Patricia Roma, age 13 P of Westbrook, Maiine, for her question:

Did the Ice Ages create potholes?

 Many potholes were created by the runoff from melting glaciers of the Ice Ages. Some were created by the glaciers themselves. A heavy stone or boulder might become trapped in a crevice of the earth under the monstrous weight of ice. The ice moved, as all glaciers must move. The stone was twisted and turned, forced to drill a round hole in the rock below.

Most potholes, however, were made by swift flowing streams and are still being made. They occur where there is a dip in the bed of the stream. The rushing water dashes stones into and out of the hole. The stones dash at its sides, smoothing them and digging deeper and deeper. The eddying water uses the stones to drill end abrase a smooth tunnel into the hard bed rock. Some of these potholes are 25 feet deep.