1

Anchisaurus

Image: Simon Infanger

Anchisaurus is one of the first dinosaurs discovered in American territory, although it was not correctly identified at the beginning. The first fossil of this herbivore was found in East Windsor, Connecticut , in 1818, but it was then believed to be part of a human skeleton. In subsequent years, other specimens of this species were uncovered in the area.

It measured 8 to 20 ft in length and lived 210 million years ago in the Portland Formation, Northeastern United States. In the late Triassic and early Jurassic periods, the Connecticut Valley was a dry, steep depression, and it was possible to pass from here to the east and the center of what is now Africa. This explains why some dinosaurs lived both in America and other continents.

2

Triceratops

Image: photo_steff

One of the most iconic dinosaurs found in America is the Triceratops, a herbivore that lived 70 to 65 million years ago, right at the end of the Age of Dinosaurs, in the Late Cretaceous. Its name derives from Greek and means "face with three horns". One of the largest horned dinosaurs**,** it stood around 7.5 ft tall and weighed about 5 rhinoceroses, the equivalent of 10 tons.

Fossils of this dinosaur have been found in abundance in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana and South Dakota. No fossils of this dinosaur have been found on any other continent. Triceratops has been the state dinosaur of Wyoming since March 1994.

3

Allosaurus

Image: WikiImages

Allosaurus was one of the largest carnivores of the Jurassic period and its remains in the United States have been found mainly in the Morrison Formation, which covers states such as Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. It lived 155 to 145 million years ago in North America, Africa, Australia, and possibly China. Also, did you know that the Allosaurus fragilis is the state fossil of Utah?

This bipedal dinosaur was an agile hunter with powerful jaws and sharp teeth. It was a theropod, not as huge as the largest carnivore, Tyrannosaurus rex, but just as fearsome. Allosaurus was bigger than an elephant and heavier than a rhino. Its name means "different lizard" due to its rare concave vertebrae.

4

Stegosaurus

Image: ariesa66

Another inhabitant of the Morrison Formation was the Stegosaurus, famous for its dorsal plates and spines on its tail, which it used for defense. Stegosaurus used to walk on all fours, grazing on low vegetation. Its head was perfectly adapted to this way of feeding. It was first described in 1877 by Yale paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh, and its name means "roof(ed) lizard".

This Jurassic herbivore has been discovered in several states in the western United States. Scientists have found many fossils, showing that it was a very common creature for 10 million years, despite its tiny brain, small head, and useless teeth. The discovery of the Stegosaurus has helped them better understand the anatomy and behavior of armored dinosaurs.

5

Tyrannosaurus rex

Image: Elly Enn

Is Tyrannosaurus rex the most famous dinosaur on the planet? Portrayed by pop culture to the hilt, this formidable predator is known for its gigantic size, razor-sharp teeth, and bipedal posture. However, its popularity has a logical explanation. T. rex is also one of the best-represented dinosaurs in the fossil record, with several complete specimens discovered, particularly in the states of Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Based on bones found in the late 19th century, paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn recreated the first drawing of this gigantic creature. He named it Tyrannosaurus rex, meaning "tyrant lizard king," because it is believed to have been the most dangerous dinosaur and the largest land carnivore of all time. Although it is estimated that up to 1.7 billion T. rex dinosaurs lived on Earth, only about 30 nearly complete skeletons have been found. Think about that!

6

Deinonychus

Image: Steve Wrzeszczynski

This small but ferocious theropod lived during the Cretaceous period about 115-108 million years ago. Deinonychus is known for its sickle-shaped claws on its feet, used for hunting. Its name, unsurprisingly, means "terrible claw". Like all bipeds, it moved only on its hind legs and is believed to have been able to run at 25 miles per hour: more than the average Olympic champion.

Deinonychus fossils were found in Utah, Oklahoma, Montana, and Wyoming, in rocks of the Cloverly Formation and Antlers Formation. The study of this species, beginning in the 1960s, revolutionized the way scientists thought about dinosaurs, providing fascinating new insight into smaller predators.

7

Ankylosaurus

Image: mdherren

Ankylosaurus is one of the best-known armored dinosaurs, which lived at the end of the Cretaceous period. It had bony protrusions on its head and all over its body as protection against the teeth and claws of predators. The armor was made up of small plates of bone welded together, constituting a shell as effective as that of turtles.

This gigantic herbivore roamed the jungles of North America about 68-66 million years ago, almost as well protected as a modern tank. The first specimen of Ankylosaurus was found in 1906 in the Hell Creek Formation, near Gilbert Creek, Montana. Other fossils of this species were discovered in other parts of Montana and Alberta, Canada, in the following years. However, to this day, it has not been possible to obtain a complete skeleton.

8

Hadrosaurus

Image: Jordyn St. John

The first Hadrosaurus fossils were discovered by William Parker Folke, an amateur paleontologist, in 1838 in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The excavation site, known as the Hadrosaurus foulkii Leidy site, is now a National Historic Landmark. Hadrosaurids are known for their duck-billed mouth, with a powerful jaw containing several rows of teeth for chewing all kinds of leaves.

In 2004, scientists found a mummified Hadrosaurus specimen in North Dakota. This fossil is extremely unusual and valuable, as dinosaur soft tissue including skin and muscle is rare. This find allows us to learn more about this species and how they lived 67 million years ago.

9

Diplodocus

Image: michaelwedermann

Diplodocus means "double beam" and is so named because of the double bones in its tail. This was one of the longest animals on earth. It was about 79-85 ft long, 15 ft high, and weighed 15 tons. It could reach the tops of towering trees for food, and its small head allowed it to forage in vegetation where few other dinosaurs could reach.

Although some Diplodocus fossils were discovered earlier near Cañon City, Colorado, the most notable find came a few years later. In 1899, Funded by Scottish-American steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie, members of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History found a well-preserved Diplodocus skeleton in the Morrison Formation of Sheep Creek, Wyoming. With these fossils, the museum created a composite mount that became very popular and even got to tour the world.

10

Apatosaurus

Image: Cup of Couple

Apatosaurus is one of the best-known sauropods that inhabited North America during the Jurassic period. These herbivorous giants, with their long necks and tails, have also been discovered in the Morrison Formation, mainly in Colorado and Utah. It is believed to have lived 150 million years ago, at the end of the Jurassic period.

Apatosaurus could reach 69-75 ft in length, 20 tons in weight, and was one of the largest sauropods. It had a long neck containing 15 huge bones supported by powerful muscles that allowed it to feed on the leaves of the tallest trees. Perhaps this dinosaur sounds familiar. It has been the inspiration for numerous beloved animated characters: Littlefoot from The Land Before Time and Arlo and Poppa Henry from Pixar's The Good Dinosaur are Apatosauruses.

1

No opening umbrellas on the street

Image: Edu Lauton

In Montgomery, Alabama, it is considered an offense to open an umbrella on a street for fear of spooking horses .

This raises questions about whether one should open an umbrella since the main use of it happens in the street.

2

No driving over 2000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard

Image: Andrea Lightfoot

In Hollywood, California, it is illegal to drive more than two thousand sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at one time .

Apparently, you can drive one thousand and nineteen hundred and ninety-nine sheep, no problem. But not two thousand at one time.

3

No loose cats without tail lights

Image: Pacto Visual

In Sterling, Colorado, cats may not run loose without having been fitted with a taillight . Maybe this originated in some road accident involving a feline but one has to wonder if this is the best method of action. Especially since attaching a taillight to a cat does not seem like an easy thing to do.

4

No educating dogs

Image: Caleb Fisher

For whatever reason, you may not educate dogs in Connecticut . Something must have happened at some point in history serious enough for the local legislators to forbid the Connecticuters from educating their dogs.

5

No leaving the ship, if you are a rat

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

In Tampa Bay, Florida, rats are forbidden by law to leave the ships docked at port. The spirit of the law probably requires ship owners to prevent rats from leaving the ship but, for some reason, the phrasing of the text makes it seem as if it is directed to the rats themselves.

6

No road crossing, if you are a chicken.

Image: Vidi Drone

In Quitman, Georgia, it is illegal for a chicken to cross the road . Quite probably, this law is directed to chicken owners so that they prevent their feathered friends from roaming on the roads and causing accidents. But, still, it should be more clearly stated.

7

No fishing from a giraffe’s back

Image: MARIOLA GROBELSKA

Who in their right mind would attempt to fish from a giraffe’s back , right? Apparently, this exact thing happened in Boise, Idaho, prompting the passing of a law to forbid this outrageous behavior from happening ever again.

8

No flying over the village, if you are a bee

Image: Dmitry Grigoriev

In Kirkland, Illinois, bees are not allowed to fly over the village or through any of its streets . How exactly did the legislators who passed that law expect to enforce it, we honestly do not know.

9

No lions at the movies

Image: Andrew Liu

In Baltimore, Maryland, it is illegal to take a lion to the movies . As it should be. No one should be taking live lions into a movie theater filled with people, ever, anywhere in the world. Not even if the showcased movie is The Lion King.

10

No pant-less horses

Image: Silje Midtgård

As with most of the other examples in this list, this is a law that -hopefully- no one is paying any attention to. Horses are required to wear pants at all times in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. Seriously, how do you put pants on a horse?

11

No laying eggs at night

Image: Anita Austvika

It is unlawful for chickens to lay eggs before 8 AM and after 4 PM in West Virginia. Thankfully for chickens, they sleep at night and are active during the day, which prevents them from breaking the law.

12

No pictures of rabbits in June

Image: Gary Bendig

The State of Wyoming doesn’t allow you to take a picture of a rabbit during the month of June . The reason for this curious law is, perhaps, more understandable than most of the previous ones, and it has to do with avoiding harassment of the local wildlife.

1

A searing summer

Image: Stacey Martin

1936 North American Heat Wave (July 4, 1936)

During one of the worst periods in American history, the Great Depression, a relentless heat wave scorched much of the country, pushing temperatures to unprecedented highs that still haven’t been surpassed in many places.

The heat wave is blamed for more than 5,000 deaths, widespread crop failures, and worsening the environmental disaster already unfolding in the Dust Bowl.

2

Dust blizzard

Image: Bernd Dittrich

Black Sunday Dust Storm (April 14, 1935)

One of the most extreme dust storms in U.S. history, Black Sunday was emblematic of the Dust Bowl era. In April 1935, a massive "blizzard" of dust struck the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and beyond, displacing an estimated 300,000 tons of topsoil and blackening the sky for miles.

The event devastated agriculture, displaced entire communities, and became a defining symbol of the environmental collapse that had been unfolding across the Great Plains for years.

3

The king of tornadoes

Image: Greg Johnson

2013 El Reno tornado (May 31, 2013)

This tornado set a record for width, possibly the widest ever documented in the U.S . On May 31, 2013, it expanded to a staggering 2.6 miles wide as it barreled south of El Reno, Oklahoma.

Doppler radar recorded sub‑vortices with wind speeds near 295 mph—among the highest ever observed—though damage assessments limited its official rating to EF‑3.

4

Straight‑line fury

Image: Moody Potato

2020 Midwest Derecho (Aug 10, 2020)

Beyond the challenges of COVID‑19, the 2020s were marked by an unusually destructive inland windstorm in the Midwest—rare for both its intensity and impact.

This derecho raced 770 miles across multiple states with wind gusts up to 140 mph, causing widespread structural and agricultural damage. To date, it remains the costliest thunderstorm event in U.S. history, with damages totaling more than US $11 billion.

5

Tornado armageddon

Image: Greg Johnson

2011 Super Outbreak (April 25, 2011)

The 2011 Super Outbreak—ominously nicknamed "Tornado Armageddon"—stands as one of the deadliest and most widespread multi-tornado events in U.S. history.

Over four relentless days, nearly 500 tornadoes tore through dozens of states ; April 27 alone claimed 316 lives. Overall damage surpassed $10.2 billion, cementing it as the costliest tornado outbreak ever recorded in the United States.

6

A storm to remember

Image: Patino Jhon

1993 Storm of the Century (March 12, 1993)

The massive nor’easter known as the Storm of the Century blanketed the eastern U.S. from March 12–14, 1993, permanently reshaping how winter storms are understood.

It delivered record snowfall—up to 56 inches in some areas—hurricane‑force winds, and sub‑zero temperatures, an entire arsenal packed into one deadly system. The destruction stretched from Canada to the Caribbean, causing $5.5 billion in damages and cutting power to more than 10 million households.

7

Wrath of the Mississippi

Image: Jonathan Ford

Great Flood of 1993 (April – October, 1993)

One of the most prolonged and costly inland floods in U.S. history, the Great Flood of 1993 resulted from record rainfall—over 40 inches in some areas—falling on already saturated soils from a wet fall and heavy snowmelt, overwhelming the Mississippi and Missouri River basins.

Between April and October, roughly 30,000 square miles were inundated across multiple states . At least 38–50 people died, damages reached $12–16 billion, and entire towns were submerged as levees failed and transportation networks collapsed.

8

Superstorm devastation

Image: NASA

Hurricane Sandy (October 22, 2012)

Also known as "Superstorm Sandy," this vast hybrid hurricane–extratropical storm struck the U.S. East Coast in October 2012, impacting 24 states. Its massive wind field— spanning nearly 1,000 miles —drove catastrophic storm surge into New Jersey and New York, while heavy rain, coastal flooding, and even blizzard conditions affected regions as far inland as the Appalachians.

Sandy claimed 160 lives, left over 8 million customers without power, and destroyed or damaged tens of thousands of homes and businesses. It was one of the costliest storms in American history and prompted major reforms in coastal preparedness and infrastructure.

9

Freshwater fury

Image: Matthew Rumph

Great Lakes Storm of 1913 (November 6, 1913)

From November 6–10, 1913, a massive winter storm swept across the Great Lakes region, bringing hurricane‑force winds and blizzard conditions . Ships capsized and sank, coastal towns were battered, and waves overwhelmed harbors across the lakes.

It remains the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster to strike the Great Lakes, with over 250 fatalities and catastrophic damage to maritime traffic and shoreline communities.

10

Whiteout chaos

Image: Zac Durant

The Great Blizzard of 1888 (March 11, 1888)

One of the most legendary winter storms in U.S. history, the Great Blizzard of 1888 struck the Northeast from March 11–14, dumping up to 55 inches of snow in parts of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey . Snowdrifts buried homes, streets, and rail lines for days.

The storm killed more than 400 people and brought major cities like New York and Boston to a standstill. Telegraph lines collapsed, rail travel ground to a halt, and entire neighborhoods were cut off, prompting a long-term shift toward underground utilities and the expansion of subway systems in the decades that followed.