Surprising secrets of North America's Great Lakes
Hannah Foster-Roe
11 May 2023
Freshwater phenomena
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Around 34 million people live in the Great Lakes basin
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But it’s not just humans who call it home
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They’re called ‘Great’ with good reason
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The lakes are relatively young
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History will tell you they were discovered by French explorers…
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Most of their names are derived from Native American words
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They are interconnected by rivers and straits
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The only Great Lake completely within US territory is…
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You’ll find the world’s largest island in any inland body of water here
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As well as the largest freshwater dune system in the world
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It’s possible to spot the Northern Lights above the lakes
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There was a Great Lakes Storm in 1913
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There are ghost towns around Lake Michigan
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Lake Michigan is bordered by one of the USA’s newest national parks
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Pirates have plundered here
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Legend has it there’s a serpentine creature lurking in Lake Erie
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Lake Erie is also renowned for beach glass
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The Great Lakes have unique fossils
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Some of the oldest agates on the planet have been found at Lake Superior
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There is an ancient caribou hunting site beneath Lake Huron
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Submerged sinkholes also lie under Lake Huron
Courtesy of NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
An old German town can be found just a short drive from Lake Huron's shores
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Different nations have their own Great Lakes Days
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You can surf on the Great Lakes
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Over 6,000 ships have foundered in the Great Lakes
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The latest shipwreck occurred in 1975
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One of the earliest shipwrecks was only recently found
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Lake Michigan has its own version of the Bermuda Triangle
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Part of Lake Superior is known as ‘Shipwreck Coast’
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Today, there are several shipwrecks you can visit
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