Atmosphere
A satellite re-entry begins near 17,000 mph; learn what burns up, which dense parts reach Earth, and what the vaporized metal leaves behind.
The Best Leaders In Ancient Greece
Exploring these figures, and several more, is crucial to comprehending one of the most important civilizations in history.
9 Small Towns in the Southern United States with the Best Downtowns
Pay a theater in produce, browse a bookstore older than you, walk a brick riverfront. Nine small Southern towns with downtowns worth the afternoon.
The Deepest Underground Labs Hunting Dark Matter
Deep in subterranean labs, some of the most advanced technology in human history is being used to study the origins of dark matter.
How Rome Lost Its African Provinces
Rome, for a time, commanded one of the largest empires the world has seen. Over time, they would lose certain territories, including their African provinces.
Which Planet Has the Most Moons?
Saturn now holds 293 confirmed moons, more than any other planet. See how it overtook Jupiter, and meet Titan and Enceladus.
The African Emperor Who Ruled Rome
Septimius Severus has a complicated legacy. As the first emperor from Africa, he helped establish the Roman Empire as a truly multi-continental power.
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.
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.
The Rainiest Mountain In America
The Rainiest Mountain In America is Mount Waialeale on Kauai, where the summit averages about 450 inches of rain a year and once recorded 683 in 1982.
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.
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.
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.