In 2022, researchers mapping the floor of Lake Michigan discovered a series of large, circular craters. The formations, which range from 300 to 600 feet wide and plunge nearly 40 feet deep, are located about 500 feet below the surface. A closer survey in August 2024, using a remotely operated vehicle, identified roughly 40 of these structures.
Scientists have proposed several explanations for the craters. One possibility is that they are sinkholes, formed when water dissolves underlying limestone bedrock and the surface collapses. This process has created similar formations in Lake Huron. However, the size and linear arrangement of the Lake Michigan craters are unusual for typical sinkholes.
Another theory suggests the craters were carved by glaciers during the last ice age. As massive ice sheets moved across the region, they could have gouged out depressions in softer or fractured bedrock. While glacial activity is known to create crescent-shaped marks, the perfectly circular nature of these craters is not a standard feature of glacial erosion.
Researchers have noted that the deep, low-oxygen environment of the craters could support specialized life forms, such as opossum shrimp, deepwater sculpin, and quagga mussels. Studying these organisms might offer insight into how early life thrived in oxygen-poor oceans on ancient Earth.
The discovery adds to a history of notable finds in the Great Lakes. In 2007, researchers located a series of stones arranged in a pattern on the floor of Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan. The structure, which sits about 40 feet below the surface, is estimated to be roughly 9,000 years old. One of the stones bears a carving that appears to depict a mastodon.
The Great Lakes region has also yielded significant archaeological artifacts. In 2013, scientists studying an underwater landform in Lake Huron found two small flakes of obsidian. The volcanic glass was traced to a source in central Oregon, about 2,500 miles away, suggesting a vast prehistoric trade network. The site, known as the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, was dry land during the last ice age and was used by early humans for hunting.
A separate project in the Great Lakes is the proposed construction of a large data center complex. The facilities would require significant amounts of freshwater for cooling, raising concerns about the impact on the lakes’ water supply. Planners are considering using reclaimed wastewater from Chicago’s tunnel and reservoir system to reduce the strain on freshwater sources.
The Great Lakes region also experiences unexplained phenomena, including stories of paranormal activity in an area sometimes called the Lake Michigan Triangle. The lakebed contains thousands of shipwrecks, such as the Margaret A. Muir, a schooner that sank in 1893 and was located in 2024. In Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, researchers have found 11 ancient canoes, the oldest of which dates back to around 2500 B.C.E.
The Midcontinent Rift, a geological scar running through the US Midwest, is another area of interest. The rift formed about 1.1 billion years ago when tectonic plates began to separate, allowing massive amounts of magma to surface. The rift stalled before splitting the continent. Scientists are now studying the area because the volcanic rock deep underground may contain large reserves of natural hydrogen, which could be used as a clean energy source.
In Utah, the Great Salt Lake is shrinking due to a combination of drought and water diversion for agriculture and urban use. As the lake bed is exposed, dry dust containing metals such as manganese and lead can be blown into nearby communities. A dust storm carrying these elements swept across the Salt Lake Valley in May 2025. Authorities have taken steps to increase water flow to the lake, including a large release from Utah Lake through the Jordan River.
A $3.8 billion project in Virginia is underway to expand the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel system. The project involves building two new underwater tunnels to relieve traffic congestion on a crossing used by nearly 100,000 vehicles a day. The site is near the largest naval base in the US, making reliable road access a national security priority. The project uses a massive tunnel-boring machine to dig through soft silt under the harbor, with completion of the tunnel excavation achieved in September 2025.
In Oregon, the state’s geography is defined by opposing forces. The Cascades mountain range, formed by the collision of tectonic plates, traps Pacific storms on the western side, creating dense rainforests. East of the mountains, the land is dry and covered in ancient volcanic rock from the Columbia River Basalt Group eruptions, which paved much of the state in solid stone millions of years ago.
The artificial Lake Lanier in North Georgia was created in 1956 by flooding a valley that was home to about 700 families. The cemetery was left in place, and the lake has seen a higher-than-usual number of drownings and boating accidents. In 1958, two young women drowned when their car drove off a bridge into the lake. The body of one was found a year later, and the other was discovered inside the car in 1990.
A physics experiment known as DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is being constructed in South Dakota. The facility is located nearly a mile underground to shield sensitive detectors from background radiation. The detectors will study neutrinos, tiny particles that pass through matter almost undetected. The experiment aims to understand why the universe is made of matter rather than antimatter.
Mount St. Helens in Washington state has experienced an increase in small earthquakes since February 2024. The US Geological Survey has recorded over 350 events in that period. Scientists say the shaking is likely caused by the movement of magma filling a chamber about 2.5 to 6 miles underground. The volcano’s alert level remains at normal, and the 1980 eruption, which was preceded by similar activity, remains a reference point for monitoring.
The population of the United States is heavily concentrated on the East and West Coasts. An estimated 80% of Americans live east of a line running from North Dakota to Texas. The central part of the country, known as the Great Plains, is sparsely populated due to its arid climate and extreme temperature swings. The region’s dryness is caused by a rain shadow effect from the Rocky Mountains, which block moisture from the Pacific Ocean.
Several locations around the world are subject to restricted access to protect sensitive natural or historical resources. The Methuselah tree, a bristlecone pine in California estimated to be over 4,600 years old, has its exact location kept secret to protect it from damage. Heard Island, an Australian territory between Australia and Antarctica, is largely untouched by humans to preserve its ecosystem. Snake Island in Brazil has the highest concentration of venomous snakes in the world, and access is limited to specialists. The Lascaux cave in France, which contains 20,000-year-old paintings, was closed to the public after visitor traffic caused a fungus to spread and damage the artwork. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway stores millions of seed samples as a backup in case of disaster.
The bridge that connects the Hudson River at Tarrytown and Nyack in New York was replaced without a full shutdown of traffic. The old Tappan Zee Bridge, which opened in 1955, was structurally outdated. The new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge was built alongside it, and traffic was shifted onto the new span in stages. The old bridge was then dismantled. The project cost around $4 billion and is designed to last 100 years.
The northeastern United States has a large, sparsely populated interior. While the southern parts of the region are densely packed, the northern areas of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine contain expansive wilderness. The region’s rugged terrain, thin soil, and harsh winters limited farming and industry, preventing the growth of large cities.
Thacker Pass in Nevada is the site of a large lithium deposit. The metal is a key component in rechargeable batteries. The McDermott Caldera, a volcanic formation, is estimated to hold lithium worth over $1 trillion. The mine is expected to produce enough lithium to make batteries for 800,000 electric vehicles annually.
The Drake Passage is a body of water between South America and Antarctica known for its extreme sea conditions. Strong westerly winds and a large ocean current create large waves. Early explorers who attempted the crossing faced dangerous conditions, and the area has a long history of shipwrecks. The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, provides an alternative route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
