WorldAtlas Latest Articles
One Of The Deepest Octopus Ever Filmed
NOAA filmed a pale, finless octopus nicknamed Casper 14,075 feet down off Hawaii in 2016, the deepest sighting of its kind. It still has no scientific name.
6 Underrated Washington Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
Take a road trip through six underrated Washington towns in 2026, where historic landmarks and local festivals reward curious travelers.
The Counties Where Homes Cost The Most
Not all costs of living are created equal between different counties in the United States. Here are the most expensive home prices by county.
The Key West Of The North
Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie's South Bass Island is reached by ferry only, with swim-up bars, golf carts and, per Guinness, the world's longest permanent bar.
The Snake Infested State Parks On The East Coast
The East Coast’s snake line falls in Virginia. North of it the venomous species are inland. South of it the shore itself is the habitat. Eight parks, ranked.
9 Best Colorado Towns For A Weekend Trip
Nine Colorado weekend towns, from Telluride's miners' hospital museum to the world's largest mineral hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs.
Why Copperheads Den Under Porches And Sheds
Copperheads return to the same den for years and rarely arrive alone. What that means for the space under your shed.
What Happens When A Dam Uses Its Spillway For The First Time
Hoover Dam's first spillway run in 1941 gouged a cavity 45 feet deep. Six US reservoirs show what a first spill can expose, including a new gorge in Texas.
The US Mountain Trails With The Most Rattlesnake Encounters
From Phoenix to the Shawangunks, these busy mountain trails run straight through rattlesnake den country, where hikers and snakes end up on the same ledges.
How Much Of The World's Water Is In The Oceans?
About 96.5% of Earth's water sits in the oceans. Freshwater makes up only about 2.5%, and most of that is frozen in ice and glaciers or stored underground.
How Many Sailors It Takes To Run A Great Lakes Freighter
Even the 1,013-foot Paul R. Tregurtha sails with just 23 aboard. Why a Great Lakes freighter’s crew barely grows with its hull, and how the jobs divide.
How Far North Brown Recluse Spiders Live
How Far North Brown Recluse Spiders Live. Their wild range stops near southern Iowa, central Illinois, and southern Ohio, where winter cold sets the limit.
Who Were The Best Ottoman Military Leaders?
Exploring the best Ottoman military leaders in detail helps us paint a picture of why the empire became as powerful as it did.
The Driest Mountain In The United States
White Mountain Peak in eastern California rises to 14,246 feet, yet the Sierra Nevada rain shadow leaves its high slopes with relatively little precipitation.
10 Underrated Georgia Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
From St. Simons Island and Brunswick on the coast to Rome, Cedartown, and Tallulah Falls up north, these 10 Georgia small towns pair history with outdoor fun.
This 4,000-Acre Scottish Estate Has A 1634 Castle And Still Makes Its Own Power
Monzie Estate in Perthshire runs to 4,000 acres with a 1634 castle, an 1831 church and a 1952 hydro plant that still powers every cottage. You can rent one.
The Northern Edge Of Rattlesnake Country
The Northern Edge Of Rattlesnake Country lies in Canada, where three species cling to British Columbia valleys, prairie coulees, and Ontario wetlands.
Speckled Rattlesnake
Speckled Rattlesnake matches the color of the rock it lives on so closely that snakes from ranges a few miles apart can look like different species.
Was Alexander The Great An Overrated General?
Alexander the Great looms larger than perhaps any other figure in history. At the same time, no one should have their reputation accepted uncritically.
The Mountains That Make Their Own Weather
Mountains such as Mount Rainier and Mount Denali reveal how towering peaks create their own clouds, fierce winds, and sudden storms.
How Far North Water Moccasins Live
How Far North Water Moccasins Live. Their range stops in southern Illinois and coastal Virginia, and most snakes seen farther north are harmless watersnakes.
Which Planet Is Most Like Early Earth Was?
Earth is constantly evolving, and in its early days, had a much different composition. Which planet now is most like early Earth once was?
Which Roman Generals Never Lost A Battle?
Scipio Africanus and Marcus Agrippa have Rome's strongest claims to an unbeaten battlefield record, while Caesar, Corbulo, and Aurelian carry real caveats.
The American Mountains With Old-Growth Forest
Old-growth forest takes hundreds of years to grow, yet can be cut down in an instant. Here are the American mountains where you can still find those forests.
What Dragonfly Will Look For When It Lands On Titan
NASA's Dragonfly mission will explore Titan's dunes, analyze organic compounds, and investigate conditions that may reveal how life began.
Which Ancient Generals Never Lost A Battle?
Thutmose III, Alexander the Great, and Scipio Africanus are often called unbeaten ancient generals, but each record comes with caveats that muddy the claim.
Why Betelgeuse Keeps Dimming
Learn why Betelgeuse keeps dimming, what caused the Great Dimming, and how a newly discovered companion star explains its changing light.
Which Roman Generals Committed The Worst Atrocities?
Roman generals Sulla, Crassus, Caesar, and Germanicus left trails of atrocity, from political death lists and mass crucifixions to wars in Gaul and Germania.
8 Underrated Nevada Towns Worth the Drive in 2026
8 Underrated Nevada Towns Worth the Drive in 2026. Catch cowboy poetry in Elko, tour a silver mine in Virginia City, and reach Death Valley from Beatty.
Which Moon Is The Most Volcanic?
Io, Jupiter's innermost moon, has about 400 volcanoes powered by tidal heating from Jupiter's pull, not the global magma ocean once suspected.
How Far Apart America's Extremes Actually Are
America is a large country, and when its territories are factored in, its geographic extremes become even more prominent.
How Big The Great Plains Is Compared To All Of Western Europe
The Great Plains could fit Western Europe twice with room for Texas. See how this vast region compares with European countries, from France to Austria.
The Top Semiconductor States In America
Semiconductors are some of the most coveted materials on the planet, currently. Here are the top semiconductor states in America.
How Big Texas Is Compared To Europe's Largest Countries
Texas is larger than nearly every country in Europe. Its 268,597 square miles stack up against Europe’s biggest nations in surprising ways.
The Richest Countries In Africa 2025
Africa’s richest countries fall into three types: island economies, hydrocarbon exporters, and diversified markets, shaped by resources and policies
The Difference Between A Hurricane, A Typhoon, And A Cyclone
A hurricane, a typhoon and a cyclone are the same storm under three names. Which one you get depends on the ocean, and a date line crossing proves it.
The Richest Countries In Europe 2026
Europe has been an economic hub of the world for centuries. Strong banking and manufacturing sectors and embracing free trade have been key to its success.
The Richest Countries in North America 2026
In 2025, the U.S., Canada, and Panama lead North America in GDP per capita, reflecting diverse economic strengths and strategies.
The States With More Farmland Than People
Eight US states have more farmland than people, with farm operations covering over half their land and fewer than 100 residents per square mile.
How Much of America Drains Into the Mississippi River?
The Mississippi-Atchafalaya basin drains about 41% of the contiguous US, over 1.245 million square miles, and the Missouri subbasin alone supplies 43% of it.