The Caribbean nation of Martinique is a beautiful island of friendly people. Each year, more than half a million tourists flock to Martinique to soak up the sun’s rays on the pristine […]
The Volcanic Disaster That Killed 30,000 People in 3 Minutes
The Haunting Lake That Turns Creatures Into Statues
Greek mythology describes Medusa as a horrifying creature who can turn anyone who looks at her into stone. Perhaps Tanzania’s Lake Natron would better be named Lake Medusa because of its horrifying […]
Can It Really Rain Fish?
Welcome to the new era in which all of mankind lives under the benevolent rule of our undersea overlords. We are entering a new age in which our ocean-dwelling, scale-covered leaders will […]
The Nation With a Ghost Town for its Capital
Not too many of us can name the nations of the Lesser Antilles from memory. Fewer can name the capital cities of those island nations. There is a chance you know someone […]
The Volcano That Triggered a Year Without Summer, Defeated an Empire, and Gave Birth to a Monster
In terms of volcano celebrity status, Mount Tambora’s name is rarely mentioned. If someone asks you to name a dramatic volcanic eruption, more than likely, it is Mount Vesuvius, Krakatoa, or Mount […]
The Postage Stamp Responsible for the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is so inseparably linked to the nation of Panama that it is difficult to imagine it existing anywhere else. As it turns out, the site for the canal was […]
The Volcano Eruption That Was an April Fools’ Day Joke
It had been 400 years since Alaska’s Mount Edgecumbe last erupted. The long-dormant volcano towers at the southern end of Kruzof Island. The 8,000-plus residents of Sitka delight in the mountain’s majestic […]
Where To Go to Get Away From it All
If you are looking to get away from it all, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better venue than Bouvet Island. Located at the southern end of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, approximately 1,600 miles […]
Do You Think You Know the Tallest Mountain? You Are Probably Wrong
When asked to identify the tallest mountain on the planet, most people readily name Mount Everest. Most people are wrong. The holder of that particular honor is actually Mauna Kea, the tallest […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 