From the World Heritage inscription for the Statue of Liberty: The Statue of Liberty, a hollow colossus composed of thinly pounded copper sheets over a steel framework, stands on an island at the entrance to New York Harbor. It was designed by sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi in collaboration with engineer Gustave Eiffel and was a gift …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point: Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point owes its name to a 19th-century plantation close to the site, which is in the Lower Mississippi Valley on a slightly elevated and narrow landform. The complex comprises five mounds, six concentric semi-elliptical ridges separated by shallow depressions …
From the World Heritage inscription for Mammoth Cave National Park: Mammoth Cave is the most extensive cave system in the world, with over 285 miles (456 km) of surveyed cave passageways within the property (and at least another 80 miles [128 km] outside the property). The park illustrates a number of stages of the Earth’s …
I love deserts, so it should come as no surprise that Death Valley is one of my favorite national parks in the U.S.—and that’s saying a lot considering there are some amazing locations across North America, and even in California. I’ve visited Death Valley on two occasions: first during my 2009 road trip and second …
This morning I was notified by the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) that I have been stripped of all travel journalism awards given by the organization and its foundation for the use of performance enhancing drugs. In particular I have been stripped of the following awards: 2012, 2013 and 2014 Lowell Thomas Awards for …
A Chilean territory with volcanoes, subtropical vegetation, and a surprising history, Easter Island is a fascinating place to explore. Tourism is the island’s largest source of income, and it largely sustains the livelihoods of those people living on Easter Island permanently—indigenous locals are called Rapa Nui. Where is Easter Island located? Latitude: S 27.14295Longitude: W …
Podcast Transcript This is a remake of the very first episode of Everything Everywhere Daily, released on July 1, 2020. The script has been updated and expanded with greatly improved audio. You may have heard of many of the largest empires in world history. The Romans, the Mongols, the British, the Persians, the Ottomans, the …
Podcast Transcript In 1890, an obscure professor at the US Naval War College published a book that at first seemed fairly innocuous. However, it turned out his book found an audience. An extremely powerful audience. Its success led to further research, which in turn ushered in a revolution in naval warfare, which influenced the world’s …
Every year on July 4th, Americans celebrate their independence. The fireworks, parades, and cookouts have been a tradition for over 200 years. But why do we celebrate it on July 4th and did America really even become independent on July 4th, 1776? Have we been celebrating on the wrong date this entire time? Learn more …