WorldAtlas Latest Articles

State Parks

The State Parks Where You Share The Trail With Hunters

These state parks across the U.S. allow hunting alongside hiking, with seasonal restrictions, designated hunting zones, and trail safety rules.

Places

The Oldest Zoos In America

From Central Park Zoo in 1864 to the Maryland Zoo in 1876, these 8 American zoos were showing animals before the light bulb, and all of them are still open.

National Parks

The Snowiest National Park In America

Standing at an impressive 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the most famous peak in the Cascade Range and ranks as the snowiest spot in the United States.

Places

The Longest Highway In America

US Route 20 runs 3,365 miles from Boston to Newport, Oregon, across twelve states. Allow a few weeks, and note that it goes unnumbered through Yellowstone.

Towns

9 Arizona Towns Perfect For A Fresh Start

An Arizona fresh start might lead to an old mining town, a Route 66 community, or a high-desert town where home prices and winter weather surprise.

Bodies of Water

The Deepest Spring In The United States

Wakulla Spring near Tallahassee drops about 185 feet, the deepest freshwater spring basin in the US and the source of the Wakulla River.

Rivers

The Deepest River Gorge In America

Hells Canyon on the Idaho-Oregon border drops 7,913 feet from He Devil to the Snake River, with Nez Perce history, three dams, and a wild stretch of river.

Lakes

The Highest Lake In The United States

Pacific Tarn in Colorado is the highest lake in the US at 13,420 feet, the highest officially named lake in the country, beating Hawaii’s Lake Waiau.

Bodies of Water

Which US City Uses The Most Water

A billion gallons of water go into New York City's homes, hospitals, and businesses each day, enough to fill nearly 1,500 Olympic swimming pools.

Travel

9 Overlooked Towns In The Northern United States Worth Visiting

In the Northern United States, 9 overlooked towns offer a 1959 lift bridge, a candy-striped lighthouse, mine-pit bike trails, and a tour beneath the streets.

Mountains

The Oldest Mountain Range In The United States

The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountain range in the US at about 480 million years, though Missouri and the Black Hills hold far older mountain rock.

Conservation

The States That Pay Bounties On Invasive Animals

Florida pays for pythons, Louisiana for nutria tails, Texas for feral hogs, and Maryland for snakeheads. See how cash bounties fight invasive animals.

Animals

What Happens To A Rattlesnake That Wakes Up Too Early

A rattlesnake that wakes too early risks a lethal refreeze, burns fat reserves it can’t replace, and faces dehydration and predators before spring truly arrives.

Wildlife By Place

Where Water Moccasins Go In The Winter

Northern cottonmouths brumate four or five months. South Florida cottonmouths may skip winter entirely. What does not change is that they leave the water.

Animals

Why Some Animals Turn White In Winter

Hares, Arctic foxes, weasels, and ptarmigan turn white because shorter days trigger the change, not cold. See why shrinking snow seasons put them at risk.

Space

Where America's Meteorites Are Found Most Often

While a meteorite can land pretty much anywhere in the world, there are certain areas in the United States where they are more likely to be found.

Ancient World

How Did Someone Become A Roman Emperor?

There were multiple paths to ascend to Ancient Rome's highest office. Many of them involved death, betrayal, and political scheming.

Travel

9 Overlooked Towns In The Great Lakes Worth Visiting

Skip the crowds at the big-name Great Lakes stops for nine quieter towns nearby, spread from Lake Superior to Lake Ontario, each worth the detour.

Destinations

The Best Places To Visit On Maryland’s Eastern Shore

These are the best places to visit on Maryland's Eastern Shore, with historic streets and local traditions worth planning a day or a weekend around.

Space

What The Juno Spacecraft Found Hiding Under Jupiter’s Clouds

Juno looked beneath Jupiter's swirling clouds and found that its familiar storms are only the beginning of a far stranger world hidden deep inside.

Ancient World

Was Alexander The Great Or Julius Caesar A Better General?

Both Alexander The Great and Julius Caesar are considered some of the greatest generals of all time. But which was better?

Destinations

These Small Towns In Washington’s San Juan Islands

A ferry ride across these islands of the San Juan archipelago can lead to places where the journey is only part of the appeal.

Space

Why Space Is So Cold If The Sun Is So Hot

Sunlight crosses the near-vacuum of space without warming it, since so little matter is there to absorb it. Planets heat up, but the space between stays cold.

Ancient World

The Story Of The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire ruled from Constantinople for a thousand years after Rome fell, shaping law, faith, and trade until the Ottoman conquest of 1453.

Industries

The Top Nuclear Power States In America

There are many states in America which have active nuclear power plants. These are the top twelve nuclear power producers.

Mountains

The 10 Tallest Mountains In New Mexico

New Mexico's 10 tallest major mountains include Wheeler Peak, Truchas Peak, and remote summits with restricted hiking access.

Mountains

The American Mountains With The Most Venomous Snakes

Rattlesnakes and copperheads live in the mountains of New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Arizona, denning on rocky slopes and even along hiking trails.

Mountains

The American Mountains With A Lake On The Summit

Crater Lake fills a collapsed Oregon volcano, Lake Waiau sits in a cinder cone on Mauna Kea, and Rainier’s lakes lie in ice caves under its summit craters.

Destinations

The Best Places To Visit On Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula

These 7 destinations along the Door Peninsula each have a distinct character, shaped by Great Lakes scenery, maritime heritage, and charming waterfronts.

Industries

The Last American Shipyards Still Building Ships

Destroyers are built in Bath, Maine, carriers in Newport News, Virginia, and the first US-built heavy icebreaker in about 50 years in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Space

Why Earth Is The Only Planet Not Named After A God

Every other planet carries a god's name. Earth kept the Old English word for soil, because nobody knew it was a planet until Copernicus put it in orbit.

Ancient World

The Most Ruthless Roman Generals

Roman commanders razed Carthage, crucified 6,000 rebel slaves on the Appian Way, massacred Gallic tribes, and purged rivals with public death lists.

Industries

The States That Import The Most Electricity

The states importing the most electricty, like New York, Vermont, and Minnesota, reveal how closely America's energy needs are tied together.

Geography

How Much Of The US Is Federal Land Compared To Other Countries

Some countries allow for much more private ownership of land than others. Here's how much federal land the US owns versus other countries.

Space

What Rain Looks Like On Other Planets

As interesting as weather on Earth can be, other planets also undergo meteorological events, and they can be quite extreme.

Industries

The Top Solar Power States In America

Texas and California lead US solar generation, while Florida, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina add utility-scale projects, storage, and grid upgrades.

Sports

The Highest-Altitude Stadiums In North America

North America's highest stadiums, from Denver's mile-high venues to Mountaineer Bowl in Gunnison and Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca, Mexico.

Industries

The US States That Export The Most Electricity

Pennsylvania leads US states in net electricity exports, followed by Alabama and Illinois, as nuclear, gas, and wind plants feed grids across state lines.

Society

US States With the Most Snake Species

The states with the most snake species line the country's southern edge, and eight of the top 10 touch either the Mexican border or the Gulf Coast.

Climate

Every Place In America That Averages Over 200 Inches Of Snow

At just 95 feet above sea level, Valdez averages more snow than some mountain stations, showing why America's 200-inch snow zones aren't all peaks.