5 Must-Know Truths About The Great Lakes Right Now
- The Great Lakes hold 21% of the world's surface freshwater, but a shocking new study reveals winter ice coverage has dropped by 70% in the last 50 years, threatening shipping lanes and winter sports.
- Billion-dollar "lake-effect" snowstorms are becoming more erratic—while some regions see record dumps, others face bare ground as warmer lake temperatures delay seasonal freeze patterns.
- A mysterious "green slime" algae bloom, fueled by agricultural runoff, is expanding faster than ever in Lake Erie, now visible from space and suffocating massive fish populations.
- Invasive carp—nicknamed "flying fish"—are just one canal away from invading the Great Lakes basin, with a new $1.1 billion electric barrier system racing to stop them.
- Scientists have just discovered a 9,000-year-old stone structure deep beneath Lake Huron, rewriting history on ancient human migration routes across the continent.