A closer look
New York City dumped thousands of obsolete subway cars into the Atlantic Ocean between 2001 and 2010 to create artificial reefs for marine life. Once completely stripped of hazardous materials, windows, and doors, these stainless steel metal husks were loaded onto barges and unceremoniously pushed into the water off the coasts of several eastern states. Rather than rusting uselessly in a landfill, the cars quickly became thriving underwater habitats for blue mussels, sea bass, and coral. It is oddly poetic that fish now get to inhabit the exact same cramped, metallic tubes that millions of exhausted, miserable commuters previously suffered in while avoiding eye contact and smelling questionable odors. At least the aquatic residents don't have to deal with unexplained train delays, mysterious sticky puddles on the seats, or aggressively loud mariachi bands at eight in the morning
