The Mysteries Of North America's Great Lakes | Naked Science | Spark

The Great Lakes are an incredible natural resource. 1/5th of the world's drinking water are stored in them and they hold enough water to flood continental America 9 feet deep. How did such vast bodies form on Earth? And how are rising water levels affecting these Great Lakes?

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[viserproductions]

Crazy to think this episode is almost 15 years old, it really does bring back a lot of memories of watching childhood science documentaries. The music, the narrator, the effects, everything. Glad to have found this channel!

[OlePaddy]

As an Ohio native who grew up hearing the Michigan-bashing tales, I never had the chance to visit until I was an adult. Michigan blew me away! From crossing the Mighty Mac to learning what a Yooper was and trying my first pastie. Camped on the shores of Lake Superior near the pictured rocks during the summer solstice. Skipped out on Florida this year and plan on returning, hopefully this time I can find an Agate!

[sativagirl]

It's no mystery. The Great Lakes are *entirely Canada's fault.* For thousands of years after Zambonis resurfaced ice rinks, the shaved ice was dumped outside, eh?

[clairewyndham]

I lived the first 18 years of my life up between the Copper Harbor area and the Soo. Now I live right on Lake Michigan. I cant imagine being away from these Insanely beautiful lakes.

[FjHenderson]

And at one time the ice sheets thickness was supposedly at 7 miles thick, a lot thicker than 2 miles. The sheer weight of the sheet was so heavy it pushed the land around the great lakes down. The land to this day is still rising upwards from the weight being gone.

[SamM-glzc]

I'm in West Michigan, about 25 miles from the eastern coast of Lake Michigan... One of the craziest things about the Great Lakes for those of us living downwind, is the affect they have on weather. Even today, for instance, the sun is out now - in 5 minutes, it may be snowing so hard that you can't see 100 yards, and then sunny-ish again 5-10 min later. This will continue most of the day. There is no weather system in the area... but there are 30+ mph, 10 degree winds going over 40 degree water - so we get bands of heavy snow only a couple miles wide, over and over.
Even when there's not enough instability to make snow, there WILL be clouds. From Nov-April, Western Michigan is the cloudiest place in America and one of the cloudiest on the entire planet. It's pretty depressing, almost never seeing the sun for months, but it's not all bad - the water staying relatively warm like that means that when it's 20 below zero right on the other side of the lake in Wisonsin, it's still 10 above here. And in the summer heat, storms that drop tornadoes in IL & WI get out over the 70 degree water and frequently lose the punch they had, saving us from a lot of the worst damage. And, of course, there is having beautiful beaches at a freshwater sea to enjoy all summer.

[msvalkyrie]

As a Brit I'm constantly amazed how many Americans simply don't appreciate
what a magnificent variety of landscapes they live among ! From the Great Lakes to the Rockies, the deserts of South West and swamps in Florida etc.
America is an amazing place !! Don't listen to the whining critics !! 👍🇬🇧 !

[pudermcgavin]

MN born and raised and my fav city is Duluth, and I am in awe of lake Superior and how destructive and powerful it can be!

[atimnile]

Some of us living in the Great lakes Region are so lucky to enjoy these Beautiful lakes & some have Gorgeous State Parks such as Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore Off Lake Superior!!! States like California, Nevada & Arizona are facing A water 💦 crisis 💯🤓!!!!

[jinxacres]

Michigan is hands down the most BEAUTIFUL state in the summer, combined beautiful Forrest, farm lands and sand dunes and Beaches Michigan truly is a unique state and #1. I love winter so makes it even better when you get dumped on by lake effect snow.

[peterpiper]

I was born and raised near Detroit but my parents were from upper Michigan so I've been going there since I was born twice a year once in the summer and once during deer hunting. What amazes me is the place never changed, I'm 76 years old.

[ronjon]

There’s always something surreal about seeing a place on a documentary, tv show, or movie that one has personally visited.

[mvc]

Failed to mention Nestle and their giant siphon…

[gmaureen]

I was born and lived most of my adult life in Michigan. The lakes are beautiful. My father helped build the Mackinac Bridge in the 50's, I drove across in the 80's and couldn't believe how scary it was. The wind will try to dump your car into the water. Apples are everywhere, raspberries too, but most of all I miss the Lilacs.

[erubielalanis]

I’ve lived in the Chicago area all of my life and I took Lake Michigan for granted until I started to visit other states and see how differently water is treated elsewhere.

[kaykaystern]

I live on lake Huron in Tawas, Michigan
It's such a gorgeous place. Pure Michigan is pure beauty.
I've learned not to take it for granted.
I feel blessed to live here🙌🏼🖤🖤🖤

[jamestomkin]

I live a mile south of the Great Lake Ontario! Proud to be a Great Laker!

[ironiccookies]

There are boulders originating from the great lakes that are found further south than they should be. On a scientific trip to southwest Minnesota, we were told and shown boulders that originated from Lake Superior. From Lake Superior to southwest Minnesota that's a 7-8 hour drive so just imagine a giant boulder getting moved there by massive glaciers over thousands of years

[aint_no_saint]

Ahhh, Niagara Falls is between Lakes Erie and Michigan?? Really. Better check their maps. Last time I saw one, they're between Lakes Erie and ONTARIO. Good editing work there!

[danieldeanmasterfinisher]

You can take the man out of Michigan, but you can never take Michigan out of the man.
Born and raised here, and I’ll be buried here a true gem to the continental United States. No other state in the lower 48 can really compare and I’ve been to most . Colorado and it’s pure beauty would be a close second in my book..