A World Worth Exploring
The land that we live on shapes us. From the languages we speak, to the foods we eat, to the governments we elect, it is the setting in which our stories play out, the prism through which we see the world around us.
Geography has been forgotten, ignored by our education system. We approach the world with an insular perspective, yet know little about even our own land, and the story it has told.
Yet our world is a beautiful place, a strange and fascinating place. From the other side of the planet, to our own backyard, we set out to tell the stories of a world worth exploring.
With The US Explained, we take you on a journey into each of the 56 states, territories, and federal districts that together comprise one of the largest, most complicated, and culturally diverse countries in the world.
With The Nation Explained, we do the same with the world’s countries. That Is Interesting is a place to explore geography, history, culture. In a fast-paced world, we’re thorough and in-depth. If you love to learn, if you believe that to explore is to be human, you’ve come to the right place.
- History & geography of the US and the World
- Remote & forgotten territories
- Far-flung corners of the globe
- Deep dives into cities, states, and nations
The Nation Explained — the world, one country at a time
West Virginia — The US Explained
Born from the chaos of the Civil War and carved out of Virginia itself, West Virginia is the only state created by seceding from another. A deep look at coal, identity, and what it means to be left behind.
The Most Unusual Region in Each State
Every state has a corner that doesn’t quite fit — a region too strange, too isolated, or too historically odd to make it into the standard geography lesson. All 50, catalogued.
Why There’s a Huge Pit in the Middle of Downtown Chicago
In the heart of one of America’s great cities sits a hole that has been there for decades. The story behind it is about money, politics, and the gap between ambition and reality.
The Atlas
— Photographs from the field · Dispatches from the edge —