What’s so great about the Great Lakes? - Cheri Dobbs and Jennifer Gabrys

The North American Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior — are so big that they border 8 states and contain 23 quadrillion liters of water. They span forest, grassland, and wetland habitats, supporting a region that’s home to 3,500 species. But how did such a vast and unique geological feature come to be? Cheri Dobbs and Jennifer Gabrys takes us all the way back to the Ice Age to find out.

Lesson by Cheri Dobbs and Jennifer Gabrys, animation by TED-Ed.

[robsab]

The Great Lakes border _eight_ states! (As well as some unknown landmass to the north)

[wsmith]

The Great Lakes are my favorite thing about having grown up in Michigan. I wish I could have spent more time enjoying them. People here really take them for granted so I love when people come to appreciate them!

[jrbqto]

As a Michigan born citizen, when I talk about my state this is one of my favorites to flex. Protect the Great Lakes, everyone should be as proud of them as I am! I'm Smitten by the Mitten!

[GuyWithAnAmazingHat]

I come from Singapore, a tiny island with water supply so limited we have to buy it from neighbouring countries.

When I visited America, I saw the great lakes on the ground and over air, it took over an hour to fly over Lake Michigan. I was in awe at how vast the lakes are, in fact they are 339.4 times larger in area than Singapore.

[diasvitor]

I've flown a couple of times over some parts of these magnificent lakes, and they really look like an ocean from above. The first time I flew from New York to Toronto and when we were flying over Lake Ontario, I really thought we were flowing above Atlantic Ocean. These lakes are fantastic!

[jpr]

As a Michigander, this is my favorite TED-Ed ever.

[Epoch]

A few years ago BP wanted to dump twice as much as they had been into Lake Michigan, but were prevented by people who cared. Water will become a very precious resource and we should treat it as such.

[tomredd]

Love the Great Lakes. I have lived in Detroit which is the strait between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. In fact the name "Detroit" means "The Straits" in French. It is one of the world's busiest waterways. Surprisingly beautiful with a wonderful huge park, Belle Isle, right in the middle of the river (excuse me - the strait). I have lived on the Niagara River just a short bike ride from Lake Ontario. On a clear day you can catch glimpses of Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario shimmering over the Lake. What a beautiful area with the Falls and the Niagara gorge. So dramatic, it is a religious experience to watch the the water going over the Falls. Now in my retirement, we have a place on Lake Huron in Michigan's Thumb. It is makes me come alive to be there. The fresh water has a special smell to it that is well - Fresh! I have a great bumper sticker that reads "THE GREAT LAKES - UNSALTED AND SHARK FREE." I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

[jessellmontiel]

my teacher sent me a link to this but the thing is....

I actually watch them on my free time

[ycfuxo]

I grew up in the chicago area, and as a child I would frequently find ancient rocks and pebbles with fossilized creatures on them in my backyard and parks with forests. The great lakes and surrounding areas are truly magical and ancient

[davidroddick]

I'm looking out my bedroom window at Lake Ontario right now. I'm so happy that I have the honour of living this close to one of the world's great natural resources.
Though they border 8 states, they border only one Canadian province: Ontario.

[didipooboo]

*What's so Great about Great Britain?*

[SuperDrewH]

I am originally from MN and there is almost no industry or farming along Lake Superior, and knowing that part of Canada and WI I imagine the same. This is why the water in Lake Superior is so clean home owners that I know pull their drinking water right from the lake and only do a very minimal amount of filtration. As they put it, “removing the sticks and leaves.”

[sebione]

you forgot to mention the great lakes are a great graveyard too, with about 6, 000 ships and about 30, 000 bodies, many of whom were never recovered.

[SamsUndertale]

I love how much they talked about Canada, given that 4/5 of them border it.

[truckerenoch]

A good portion of Superior was formed during the Keweenaw rift (a.k.a. "the mid continental rift"), not by glaciers. Also, the bedrock underneath Superior is still "rebounding" from the weight of the glacier being gone. It's rebounding faster there than in the south. So, the waters of Superior are draining into Huron and the rest of the system faster each day. Until a few thousands (or 10 of thousands) of years from now, when that bedrock slips hard and rattles the entire midwest (possibly creating some new lakes and rivers). Worse case scenario, the rift starts opening again and finishes its job of tearing the continent in half! At least we won't be around to see it ...hopefully!

[markplain]

This is written in December 2021. Lake Ontario used to face a 'flood' once about every 10 years. Flood means that the lake's surface level would come up about 1.5metres (approx. 5ft) in the early Spring months (after the snow has melted and the first rains have ended). At our sailing club this 'flood' would cause significant damage as water would make it up the banks and into the various club house facilities.
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When I joined the club, some 18 years ago, they had just had one of these 'flood' events (lasted for well over a month). When the next flood event occurred some 10 years later, it looked liked a normal 10 year cycle, but then it occurred again the following year and again the following years. It now has happened so many times in the last few years that it feels like it is more the norm than a 10 year cycle. We have already invested large amounts of money moving our facilities to accommodate the new norm.
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I never took climate change for granted, until I started seeing some physical proof that something has serious changed. Keep something in mind: those facilities that are being damaged are buildings that are literally over 100 years old. They never had a serious flood problem for over 100 years.... until now.
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If you think this is just a small 'club facility' issue, think again. Lake Ontario's water level is carefully managed by a sort of dam/lock system located in Cornwall Ontario (look it up on Google earth). That lock system is what raises the water level of Lake Ontario (and damages our 100 year old facilities). However if it were not for the lock system holding back the waters, the combination of the Lake Ontario floods and the Ottawa River floods, the city of Montreal would be flooded every year.
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How many people in Montreal are aware that their city is being saved just about every year now from full blown climate change flood.

[christophersorensen]

I grew up right next to Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago. Using that lake as my guide strengthened my sense of direction to this very day and that sense helps me anywhere I am in the world!

[dedox]

When I was a kid went to Chicago all the time thinking Lake Michigan was apart of the ocean

[juliezaremskiy]

How do you target the US with this video yet use the metric system?