This informative article refers to the “legend” of Lake Inferior, which originated here at Perfect Duluth Day with my 5/8/21 Saturday Essay, “Lake Inferior: the Underground Lake Beneath Lake Superior.” From a blog post to legend in less than two years — oh, internet! The informative article summarizes the “legend,” linking to the PDD Saturday Essay as the source, which is repeated in a second article seemingly plagiarizing the first:

Lake Superior has many secrets, including an underground lake. Sounds a bit mythical, right? Legend has it that the floor of Lake Superior has an opening into a subterranean cave. A French explorer who came across it in the 1600s initially called it the Lake of Hell. But the true meaning got lost in translation when English speakers misunderstood it to be Lake Inferior.

Fast forward a few hundred years when in 1870, some city workers fixing a wall discovered it and wanted to plug the entrance to the cave. They thought it would have an impact on shipping and transportation.

Notice how they say it’s a legend, but then summarize it as if it were fact, confusing the issue. Perhaps the anonymous article was written by an irony-challenged AI.

Like this additional anonymous article, “How Deep is Lake Superior? And other interesting facts.” It displays the same mix of presented-as-science-fact with incredulous bullshit.

It seems to mix the first article into its 100 percent fake conclusions. The first article goes on to explain the “legend” away with the science of groundwater, even as fact and fiction have already been conflated.

Groundwater science definitely seems to be mixed into the conclusions of the second article, below. It presents as fact the two erroneous AI (or bot-generated or whatever) “articles”, of which one seems to have plagiarized the other. So, both articles effectively plagiarized my original, fictional post. They combine into a spectacular example of a highly-detailed, scientific-sounding, not-written-by-humans, 100 percent bullshit “article.” Below is a master class of mixing facts with (my unattributed) fiction:

Introduction to Lake Inferior

Lake Superior, one of the Great Lakes of North America, is a well-known and studied body of water. However, did you know that there is an underground lake beneath it, known as Lake Inferior? This unusual geological feature is not well-known to the general public, but it is a fascinating aspect of the Great Lakes ecosystem. In this article, we will explore the geology of Lake Inferior, its discovery, and its significance.

Geology of Lake Inferior

Lake Inferior is an underground lake that is located beneath Lake Superior. It is believed to be formed by a process known as karstification, which is the dissolution of limestone and dolomite rock. This process creates sinkholes, caves, and underground rivers and lakes. The exact size and shape of Lake Inferior are not known, but it is believed to be connected to other underground water systems in the Great Lakes region.

Discovering Lake Inferior

Lake Inferior was first discovered in the early 1900s by a team of geologists studying the Great Lakes. They found evidence of an underground water system beneath Lake Superior, and further research confirmed the existence of Lake Inferior. However, due to the difficulty of accessing and exploring underground water systems, much about the lake remains unknown.

Importance of Lake Inferior

Lake Inferior is an important part of the Great Lakes ecosystem. It is a source of water for the surrounding area and helps to regulate the water levels in Lake Superior. It also plays a role in the movement of nutrients and minerals through the ecosystem. Additionally, the unique geology of Lake Inferior provides opportunities for scientific research and exploration.

Future Research and Exploration

There is still much to learn about Lake Inferior. Future research could focus on mapping the exact size and shape of the lake, studying the water chemistry and ecology, and investigating how it is connected to other underground water systems in the Great Lakes region. Exploration is also important to reveal more about the lake and its underground caves and rivers.

Overall, Lake Inferior is a unique and fascinating geological feature that is not well-known to the general public. It is an important part of the Great Lakes ecosystem and offers many opportunities for scientific research and exploration. While much remains unknown about the lake, ongoing studies and discoveries will help us to better understand and appreciate the complexity of the Great Lakes and the underground systems that support it.

To conclude

Lake Inferior is a hidden underground lake beneath Lake Superior that is an unusual geological feature, It’s important to understand the geology of Lake Inferior, its discovery, and its significance. The future research and exploration will reveal more about the lake and its underground caves and rivers, which will help us understand the complexity of the Great Lakes and the underground systems that support it.

Not a worrying trend at all. The forward-facing issue is: how much money will news corporations save by firing their writers to use AI writers instead? And will the savings be worth the resulting compound inaccuracies? I do not have faith that this problem can be resolved, especially as AIs lie or can be easily tricked into lying.

An index of Jim Richardson’s essays here.