1

One World Trade Center

Image: David Vives

At a symbolic 1,776 feet, One World Trade Center proudly stands as America’s tallest building . Rising from the ashes of tragedy, this New York City landmark is a testament to resilience and unity.

Completed in 2014, it has been affectionately nicknamed the "Freedom Tower." Its sleek design features reflective glass that mirrors the sky, creating an ever-changing facade. The building houses offices, observation decks, and a museum dedicated to 9/11. Simply beautiful!

2

Central Park Tower

Image: Mason C

Central Park Tower, the world’s tallest residential building , reaches 1,550 feet into Manhattan’s skyline. Completed in 2020, it’s sometimes called the "Billionaires’ Row Tower" for its ultra-luxury apartments.

This architectural masterpiece offers jaw-dropping views of Central Park and beyond. It’s not just tall; it’s opulent, with a private club, pools, and even its own ballroom. If you’ve ever dreamed of living among the clouds, this is the place to do it (if you can afford it, of course).

3

Willis Tower

Image: Margo

Chicago’s Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, was the world’s tallest building for 25 years (we did say there was some friendly competition going on!). Its 1,451-foot height dominates the skyline and has been a beacon of innovation since 1973.

The building’s unique design uses nine bundled tubes for extra stability against those famous Chicago winds. Visitors can step out onto The Ledge, a glass box extending from the 103rd floor, for a heart-pounding view. A true Midwestern marvel!

4

111 West 57th Street

Image: Parrish Freeman

Known as the "Steinway Tower," this ultra-skinny skyscraper is as much art as architecture. Rising 1,428 feet above Manhattan, it’s the thinnest skyscraper in the world and the fourth tallest in our country.

Its design nods to New York’s Jazz Age glamour, blending terracotta details with modern engineering. Completed in 2022, it houses luxury apartments that come with breathtaking views and equally jaw-dropping price tags.

5

One Vanderbilt

Image: Lukas Kyzur

Standing 1,401 feet tall, One Vanderbilt is a relatively new addition to New York City’s skyline. Completed in 2020, it’s located right next to Grand Central Terminal .

The building’s futuristic design is matched by its cutting-edge features, including Summit One Vanderbilt, an immersive observation experience. Its elevators take you to the top in a flash, and once you’re there, you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the city.

6

432 Park Avenue

Image: Miikka A.

At 1,396 feet, 432 Park Avenue is all about modern simplicity . Completed in 2015, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.

ts grid-like windows give it a timeless look, but don’t be fooled—the apartments inside scream luxury. With amenities like private dining rooms and a spa, residents live the high life, pun intended! Love it or hate it, you can’t miss it.

7

Trump International Hotel and Tower

Image: Kenny Eliason

Chicago’s Trump Tower, standing 1,388 feet tall, is a gleaming addition to the city’s skyline . Completed in 2009, its reflective surface mirrors the surrounding beauty of the Chicago River.

This skyscraper combines luxury residences, a hotel, and fine dining. Its signature feature is the outdoor terrace, which offers stunning views of the Windy City.

8

30 Hudson Yards

Image: Frank Nürnberger

At 1,268 feet, 30 Hudson Yards is the centerpiece of New York’s futuristic Hudson Yards development.

Completed in 2019, it’s home to The Edge, the Western Hemisphere’s highest outdoor sky deck . The building boasts offices, dining, and even direct access to a luxury mall. Its sleek design symbolizes the city’s constant evolution. It has it all—just like the city itself!

9

Empire State Building

Image: Chris Barbalis

This may not be the tallest, but it certainly is one of the most iconic! The Empire State Building, at 1,250 feet, is a timeless symbol of New York City.

Completed in 1931 during the Great Depression , it was once the world’s tallest building. Its Art Deco design and iconic silhouette have graced countless movies and postcards. The city views it offers are simply unbeatable. No trip to New York is complete without a visit.

10

Bank of America Tower

Image: David Vives

Rising 1,200 feet in Midtown Manhattan, the Bank of America Tower is a green marvel. It was completed in 2010 and is one of the world’s most eco-friendly skyscrapers .

It uses innovative technology to reduce energy consumption and even collects rainwater. With its sharp, crystalline design, it looks as modern as its environmental features. This tower shows that sustainability and style can go hand in hand. Who knew going green could look so good?

11

St. Regis Chicago

Image: Andrew LaDeur

At 1,191 feet, the St. Regis Chicago adds a touch of elegance to the city’s skyline. Completed in 2020, its design is inspired by a flowing river , with undulating glass panels that shimmer in the sunlight. It’s a mix of hotel and residential spaces, with luxury oozing from every corner.

The building’s unique silhouette stands out in the architectural playground that is Chicago. If beauty were a competition, this skyscraper would be a top contender.

12

Aon Center

Image: Erol Ahmed

The Aon Center, at 1,136 feet, is a classic fixture in Chicago’s skyline. Built in 1973, it was originally clad in white marble, though granite replaced it later for durability. Its clean, rectangular design exudes timeless elegance.

Home to offices and observation areas , it’s a favorite among architecture lovers. You know how they are all about simplicity— the ultimate form of sophistication!

1

Locomotive steam-engine for rail (Patent #1)

Image: National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Between 1790 and 1836, the United States granted 9,802 patents that were not awarded on their merits and didn’t have an identification number. The Patent Act of 1836, which established the official Patent Office, aimed to make the system more transparent. Among other reforms, it introduced a numbering system for easier identification.

This system started on July 13, 1836, and remains in effect today. United States Patent No. 1 was issued to John Ruggles —an inventor, attorney, and senator from Maine—for improvements in locomotive traction.

2

Anesthesia (Patent #4,848)

Image: National Library of Medicine

How did patients endure surgery before anesthesia? Before the discovery of an effective anesthetic, surgery was synonymous with excruciating pain. Many large hospitals placed their operating rooms in isolated and remote sections of the hospitals so patients’ screams couldn’t be heard. Alcohol, opium, and even hypnotism were tried as methods of pain relief, but these had little effect.

Fortunately, we no longer have to endure such experiences, thanks to a Boston dentist named William T. G. Morton, who—along with Charles T. Jackson—received the first United States patent for an anesthetic in November 1846.

3

Buoying vessels over shoals (Patent #6,469)

Image: invented by Abraham Lincoln. Issued by United States government Patent Office, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This may be the most unique patent ever issued by the United States Patent Office: it is the first and only U.S. patent granted to an inventor who later became president. Although at least three presidents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln—were inventors, Lincoln is the only one who formally applied for and received a patent .

In 1849, he was awarded Patent No. 6,469 for a flotation device designed to lift boats over shoals and other obstacles in the water. While the invention itself had little bearing on his election, Lincoln’s inventive mindset and mechanical curiosity served him well during his presidency. Although the device was never commercially produced, his appreciation for innovation helped shape the nation's future.

4

Beehive (Patent #9,300)

Image: Bianca Ackermann

Beekeeping arrived in America with the early settlers, and by the end of the 18th century, bee colonies were widespread. However, early efforts met with only partial success.

The first U.S. patent for a practical and effective movable-frame beehive—which revolutionized traditional methods of beekeeping—was granted to American apiarist, clergyman, and teacher Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth on October 5, 1852. His invention of the "bee space" laid the foundation for all modern beekeeping and hive management.

5

Elevator (Patent #31,128)

Image: Copie de gravure ancienne, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The New York skyline would look very different today had it not been for the invention of the elevator. The man responsible for the forerunner of the modern elevator was American industrialist Elisha Graves Otis , who, on January 15, 1861, received the first U.S. patent for a safety-type passenger elevator.

The concept of vertical travel was not new. However, the first successful passenger safety elevator was installed in 1857 by Otis in the E. V. Haughwout & Company building, a department store in Manhattan. Otis also held patents for other inventions, including railroad trucks and brakes, a steam plow, and a bake oven. But it was the elevator with its safety feature that brought him fame and his sons great fortune.

6

Lock (Patent #31,278)

Image: Parastoo Maleki

The idea of the lock probably stems from the time man first acquired goods he wanted to safeguard from others. However, the first commercially successful modern lock and key system was invented by American mechanical engineer and metalsmith Linus Yale Jr., who received a U.S. patent in 1861.

Yale developed several types of locks, including the Yale Double Treasury Bank Lock, created at the request of the U.S. government. These designs brought him nationwide recognition, but the invention that made him truly famous was the pin-tumbler cylinder lock . Yale died just a few years after receiving his patent. However, every lock and key produced by the Yale & Towne Lock Company since then has proudly carried the Yale name.

7

Barbed wire (Patent #157,124)

Image: Lexis Chadwick

In an age of video surveillance, barbed wire might seem obsolete. Yet it was crucial to the settlement of the American plains in the late 19th century—and it remains widely used around the world today .

On November 24, 1874, Joseph F. Glidden, a farmer from Illinois, received a U.S. patent for the first commercially successful barbed wire . While several earlier patents had been granted for wire fencing, it was Glidden’s design that proved durable, affordable, and easy to mass-produce—making it the dominant form of fencing on the frontier**.**

8

Air conditioner (Patent #808,897)

Image: Prasopchok

On those hot and humid days of summer, we should all be thankful for the work of Willis Haviland Carrier, often called the father of air conditioning. For his efforts, he received the first U.S. patent for a modern air conditioning system on January 2, 1906.

Air conditioning is a complex process that involves refrigeration, dehumidification, air purification, and circulation. Before Carrier’s invention, various individuals had worked on these individual components. But it was Carrier, an American engineer, who successfully integrated them —focusing on the crucial relationship between temperature and humidity.

9

Airplane (Patent #821,393)

Image: John T. Daniels, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Orville and Wilbur Wright are credited with achieving the first controlled, manned flight in history. For their pioneering work, they received the first U.S. patent for an airplane, issued on May 22, 1906.

Many had been intrigued by the idea of human flight before them. However, it was the Wright brothers who succeeded in building, flying, and promoting the world's first successful airplane —an invention that revolutionized transportation.

10

Bakelite (Patent #942,809)

Image: Call Me Fred

The modern plastics industry wouldn’t exist without Belgian-American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland , who received the first U.S. patent for a thermosetting plastic in 1909. Before him, others had attempted to produce synthetic resins but were unsuccessful.

Baekeland corrected his predecessors’ mistakes. The result was the first thermosetting resin —one that, once set, would not soften under heat. Bakelite was the first in a long series of resins that shaped the U.S. economy, paving the way for materials such as cellophane, acetate, vinyl, Plexiglas, acrylic, Formica, and polyester.

11

Frozen food (Patent #1,773,080)

Image: United States Patent Office (Clarence Birdseye, inventor)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know where the name Birds Eye Frozen Food comes from? From its inventor! In 1930, American entrepreneur Clarence Birdseye received the first U.S. patent for this type of product.

Food preservation has been a concern since the beginning of time. Techniques such as salting, pickling, smoking, curing, canning, and later inventions like the icebox and home refrigerator have all contributed to preserving food.

However, one of the most successful methods was developed and commercialized by Birdseye. His process involved quick-freezing meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruit in convenient packages without altering their original taste. Birdseye’s name became a household word, and his innovation created a multibillion-dollar industry.

12

Instant photography (Patent #2,543,181)

Image: Missouri Historical Society, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When we think of instant photography, Polaroid is often the first name that comes to mind. But how much do we know about the man behind the company? American scientist, inventor, and co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation, Edwin Herbert Land , was granted the first U.S. patent for a one-step photographic process in 1951.

While on vacation with his family, Land conceived the idea for a camera and film that could produce an immediate photograph. In 1948, the first Polaroid Land Camera went on sale, though without much public approval. Polaroid continued to improve the Land Camera and, in 1965, introduced the affordable Swinger model , which became an immediate success. Throughout his life, Land was granted more than 533 patents, was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1

Friends

Image: David Vives

We’ll start with what many consider to be the quintessential sitcom. Debuting in 1994, Friends followed the varied and whimsical lives of six New Yorkers —Chandler, Joey, Ross, Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe—and the everyday adventures they found themselves in. Throughout its 10-year run, Friends received acclaim from both critics and viewers alike and is now considered one of the most successful and highest-grossing television shows of all time.

2

Seinfeld

Image: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0

You might think that a sitcom describing itself as " a show about nothing " wouldn’t be particularly successful—let alone one of the most iconic shows of all time. And yet, Seinfeld remains one of the most influential shows in history, praised for its sharp writing and incredibly talented cast. The series follows comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his three eccentric friends—Elaine, George, and Kramer—as they navigate the often absurd minutiae of daily life.

3

Mad About You

Image: Mandy von Stahl

While sitcom settings may vary greatly, most tend to revolve around subjects that resonate with audiences—love, the workplace, or family life, for example. In that sense, the 1992 sitcom Mad About You seemed to embrace the phrase "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" as its mantra. The show centered on a young married couple (played by Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt) living in New York City. As simple as the premise might sound, the series’ stellar performances and insightful writing earned it numerous awards, including 12 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes.

4

The Big Bang Theory

Image: Ben Griffiths

The Big Bang Theory faced the difficult task of making the world of science fun and accessible . Luckily, it had an extremely lovable and talented cast that rose to the occasion. The first episode introduces us to Leonard and Sheldon, two physicists whose lives take an unexpected turn when they meet their new next-door neighbor, Penny.

5

Modern Family

Image: Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0

As we mentioned earlier, family life is a recurring theme in many sitcoms. However, the 2009 show Modern Family put a fresh spin on this concept by focusing on three separate yet interconnected families. The series not only featured an exceptionally talented cast but also placed its many characters in both hilarious and heartfelt situations.

6

The Honeymooners

Image: Lauren Richmond

First aired in 1955, The Honeymooners revolves around New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden and his wife, Alice (wonderfully portrayed by Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows). Gleason’s quick wit, combined with the show’s many catchphrases ("Bang, zoom, straight to the Moon!" and "Homina, homina!", to name a few), quickly cemented the series in American pop culture. Not only that, many timeless shows, such as The Flintstones , were inspired by The Honeymooners .

7

Cheers

Image: Yutacar

Like many Americans, you might frequent a local "watering hole"—a small bar or tavern where you can unwind and enjoy a drink or two with friends. In that sense, the 1982 sitcom Cheers perfectly captured that feeling from the very start, with its iconic theme song praising a magical place " where everybody knows your name ." The sitcom was so successful that it inspired Frasier , a spin-off centered around one of Cheers’ most popular characters.

8

Community

Image: Unseen Studio

In case you didn’t know, the term "sitcom" is short for "situational comedy." As you might expect, the setting in which these situations unfold is an essential component. With that in mind, showrunner Dan Harmon devised a unique premise for his 2009 show Community . Inspired by the community college he attended in his youth, he created a series centered around a group of quirky misfits studying Spanish at the fictional Greendale Community College.

9

Full House

Image: Ross Joyner

For such a lighthearted sitcom , Full House had a surprisingly somber premise : a recently widowed father (played by Bob Saget) enlists the help of his best friend and brother-in-law to raise his three daughters. Nevertheless, the show quickly became a beloved classic, running for eight seasons and earning several awards along the way.

10

All in the Family

Image: Simon Berger

Few names command as much respect and admiration in comedy writing circles as Norman Lear . This legendary screenwriter and producer was responsible for some of the most iconic shows in television history, including The Jeffersons , Sanford and Son , and One Day at a Time . With that in mind, choosing his best show is no easy task, but we believe All in the Family is the strongest contender. Not only was this 1971 sitcom hilarious and sharp-witted , but it also tackled major issues such as religion and the Vietnam War.

11

I Love Lucy

Image: Mayur Gala

We’ll end this article with what many consider to be the sitcom that started it all . Starring Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz, the 1951 show I Love Lucy follows Lucy Ricardo, a New York City housewife determined to break into show business. Soon after its premiere, it became the most-watched show in the United States and went on to win five Emmy Awards. To this day, it remains one of the most influential television shows in history.