1

2008 Beijing Olympic Games - Michael Phelps

Image: Thomas Park

Winning a gold medal in the Olympic Games is, by itself, a huge achievement and a dream come true for any elite athlete. Repeating this feat is something that very few have achieved, and doing so has elevated these individuals to legendary status.

Now, imagine winning not one, not two, but eight gold medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games . This unimaginable feat was accomplished by the now-famous swimmer Michael Phelps. This remains the greatest individual achievement in one edition of the Olympic Games by any Team USA athlete.

2

1936 Munich Olympic Games - Jesse Owens

Image: Braden Collum

Another legendary Olympic moment took place many years before Michael Phelps was even born, when Jesse Owens, a Black athlete, won four gold medals in the 1936 Munich Olympic Games.

Despite competing on very controversial ground at the time, Owens blazed his way to Olympic glory and secured his place in the pantheon of the greatest American athletes.

3

Cuba to Florida Swim - Diana Nyad

Image: Matt Hardy

If you see the distance between Miami and Havana on a map, it doesn’t seem all that far. That is until you start approaching and realize that there are 110 miles between these two places. Believe it or not, this journey has been swum three times. The first two crossings involved a shark cage and several short rests.

The third person to achieve this milestone was Diana Nyad, who completed the swim on her fifth attempt at age 64 in 2013 . Nyad used a protective jellyfish suit, shark divers, and electronic shark-repellent devices to achieve an "unassisted" swim.

4

50 Marathons in 50 Days

Image: Pietro Rampazzo

Running a marathon is an impressive feat of endurance and strength for almost any human being. Running two marathons in two consecutive days is nearly impossible for anyone. Now, imagine running 50 marathons across 50 American states in 50 consecutive days.

That incredible accomplishment was achieved by Los Angeles native Dean Karnazes , beginning with the Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Louis on September 17, 2006 , and finishing with the New York City Marathon on November 5 . A bit too much, maybe?

5

1968 Mexico City Olympic Games - Bob Beamon

Image: Gabriel Sanchez

On the rarest of occasions, humans are capable of physical achievements that defy what the human body is capable of doing. During the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Bob Beamon broke the world record for men’slong jump with an incredible jump of 29 feet, 2.25 inches . Yes, that is almost 30 feet.

There was a delay in posting the distance, and Beamon didn’t know what the metric figure that finally appeared on the board equated to in feet and inches. When a teammate told him he had jumped over 29 feet, he collapsed on the track from the realization of what he had accomplished.

6

2017 Australian US Open - Serena Williams

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Winning a world tennis championship is a significant achievement for any tennis player. That is, unless you are a tennis player so accomplished that winning these tournaments is as regular as anything. The list of people who do that is very short, and the names on it are all very well known.

One of those names is, without a doubt, Serena Williams. Possibly the greatest female tennis player ever, she won the 2017 Australian Open . This fact alone may not seem out of place for such an athlete. But what sets it apart is the fact that she did so while pregnant .

7

17 minutes without breathing - David Blaine

Image: Jakob Owens

How long can you hold your breath underwater? Trained individuals can achieve very impressive results in this field, but one feat that stands out is the one accomplished by American illusionist David Blaine, who, on September 8, 2008, set a world record for static apnoea, by holding his breath underwater inside a tank for 17 minutes and 4.5 seconds.

Blaine is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance and has set and broken several world records. These include standing for 35 hours on a 100-foot-high pillar only 22 inches wide in 2002 and sitting in a clear Perspex box for 44 days in 2003 without eating and drinking only water.

8

900 spin - Tony Hawk

Image: Devin Avery

In the world of skating, a 360 is the name given to a stunt performed by executing a mid-air spin on the board. This is a complicated trick, achieved only by very experienced skaters. A 720 is a stunt performed by doing not one, but two mid-air spins on the board. As one can imagine, this is exponentially more difficult than a 360, and very few people can pull off this stunt.

Now, if we mention a 900, you might guess where we are going. This involves not one, not two, but two and a half mid-air spins on the board. This insanely difficult stunt was first performed (at least publicly) by Tony Hawk, the skateboard champion, at the 1999 X Games, cementing his status as a skateboarding legend.

9

2008 U.S. Open - Tiger Woods

Image: Will Porada

Tiger Woods is a familiar name in the sports world. He has won 14 major golf championships and achieved a level of superstardom seldom seen in the game. However, the one we are choosing to highlight today displays an extraordinary amount of tolerance to pain in the face of competition.

During the 2008 U.S. Open, he played a total of 91 holes with a torn ACL and double stress fractures in his left leg . With a course set up to give players the toughest test of golf imaginable, the U.S. Open is hard enough as it is. Add in debilitating leg injuries, plus 19 extra holes (thanks to a playoff with Rocco Mediate), and you have one of the greatest showings of pain tolerance in the history of tournament golf.

10

El Capitan Free Solo Climb - Alex Honnold

Image: Jessica Tuttle

Imagine climbing a huge stone wall approximately 3,000 feet high in less than four hours. Now imagine doing that, without any kind of ropes or safety equipment. That is exactly what Alex Honnold did on June 3, 2017, when he made the first-ever free solo ascent of El Capitan by completing Alex Huber's 2,900-foot big wall route, Freerider, in 3 hours and 56 minutes.

The climb, described as "one of the great athletic feats of any kind, ever," was documented by climber and photographer Jimmy Chin and documentary filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi, as the subject of the documentary Free Solo which, among other awards, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2018.

1

Statue of Liberty

Image: Pierre Blaché

Location: New York City, New York

The iconic symbol of freedom and democracy, Lady Liberty stands tall on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. A fraternal gift from France in 1886, she welcomed immigrants and visitors to the United States for over a century with her torch held high , representing enlightenment and hope.

Originally, it was a brownish copper color, but after a few years of exposure to the elements, its iconic green patina—caused by the oxidation of its copper surface—began to spread. Also, did you know that her full name is actually "La Liberté éclairant le monde" , French for "Liberty Enlightening the World"?

2

Mount Rushmore

Image: John Bakator

Location: Keystone, South Dakota

Carved into the granite face of the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore features the colossal visages of four revered American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Although the monumental sculpture was never finished due to lack of funding (the original vision of sculptor Gutzon Borglum was that each president would be depicted from head to waist), it is still one of the most enduring symbols of the nation's founding principles and leadership.

3

Lincoln Memorial

Image: Kelli Dougal

Location: Washington D.C.

Honoring the 16th President of the United States, the Lincoln Memorial stands as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln's enduring legacy and his role in preserving the Union during the Civil War. An example of neoclassical architecture, it is built in the form of a classical temple , and the massive marble statue of Lincoln seated solemnly commands reverence upon entrance.

The memorial serves as a symbolic center for civil rights and has been the site of many historic speeches , most notably Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.

4

Gateway Arch

Image: Chris Hardy

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Considered by some to be the tallest human-made monument in the Western Hemisphere - and the tallest arch in the world - the Gateway Arch soars 630 feet above the Mississippi River, a tribute to America's westward expansion and the pioneering spirit of its people.

Made of stainless steel with reinforced concrete infill, the structure is built to withstand earthquakes and winds up to 150 miles per hour. Inside, the arch is hollow and contains a tram system that takes visitors to an observation deck at the top.

5

Washington Monument

Image: Andy He

Location: Washington D.C.

Dedicated to the nation's first President, George Washington, this towering obelisk stands at 555 feet, making it one of the tallest stone structures in the world - and for a brief period of time between 1884 and 1889, before the construction of the Eiffel Tower, it actually was the world's tallest structure.

Its cornerstone, a 24,500-pound marble block, was specially hollowed to hold a number of memorabilia , including items associated with the monument, George Washington, and various benevolent societies.

6

USS Arizona Memorial

Image: Kirby Yardley

Location: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Built over the sunken remains of the USS Arizona, this memorial pays homage to the lives lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Only accessible by boat, the solemn structure sits just above the sunken battleship without touching it , preserving the original wreckage intact.

To this day, drops of oil occasionally leak from the ship’s deteriorating oil tanks , forming oil slicks on the water’s surface that are often referred to as "the tears of the Arizona."

7

Crazy Horse Memorial

Image: Lauren Lopes

Location: Crazy Horse, South Dakota

A colossal endeavor still in progress, the Crazy Horse Memorial is a heartfelt tribute to the Lakota leader Crazy Horse , intended to honor the culture, tradition, and resilience of Native Americans.

When it is finally completed, it will be the largest sculpture in the world , standing at 563 feet high and 641 feet long.

8

Hoover Dam

Image: Ryan Thorpe

Location: Nevada/Arizona border

Although not technically a monument, the Hoover Dam undeniably stands as a testament to American ingenuity and resourcefulness. Completed in 1936, it was originally named Boulder Dam , but the association with President Herbert Hoover endured, leading to its eventual renaming in his honor.

Spanning the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona, the Hoover Dam is a monumental feat of engineering and a vital source of hydroelectric power and water for the Southwest United States.

9

Bunker Hill Monument

Image: Siddharth Mallya

Location: Charlestown, Massachusetts

Standing tall on Breed's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the Bunker Hill Monument commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill , one of the early clashes in the American Revolutionary War.

Constructed between 1825 and 1843, the granite obelisk rises 221 feet and is accompanied by a statue of Col. William Prescott , a celebrated commander and hero of the Revolutionary War. Prior to the construction of the Washington Monument, it was the nation's largest-scale memorial.

10

Golden Gate Bridge

Image: Leo_Visions

Location: San Francisco, California

Spanning the Golden Gate Strait and connecting San Francisco to Marin County, the Golden Gate Bridge is an enduring symbol of American engineering and inventiveness. Opened in 1937, the iconic suspension bridge stretches 1.7 miles, and the main cables that support the weight of the roadway are made out of over 80,000 miles of galvanized steel wire.

Its distinctive orange hue, known as International Orange , was carefully chosen by consulting architect Irving Morrow to both complement the natural surroundings and enhance visibility in the frequent foggy conditions of the bay.

1

A diverse city

Anyone who has ever set foot in New York City knows that it’s a highly diverse city, with ties to communities from all over the world. Around 35% of New Yorkers are foreign-born, and around 800 different languages are spoken every day in the city. This is not only the result of the millions of immigrants who have arrived there since the 19th century, but also the city’s status as a financial and cultural hub that attracts residents from around the globe.

2

The Big Apple’s name origins

Ever wondered why New York City is nicknamed the Big Apple? It has nothing to do with the fruit, but rather with horse racing. In the 1920s, John J. Fitz Gerald, a sports journalist, overheard a group of New Orleans stable hands call New York’s race tracks the "big apple", because they offered the biggest prizes . Fitz Gerald started a column in the New York Morning Telegraph titled "Around the Big Apple", and the nickname stuck.

3

An island city

Is New York City on an island or on the mainland? There is no straight answer to this question. New York comprises five boroughs —The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island— of which only one (The Bronx) is strictly part of the mainland. As for the rest, they are located across three different islands : Manhattan and Staten Island are islands of their own, while Brooklyn and Queens are located on Long Island, a much, much larger landmass which belongs only partially to New York City.

4

The building with its own zip code

Can a building have its own zip code? It sure can, if this building is a skyscraper in one of the most populous cities in the world. The Empire State Building, located at 350 Fifth Avenue (at 33rd and 34th Streets), is not only one of New York’s most famous landmarks, but it also houses dozens of businesses and offices. For this reason, the U.S. Postal Service has given the building a ZIP code of its own, NY 10118. While the Empire State Building is not the only New York building with its own code (there are 42 others), it is certainly the most famous.

5

The first pizzeria in America

It’s impossible to imagine New York City without its pizza scene, so it’s only fitting that t he first licensed pizza place in America was founded in this city. In 1897, Italian immigrant Gennaro Lombardi opened a small grocery store in Little Italy, Manhattan, where he sold "tomato pies" (a pizza with cheese first and tomato on top). In 1905, he acquired the first official permit for a pizza place in America, which opened under the name Lombardi's Pizza.

6

The "pizza principle"

The average New Yorker is used to riding the subway and buying pizza by the slice, but they might not have noticed the price similarities between these two things. First observed in the 1960s, the "pizza principle" states that the price of a plain slice of cheese pizza is roughly equal to the cost of a subway ride , and that these two prices will usually rise in tandem.

7

The "wall" in Wall Street

Most people know that the Wall Street financial district in New York City took its name from an actual street, but where did the street get its name? Well, from a wall. In 1653, when New York City was still New Amsterdam, the Dutch colonial authorities built a wooden wall along the northern border of the settlement , as protection against British and Native American attacks. After the British took control of the area in 1699, the deteriorated wall was taken down, and a road was built where the wall stood, aptly named "Wall Street".

8

Why yellow taxis?

To say "New York City" is synonymous with saying "yellow taxi", but taxis in the city used to be a different color. When motorized taxicabs replaced horse-drawn carriages in 1907, their official colors were red and green. In 1915, after a university study discovered that yellow was the easiest color to spot at a distance, taxi companies started painting their fleets in that color , but it wasn’t until 1967 that New York City officially required all licensed taxis to be "school bus yellow" or a similar shade. In 2013, green taxicabs (also known as "Boro taxis") were introduced to address the shortage of yellow taxis in the outer boroughs and in upper Manhattan.

9

No honking allowed

Traffic noise in a city as huge and populous as New York is unavoidable, and this includes honking. But did you know that honking, unless there’s a pressing emergency, is illegal? Rules concerning honking have existed in New York since the 1930s, but this doesn’t mean they are always followed or enforced . Per the city’s code, blowing your car horn is acceptable in emergencies, but not to rush traffic along, express anger, or as a greeting, all things that might carry a fine ranging from $350 to $2,500. However, despite traffic agents, noise cameras, and fines, honking is still prevalent in New York’s daily sounds.

10

Moving day

New York City’s housing market is cutthroat, but imagine how much worse it would be if you (and everyone else in the city) were only allowed to look for a new place to live three months out of the whole year? For a long time, this was the norm. Stemming from an old Dutch custom where all leases expired on May 1st, landlords would notify their tenants about rent increases or their lease ending on February 1st. For the next three months, tenants all across the city would look for a new place, and all moves would be done on May 1st, also known as "moving day". Down the line, an extra "moving day" was added in October to reduce the chaos caused by the tradition, which died out around WWII.