1

Boston, Massachusetts

The vast majority of Boston residents hold college degrees. With research-driven institutions like Harvard and Boston University, the city enables a rich academic environment that promotes learning, innovation, and scientific advancement in different fields. In addition, Boston's public schools and statewide educational standards rank among the best in the country!

2

Seattle, Washington

Seattle is definitely considered one of the smartest cities in the US! But why? Well, there are several factors. First, most of its population over age 25 (53.8%) holds a bachelor's degree or higher. And it's no surprise: Seattle is home to the University of Washington, one of the top-ranked universities in the world. In addition, the city is a tech hub, with one in five residents working in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

3

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is a city everyone should experience at least once. Its rich cultural, intellectual, and innovative atmosphere secures its spot on this list. The city has a well-established education scene, with prestigious institutions like the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, and a high percentage of residents holding professional degrees in fields like law, medicine, and business. Plus, its smart use of technology to enhance life quality makes it stand out even more.

4

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia, is succeeding in today's world thanks to its growing tech job market and fast internet speeds, making it an ideal place for anyone interested in science and technology. The city is also proud of its academic presence, with standout institutions like Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University.

5

San Jose, California

If you're into technology, San Jose, California, might be your ideal city. As the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose boasts an elevated number of highly educated residents: Over 26% hold a graduate or professional degree. It's also home to tech giants like Apple and Google, making it a hub of innovation and opportunity.

6

Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The metropolitan area composed of Durham and Chapel Hill in North Carolina is part of the renowned Research Triangle, named for the three major research universities in the region: Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University. A significant portion of residents in this region hold graduate degrees, particularly in fields like medicine, science, and technology.

7

Boulder, Colorado

Sustainability, innovation, and education are top priorities in Boulder, Colorado. The city has been recognized for its commitment to the environment, including a bold goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2030. On top of that, Boulder was highlighted by Forbes as a major "intellectual center," ranking among the US cities with the highest percentage of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

8

Austin, Texas

With over 19% of its residents holding a professional degree, Austin, Texas, has earned its spot on the list. In addition to the prestigious University of Texas fueling its educated population, Austin also has a rapidly growing tech industry. Its young, creative, and highly skilled workforce makes the city stand out even more.

9

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Thanks to its high concentration of highly educated residents, Ann Arbor, Michigan, regularly earns a spot on the list of the smartest cities in the United States. Much of that reputation comes from the University of Michigan, a major science, research, and tech hub, and the city's overall high level of educational attainment.

10

Washington, DC

Washington, DC, also ranks as one of the smartest cities in the country thanks to its high concentration of highly educated professionals, policy experts, and researchers. The capital city also boasts one of the highest graduation rates nationwide. From the Smithsonian Museums and the Library of Congress to the Kennedy Center and the National Archives, the city offers endless opportunities to enrich your cultural experience.

1

Stevie Wonder

Image: Osman Rana

The musical genius behind hits like "Superstition" and "Isn't She Lovely," Stevie Wonder, was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins.

Blind from infancy, he was a child prodigy, signed to Motown Records at just 11 years old. They decided to rebrand him as "Little Stevie Wonder." Isn’t that how a legend gets made?

2

Muhammad Ali

Image: engin akyurt

"The Greatest," Muhammad Ali, known for his legendary boxing career and his outspoken personality, was born Cassius Clay.

After converting to Islam, he refused to keep his birth name and rebranded himself as Muhammad Ali. He floated like a butterfly, stung like a bee, and certainly wasn't shy about making a statement!

3

Whoopi Goldberg

Image: asim alnamat

The hilarious and outspoken Whoopi Goldberg, known for her roles in films like The Color Purple and Ghost , was called Caryn Elaine Johnson at birth.

If her name reminds you of a Whoopee Cushion, here’s where you learn that that was intentional. Her friends called her that –Whoopi Cushion– and she wanted it to be her stage name, but her mom convinced her to take herself more seriously and use one of her family surnames, Goldberg.

4

Lady Gaga

Image: Hrayr Movsisyan

The queen of pop, Lady Gaga, known for her outrageous fashion style and catchy hits like "Bad Romance" and "Born This Way," was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Elegant, but still a mouthful when you are trying to become the next Madonna.

While designing her legendary persona, she was inspired by the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga," and she stuck with that name. It does fit her theatrical aesthetic much better than Stefani Germanotta, doesn't it?

5

Prince

Image: ROMBO

This one is less of a story than you might imagine —Prince’s first name was, indeed, Prince. The Purple One was born Prince Rogers Nelson, just like his father, a jazz musician who performed under the stage name "Prince Rogers." So, that name was taken.

He rose to fame as simply "Prince," although some remember him as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince (TAFKAP)," which he established as his name after a dispute with Warner Bros Records.

6

Bob Dylan

Image: Samuel Ramos

The voice of a generation, Bob Dylan, known for his poetic lyrics and iconic songs like "Blowin' in the Wind," was born Robert Allen Zimmerman.

Did he choose the name after Dylan Thomas? No, the musician eventually confessed he’d never read much of the poet. Toying around with his first surname, Allen, Bob had been trying to decide whether to call himself "Bob Allen" or "Bob Allyn," until he realized "Dylan" was, in his words, stronger.

7

Meg Ryan

Image: Kit Suman

America's sweetheart, Meg Ryan, known for her roles in romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail , was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra.

When you have such a long name, you have to make some decisions. She first presented herself as "Margaret Hyra", but when registering for the Screen Actors Guild, Margaret became Meg, and her dad’s surname was replaced by the maiden name of her grandma, Ryan.

8

Demi Moore

Image: Bruno Mattos

Actress Demi Moore was born Demetria Gene Guynes. She shortened her first name to Demi when she began her acting career and adopted the surname Moore from her first husband, Freddy Moore.

The Moores eventually separated, but Demi decided to carry the surname on throughout her career.

9

Brad Pitt

Image: Amjith S

Did you know that Brad Pitt might easily have been known as "Bill Pitt"? Or "Willy Pitt"? We surely prefer Brad!

Hollywood’s heartthrob was born William Bradley Pitt. Early in his career, he presented himself with his full name, but eventually, he dropped the "William." He went on to become a multi-awarded and beloved movie star and producer.

10

Winona Ryder

Image: Elviss Railijs Bitāns

The quirky and talented Winona Ryder, known for her roles in films like Beetlejuice and Girl, Interrupted , was born Winona Laura Horowitz.

Why did she choose "Ryder" for her movie credits? She says that she picked the name out of a Mitch Ryder record her dad loved. Seems whimsical, but remember: She was only a teenager when she rose to fame!

11

Emma Stone

Image: Mirko Fabian

Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone, known for her roles in films like La La Land and Easy A , was born Emily Jean Stone.

She would have signed up with her real name proudly, but when she went to register with the Screen Actors Guild, she found that Emily Stone was taken. She decided to go for the next best thing and name herself after her favorite Spice Girl, Emma Bunton.

1

Young inventor

Image: Randy Fath

Although we all know that Edison was an inventor -and one of the best- very few know that his passion was already loudly expressed at the young age of 10.

At that age, while other children were naturally playing ball in the park, Edison was already interested in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and electricity. At 12, he set up his first laboratory in the basement of his parents' house, where he began to do his first experiments! Some stories claim that explosions in the basement were more frequent than their parents would have liked.

2

Self-taught

Image: Nicola Tolin

Edison's educational path was very different from the one many of us probably had. In fact, Edison had almost no formal education.

Thomas Edison attended school for only a few months. Due to some hearing problems he developed as a child, his mother decided to homeschool him, teaching and encouraging him, which awakened his impressive curiosity and appetite for knowledge.

By the time he was a preteen, he was already an autodidact. This fact was crucial on his way to becoming one of our country's most important inventors.

3

Young entrepreneur

Image: Jingda Chen

The young Edison was not only curious and intelligent; he was also an entrepreneur.

When he was just a boy of 12, he sold snacks, candy, cigars, magazines, and newspapers on the Grand Trunk Railroad. From that age, he displayed a determined character, which enabled him to raise money for his experiments.

But his ambition was so strong that he started his own newspaper, the Grand Trunk Herald. That's right! Little Edison assembled and printed his newspaper and sold it to passengers and people who frequented the train stations.

4

Hero

Image: Sugden Guy sugden

Did you know that Edison was also a hero? That's right!

In fact, we could say that his act of heroism as a teenager was the event that started his great career. By the age of 15, Edison was working and traveling on the Grand Trunk Railroad, where he became close to a station master and telegraph officer. One day, Edison spotted the station master's two-year-old son playing on the tracks as a train sped toward him. Without hesitation, he jumped and rescued the child.

The boy's father was so grateful that he offered to teach Edison how to use the telegraph system. And what do you think? He accepted immediately!

5

Marriages

Image: Fernando @cferdophotography

Between labs and experiments, Thomas Edison also had time for love.

Thomas Alva Edison married twice in his life. His first wife was Mary Stilwell Edison, whom he married in 1871. Mary and Thomas had three children. Sadly, she passed away in 1884 after 13 years of marriage.

His second marriage was in 1886 to Mina Miller Edison. With her, Edison had three more children. As it couldn't be otherwise, it's said that Edison asked Mina to marry him in a rather peculiar way: he proposed using Morse code!

6

His children's nicknames

Image: Sandie Clarke

Thomas Edison's creativity was evident in everything he did, and there's an anecdote that exemplifies this perfectly.

The inventor's passion and humor blended and resulted in fun and loving nicknames for his first two children. As we told you, by 1876, Edison already had two children from his first marriage. They were Marion and Thomas Jr., whom Edison called "Dot" and "Dash," respectively. Yes, you got it: it was a reference to Morse code!

7

First phonograph recording

Image: Call Me Fred

As you probably know, in 1877, Thomas Edison introduced the phonograph. It was the first device capable of recording and reproducing sound!

As a result of his experiments, this device completely changed the history of communication. But what did the first recording made with the phonograph say?

Edison made a cute choice for his first recording: a recitation of the beloved nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb." That was the first time in history that anyone heard a previously recorded voice!

8

His work team

Image: The National Library of Norway

It seems that Edison had a tendency for affectionate nicknames and monikers.

Edison didn't reserve nicknames just for his children; he also gave them to the members of his large staff. Many people worked in Edison's famous laboratory at Menlo Park, which he referred to as his "invention factory." Engineers, scientists, technicians, and people with different kinds of expertise gathered there to help make the great inventor's ideas possible. Edison affectionately referred to them as his "muckers," a nickname that shows not only his sense of humor but also his strong team spirit.

9

His health

Image: Dan Meyers

One of the best-known aspects of Edison's health was his hearing loss when he was very young. Contrary to what one might think, Edison stated that this fact didn't negatively affect his career development. In fact, he believed it helped him focus and dedicate more time to his inventions and discoveries.

However, as an adult, he developed some other health problems. Some sources suggest that Edison's habits, including long hours in the lab and a poor diet, contributed to health issues like heart problems and diabetes.

10

His last words

Image: Jonathan Borba

Edison's life was full of adventures, discoveries, love, and many other things. The American inventor didn't abandon his creativity even when it was time for him to leave this world.

It's said that, at the age of 84 on his deathbed, Thomas Edison looked at his wife, Mina, and uttered the words, "It's very beautiful over there."

While it's difficult to make a unique interpretation of these nice and calm words, their poetic and inspirational character is undeniable.