1

A gorilla suit

Image: ARTISTIC FRAMES

Space can get boring. It got a little more entertaining for astronaut Scott Kelly in 2016, when his twin brother, Mark Kelly, sent him a vacuum-sealed gorilla suit all the way to the ISS for his birthday.

Kelly’s crewmates didn’t know about it, so he had fun pranking them by suddenly appearing in the suit aboard the station. One of the prank videos went viral. As Kelly put it: "How can you not like space gorilla?"

2

Dirt from Yankee Stadium

Image: Chanan Greenblatt

Astronaut Garrett Reisman, a lifelong Yankees fan, of course, took a little piece of the Bronx to orbit . In 2008, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-123, he brought a vial of dirt from Yankee Stadium’s pitcher’s mound—along with other Yankees memorabilia, including items autographed by players.

3

Amelia Earhart’s watch

Image: Tomas Martinez

In 2010, astronaut Shannon Walker brought Amelia Earhart’s watch to the International Space Station. The legendary aviator had worn it during two transatlantic flights , and it traveled to space on the 82nd anniversary of her first historic solo flight across the Atlantic.

4

Pizza

Image: Alan Hardman

Space pizza finally became a reality in 2001, when Pizza Hut paid millions to deliver a vacuum-sealed pizza to the International Space Station.

It was, quite literally, a publicity stunt out of this world . The pizza—topped with salami to withstand space conditions—was eaten by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachov aboard the ISS.

5

Pieces of the Wright Brothers’ first plane

Image: History in HD

Tucked into Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit was a small piece of fabric and a fragment of wood from the Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer—carried all the way from Kitty Hawk to the Sea of Tranquility . He took them with him as he became the first person to step onto the Moon in 1969.

6

A set of instruments to play "Jingle Bells"

Image: Ali Rashedi

Just before Christmas in 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford pulled off a surprise serenade in space.

They had smuggled a harmonica and a set of sleigh bells aboard their Gemini 6A mission and played "Jingle Bells" for Mission Control—creating the first musical performance ever in space . The instruments are now on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

7

Several LEGO pieces

Image: Eugene Chystiakov

NASA's collaboration with LEGO took a literal leap when, in 2011, sets of LEGO bricks were sent to the International Space Station aboard mission STS-133.

Astronauts assembled models—such as the Hubble Space Telescope—in microgravity, engaging students around the world in STEM education.

8

A Buzz Lightyear toy

Image: Brian McGowan

Buzz Lightyear truly went " to infinity and beyond " when a 12-inch action figure flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008. Spending 15 months on the International Space Station, Buzz was part of NASA’s educational outreach efforts.

Upon return, he was honored with a parade at Disney World and now resides in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

9

A lightsaber

Image: superneox lightsaber

In a nod to sci-fi fandom, a lightsaber prop used by Mark Hamill in Return of the Jedi journeyed to space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007.

The initiative celebrated the 30th anniversary of Star Wars , symbolizing the intersection of science fiction and real-world space exploration.

10

Dinosaur bones

Image: Jesper Aggergaard

In 1985, during NASA's SpaceLab 2 mission, astronaut Loren Acton brought aboard a fossilized bone and a piece of eggshell from Maiasaura peeblesorum , a dinosaur species known for nurturing its young.

These fossils, discovered in Montana , were sent to space to symbolize the connection between Earth’s prehistoric life and space exploration.​

11

Communion bread and wine

Image: James Coleman

In a very profound gesture, Buzz Aldrin privately took Christian communion aboard Apollo 11. As a Presbyterian elder , he carried a tiny wafer and a small pouch of wine, blessing them while orbiting the Moon shortly after the lunar landing.

12

Golf clubs (and golf balls)

Image: Peter Drew

During Apollo 14, Alan Shepard secretly packed a makeshift 6-iron —a golf club head duct-taped to a lunar tool—and two golf balls.

On live TV, he took a couple of awkward, one-handed swings while wearing his stiff spacesuit. The first ball flopped; the second soared "miles and miles," Shepard joked. It actually traveled about 40 yards, which is quite impressive in lunar terms.

1

South Dakota sits right in the middle of it all

Image: Intricate Explorer

Just outside the town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, lies the geographic center of the United States when you include Alaska and Hawaii . It is not marked with neon signs or big crowds, but there is something satisfying about standing near the heart of the whole country. It feels like the center of gravity for the U.S.

2

Iowa is flanked by rivers on both sides

Image: Justin Wilkens

If you look at a map, you will see Iowa neatly tucked between two mighty rivers . The Mississippi River borders it to the east, and the Missouri River forms most of its western boundary. No other state can say that its entire east and west borders are made up of rivers. That gives Iowa a front-row seat to river life from both sides.

3

Kansas is flatter than a breakfast pancake

Image: Edson Saldaña

Believe it or not, a group of researchers once compared Kansas to a pancake and found that Kansas is actually flatter . This was not a joke. They used real measurements. If long, open roads and wide horizons are your thing, Kansas is the ultimate smooth ride.

4

Arizona has all the deserts in one place

Image: Keith Hardy

Arizona is not just dry, it’s uniquely arid. It is the only state that includes parts of nearly all of the major North American deserts . These include the Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin deserts. That makes it a desert lover's dream and a living science exhibit where four very different ecosystems meet in one sunbaked state.

5

Michigan lives and breathes freshwater

Image: Aaron Burden

Michigan has more freshwater shoreline than any other state in the country. It borders four of the five Great Lakes , features two peninsulas, and is even home to a floating post office that delivers mail by boat. If you enjoy water views and lakeside life, Michigan delivers the goods in a big way.

6

Connecticut gave counties the pink slip

Image: Rusty Watson

Unlike most states, Connecticut does not have county governments. The state decided back in the late 1950s and early 1960s to get rid of them entirely. Now, counties are just lines on a map and have no political power. If you live in Connecticut, you deal directly with your town or city. No middleman needed.

7

Delaware still uses ‘hundreds’ and no, not the money kind

Image: Gary Cole

In Delaware, land is still divided into areas called hundreds . These are old British-style subdivisions that originally represented areas able to support roughly 100 households. While they do not play a role in law or government today, the names still show up in property documents and tax records.

8

Kentucky hides the longest cave under its feet

Image: Joshua Sortino

Beneath Kentucky’s surface lies a giant underground wonder called Mammoth Cave. It holds the record as the longest known cave system in the world , with over 400 miles of mapped tunnels. That is a whole lot of rock and mystery. Whether you are into history, geology, or just cool natural landmarks, this cave system is something special.

9

Louisiana prefers parishes over counties

Image: Joe Lavigne

Louisiana does not have counties like the rest of the country. Instead, it has parishes , a term carried over from its French and Spanish colonial days. These parishes work the same way counties do elsewhere, but the name gives the state a unique cultural twist.

10

Montana provides the nation's platinum and palladium

Image: Calvin Chai

Montana is the only significant source of domestically mined platinum and palladium in the United States. These rare metals are used in things like jewelry, dental tools, and car parts. Tucked into its rugged mountains, Montana’s mines quietly produce some of the most valuable materials in the country.

11

Wisconsin has an official microbe, and it makes cheese

Image: Azzedine Rouichi

Of course, Wisconsin would go this route. The state named Lactococcus lactis as its official microbe. It is the helpful little organism behind the cheese-making magic. Without it, you would not have cheddar, Colby, or many other favorites. Leave it to the dairy state to give a tiny cheese-maker its moment of fame.

1

The US: The ultimate Olympic host

Image: Obed Hernández

If hosting the Olympics were a sport, the US would take home the gold medal, as America has welcomed the Games eight times —more than any other country.

The Summer Olympics have taken place in St. Louis (1904), Los Angeles (1932, 1984), and Atlanta (1996), while the Winter Olympics have been held in Lake Placid (1932, 1980), Squaw Valley (1960), and Salt Lake City (2002).

And that’s not the end—Los Angeles is gearing up for 2028, so it’s safe to say the torch never stays away for too long!

2

Winning more medals than anyone else

Image: Ethan Wilkinson

If there’s one thing Team USA knows how to do, it’s win medals—a lot of them. As of 2024, the US has claimed a staggering 2,765 Summer Olympic medals (including 1,105 golds) and 330 Winter Olympic medals . No other country even comes close.

Whether on the track, in the pool, or on the ice, American athletes have consistently outperformed the competition.

3

Dominating track, field, and the pool

Image: Austris Augusts

Certain sports just seem to bring out the best in American athletes . From Jesse Owens on the track to Katie Ledecky in the pool to Carl Lewis soaring through the air, American athletes have rewritten the record books time and time again.

In track and field, for example, the US holds the record for the most gold medals, with over 400.

When it comes to swimming, Team USA has made an even bigger splash, earning more than 570 total Olympic medals—the most in any single sport.

4

Michael Phelps: The GOAT of the Olympics

Image: Braden Egli

Speaking of rewriting the record books, we need to talk about Michael Phelps—the most decorated Olympian of all time.

With 28 medals (23 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze) , the legendary swimmer dominated the pool across five Olympic Games. His eight gold medals at Beijing 2008 were a record-breaking feat, proving that when it comes to Olympic greatness, no one comes close. Phelps didn’t just set records—he shattered them, leaving behind a legacy that may never be topped.

5

Winter Games greatness: Apolo Ohno’s record run

Image: Filip

While the Summer Olympics have clearly brought in the most medals, the US has had its fair share of Winter Olympic heroes.

The most decorated of them all? Apolo Ohno , the short-track speed skating sensation. Ohno raced to eight Olympic medals, cementing his place as America’s greatest Winter Olympian. You simply had to watch him dodge crashes, make last-second moves, and celebrate with his signature goatee.

6

When the US brought home 83 golds in one year

Image: Viktor Forgacs

The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics marked a golden era for Team USA—and we mean that quite literally.

With the Soviet Union and several other countries boycotting the Games, American athletes dominated, winning 83 gold medals —the most ever at a single Summer Olympics.

7

The only time the US won just one gold

Image: Matthew Fournier

But it wasn’t always like that—there were times when the story went differently for Team USA. While 1984 was all about collecting golds, 1980 was a different story.

That year, Team USA won only one gold medal… but what a gold it was! The US men’s hockey team, made up of young college players, pulled off the famous "Miracle on Ice , " defeating the heavily favored Soviet team before going on to win gold. One gold medal? Sure. But it was one of the greatest moments in Olympic history.

8

A medal sweep like no other

Image: Mia de Jesus

The 1904 St. Louis Olympics were unlike any other—and not just because it was the first time the Games were held in the US.

Due to travel difficulties and a lack of international participation, Team USA won over 80% of all medals awarded . While it wasn’t exactly a fair fight, it still stands as the biggest medal sweep in Olympic history. Sometimes, just showing up is half the battle, you know?

9

Youngest US champion: A 13-year-old diving prodigy

Image: Austrian National Library

Most Olympic champions train for years before making their mark—but that wasn’t the case for Marjorie Gestring , who won a gold medal in diving at just 13 years and 268 days old at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. While most kids her age were just starting middle school, she was standing atop the Olympic podium. To this day, she remains the youngest US Olympic champion ever.

10

Simone Biles: The queen of US gymnastics

Image: Brian Wangenheim

When it comes to American gymnastics, Simone Biles is in a league of her own. With 11 Olympic medals (7 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), she is the most decorated US female gymnast in history.

Her powerful routines, gravity-defying skills, and unmatched mental toughness have made her an icon, inspiring future generations of gymnasts. Whether she’s flipping, twisting, or making history, Biles continues to raise the bar—literally.