1

Town crier

In early American towns (and elsewhere in the world), before printed media and mass communication were the norm, news didn’t arrive through newspapers or broadcasts: it arrived by voice. Town criers walked streets ringing bells and loudly announcing public notices, laws, and important events . They were essential in communities where literacy was limited, and information traveled slowly.

2

Factory lectors

Nowadays, when you have some manual, boring labor to do, you can turn on the radio, listen to some music, or a podcast. Of course, that wasn’t an option once upon a time. In some factories, workers hired a lector to read aloud while they worked .

Starting in the mid 1800s and into the beginning of the 1900s, lectors in factories shared newspapers, novels, and political texts, keeping workers informed and entertained during long hours.

3

Elevator operator

Using an elevator seems easy enough today, but for decades, elevators didn’t run themselves. Operators manually controlled speed, direction, and stopping points using levers and switches , while also greeting passengers and announcing floors.

In luxury hotels and department stores, a skilled, often uniformed operator was part of the experience, expected to be polite, precise, and calm under pressure. The job peaked in the early 20th century, especially in big cities like New York and Chicago.

4

Switchboard operator

For early telephone calls, switchboard operators had to manually plug cords into panels to link callers together . The occupation rose shortly after Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in the 1870s, and became a fundamental job until the middle of the following century, when direct dialing was introduced.

Most operators were women, chosen for their calm voices, speed, and courtesy. They often memorized local names, numbers, and even callers’ personal habits and routines.

5

Bowling pinsetter

In early bowling alleys, pins did not magically reset themselves via machines. Pinsetters stood behind the lanes, manually rearranging pins after every roll.

It was noisy, repetitive, and sometimes dangerous work, often done by teenagers . It was only in the 1950s that automatic pinsetting machines were introduced.

6

Lamplighter

Since the beginning of the 19th century, every evening, lamplighters walked city blocks, lighting gas lamps one by one . At dawn, they returned to extinguish them. This job was vital for public safety because the lights helped prevent crime and accidents in dark streets.

It wasn’t until the 1880s that the first electric streetlights were introduced in some cities, but they weren’t the norm until the 1950s. At that point, the cost of maintaining gas pipes had become too high compared to electricity, so the last gas lamps were removed.

7

Milkman

For the first half of the 20th century, the milkman was a familiar sight on American streets. He delivered fresh milk in glass bottles, leaving them in insulated boxes by the door. Many families depended on daily or near-daily deliveries, since refrigeration was limited or unreliable. By the 1940s, however, most American homes owned a refrigerator and the role of milkmen slowly faded.

8

Typist

There was a time, before computers, autocorrect, and AI, when offices relied on professional typists to produce everything from letters to legal documents. Many large companies employed entire "typing pools," rooms filled with workers trained to type quickly and accurately on typewriters. Precision mattered more than you may think; unlike today, mistakes on paper (rather than the screen) sometimes meant starting the document over.

9

Human computer

There was also a time when "computers" were people; their occupation was first mentioned in texts from 1613. Their role was to develop complex mathematical calculations by hand for scientific research, engineering projects, and more. Astronomers during the Renaissance, navigators during the Age of Exploration, and NASA space missions all relied on human computing for their operations.

Imagine that: teams worked through equations for hours or days, checking each other’s math for accuracy. During World War II and the early Cold War, this work was vital to national defense.

10

Knocker-upper

Before the Industrial Revolution, most people woke up with the sun. However, by the early 1800s, when factory systems took hold of big cities, being even five minutes late ceased to be an option for workers. To avoid oversleeping, which could mean lost wages, they paid a person to wake them up.

Knocker-uppers walked neighborhoods early in the morning, tapping on windows with long poles or shooting dried peas through blowpipes . Eventually, alarm clocks were introduced in the late 1800s, and the need for this occupation started declining.

11

Telegraph operator

A case in which the occupation disappeared along with the technology. Before phones and instant messaging, the telegraph, which was invented in 1837, was the fastest way to send information across long distances.

Telegraph operators translated messages into Morse code , sending dots and dashes through wires that spanned the country. Speed and accuracy were critical, especially for news, business, and wartime communication. With the introduction of radio transmissions and telephones in the late 1800s, the service became more and more obsolete, although Western Union, the major telegraph service in the US, continued to operate until 2006.

12

Iceman

Finally, there were the icemen. Before refrigerators became household staples, the iceman was an essential figure in American daily life. He delivered massive blocks of ice straight to people’s homes .

These blocks kept food fresh and milk cold in an era before electric cooling. Ice was harvested from frozen lakes in winter, stored in insulated warehouses, and rationed carefully during warmer months.

1

Woodpecker

Image: Jaime Dantas

Surely, we could all recognize Woody Woodpecker's famous laugh anywhere, but have you ever wondered why this type of bird knocks on wood? Woodpeckers have larger and stronger bills than other birds. They use their beaks not only to dig holes in trees for nesting but also to drum on resonant objects like hollow logs and branches to communicate to other woodpeckers, about their territory and their availability to mate.

But is it true that they hammer away at wood at an incredible speed, as seen in the beloved cartoon? Yes! For example, the Red-headed Woodpecker, found in temperate North America, has the highest g-force (force of acceleration) experienced by a bird. When pecking wood, they hit trees with an impact force of 1,200 g’s. By comparison, astronauts on space shuttles experience 3.5 g's during takeoff, while a force of 60-100 g’s can cause a human concussion.

2

Northern Cardinal

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Did you know most female songbirds in North America usually don't sing? Fortunately, both male and female Northern Cardinals break this trend with their beautiful songs . As a matter of fact, sometimes they even perform duets! Mated pairs usually sing back and forth to each other, sharing information about food sources and nest activity.

Another cool fact about Northern Cardinals is their tendency to fight their own reflections in windows and vehicle mirrors. Experts claim they see their image as a competing bird and attack it to defend their territory. This behavior can go on for days, even months.

Nevertheless, despite this somewhat aggressive attitude, Northern Cardinals are one of America's favorite birds. They hold the distinction of being the state bird of seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

3

Brown Thrasher

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

The Brown Thrasher may be an elusive, hard-to-see bird but it certainly doesn't go unnoticed. The state bird of Georgia, found throughout the eastern and central United States and southern and central Canada, is well known for its remarkable songs.

In fact, this big, foxy-red bird is not only a prolific singer but also an expert mimic, with an impressive repertoire of more than 1,100 tunes! And thrashers are so good at keeping the natural world entertained that they will repeat each phrase of a song twice before singing the next one.

4

Northern Mockingbird

Image: Patrice Bouchard

The Northern Mockingbird is another remarkable mimic. This bird listens to the songs of nearby species and learns to replicate their tunes. In fact, a male may learn around 200 songs throughout its life. The mockingbird, however, can be a bit more monotonous than the Brown Thrasher: it repeats phrases up to six times before moving on to the next one. Have you ever had one in your backyard?

Apart from its musical abilities, the Northern Mockingbird, very common in towns and cities, especially in the South, is one of the most influential birds in American culture. It serves as the state bird for five states : Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. It also appears in many books, TV shows, folk songs, and lullabies.

5

Marsh Wren

Image: Alexis LOURS

Marsh Wrens are songbirds too, but in their case, it’s all about impressing the ladies! The Marsh Wren, a tiny brown bird found all around North America, learns songs from other males and sings them nearly identically. With a repertoire of more than 100 melodies, males often engage in musical duels and sing back and forth to each other to impress the females with their musical abilities.

But singing isn’t their only strategy for winning over a mate. Male Marsh Wrens build up to 20 dummy nests made from cattails for prospective females to evaluate. The female then chooses which one she prefers to lay her eggs in. Unused nests are left as is to confuse predators or are used by adult birds to sleep during nonmating seasons.

6

Black-capped Chickadee

Image: Margaret Strickland

The Black-capped Chickadee, the state bird of both Massachusetts and Maine, is a very popular bird across the northern United States. This small black, white, and tan bird, roughly the size of a sparrow, is well known for its vocalizations and for its ability to conserve energy during the winter months.

In extremely cold weather, Black-capped Chickadees enter a state of dormancy known as torpor. At night, the birds seek shelter and become inactive, causing their core body temperature to drop slightly. As they alternate shivering with staying still, the heart rate decreases. When they reach a full state of torpor, they lose consciousness. Toward morning, the birds start shivering again to regain temperature. This way, the Black-capped Chickadee starts the day afresh, using the precious fat it saved during the night as energy.

7

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Image: Skyler Ewing

They might be tiny but the myth that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate on the backs of Canada Geese is totally false. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, the most common hummingbirds in eastern North America, migrate south at the end of summer, traveling to temperate climates in Central and South America entirely on their own.

This iridescent red and green bird is so small that it makes the most minuscule nests. The nest of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird is around the size of half of a walnut shell—only 1½ inches wide! Also, the smaller the bird, the fewer the feathers. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a record holder for the fewest feathers in a bird, less than 1,000 in total. For reference, a Whistling Swan, the record holder for the most feathers, boasts about 20,000 individual feathers.

8

Owls

Image: Keith Lazarus

Owls are both cherished and mysterious creatures. In North America, there are 19 different species, each with its own curious characteristics. For example, the Elf Owl, found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is special because it’s the smallest owl in the world —measuring just 5 inches tall!

Night-hunting owls present in North America, such as Barn Owls, Long-eared Owls, and Boreal Owls, have the best hearing in the bird world. Many of these nocturnal owls have asymmetrical ear openings, one opening higher and one larger. This unique adaptation allows sound to enter their ears at slightly different times, helping them to accurately triangulate the position of their prey. Also, Barn Owls have a specialized middle claw called pectinate claws. This special feature is a serrated edge that serves as a built-in comb to get rid of debris or parasites.

9

Snow Goose

Image: David Dibert

Isn't it great when we get to spot those amazing V-shaped migration formations in the sky? Did you know that most of North America’s small birds don’t fly in formations? They travel alone or alongside other birds that happen to be heading in the same direction. The Snow Goose, however, is an exception, often flying in huge V formations or single-angled lines.

During migration, Snow Geese, native to North America, form some of the largest flocks in the bird world. Flocks of more than 100,000 Snow Geese are a common sight during their northward spring migration. In some areas, such as Nebraska, there are even records of flocks with millions of geese. Flying in formations allows Snow Geese to save energy during flight.

10

Bald Eagle

Image: Pixabay

If you thought that, since it’s the national symbol of the United States of America, you knew all about the Bald Eagle, these facts will probably blow your mind! Did you know that young Bald Eagles are born with brown eyes, which eventually turn yellow? And what about the fact that they have talons that can grow up to 2 inches long , helping them grasp prey tightly for a quick kill?

Furthermore, Bald Eagles make the largest nests of any bird species. The largest Bald Eagle nest ever recorded measured more than 9 feet wide and 20 feet deep and was found in St. Petersburg, Florida. What's even more impressive is that they reuse their nests for many years—sometimes even decades. A Bald Eagle nest in Vermilion, Ohio, was used for 35 years in a row—mortgage-free! Can you imagine?

1

Blue jay

Image: Mark Olsen

The blue jay is a beautiful bird with –as its name suggests– striking blue plumage. It also has white feather details and a sort of black "collar" on its neck. But it is not just a pretty face; it also has wonderful abilities.

Blue jays are excellent mimics . They can imitate the calls of other birds, especially hawks, in order to frighten and scare away predators. Nature is wise!

In addition, these birds that live in family groups have a great memory . Blue jays have been seen storing nuts far from where they originally found them and then returning to those locations later without much effort.

2

Bald eagle

Image: Mathew Schwartz

As one of America's most iconic symbols, the bald eagle makes an imposing impression just with its presence. It is one of the largest birds in the world, with a wingspan ranging from 6 to 7.5 feet and weighing between 3 and 6.5 pounds.

One of its most outstanding traits is its vision , considered by many experts to be 4 to 5 times sharper than human eyesight. This bird has such precise vision that it can spot its prey from several miles away while flying!

In addition to that, its hunting skills are exceptional. Bald eagles rarely fail to catch a snack, thanks to their large and powerful talons. Their prey can be quite large, as their grip strength can reach 400 pounds per square inch.

3

Pronghorn antelope

Image: David Thielen

Despite its common name, the pronghorn is not an antelope. In fact, it belongs to another family called Antilocapridae , exclusive to North America. Yes, they only exist here!

Pronghorns have several characteristics that make them unique, including their iconic horns . First off, pronghorns shed their horns every year (because who doesn't want to renew their outfit?). And, unlike many other species, it's not just the males that have horns; the females do too.

But here's its best feature: the pronghorn is nothing less than the fastest land animal in America, capable of reaching speeds of over 50 mph. And that's not all; this animal can sustain its speed for very long distances. A true runner!

4

American alligator

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

The American alligator can measure between 13 and 15 feet long and weigh more than 900 pounds, making it one of the largest reptiles in the USA.

But its size is not the only thing that impresses. The American alligator, which inhabits the southeastern United States, has one of the fiercest and most powerful bites in the entire animal kingdom, reaching 2,980 pounds of pressure per square inch. Just picture that destructive power!

Biting so hard must have negative consequences for the teeth, right? True. But this is not a problem for the American alligator, as this reptile has the ability to regenerate its lost teeth more than 50 times in its lifetime!

5

Barn owl

Image: Bob Brewer

The barn owl is one of the several owl species found in America. Its most characteristic feature is its heart-shaped face. This distinctive quality is not only cute, but it also serves a purpose: it directs sound into the bird's ear cavities. The barn owl has exceptional hearing , allowing it to detect the smallest prey in the dark.

On the other hand, one of the most striking features of owls is their ability to rotate their heads about 180 degrees and, in some cases, even more. If you found The Exorcist disturbing, you don't want to watch videos of owls rotating their heads!

6

Wood frog

Image: Richie Bettencourt

The wood frog is a small amphibian native to the northeastern states, famous for the dark markings around its eyes. These markings are like a mask that extends, much like when someone's makeup smudges.

But this frog's appearance is not the only thing that distinguishes it. It also has an incredible skill: the ability to withstand freezing temperatures. And that's not all; during the winter, their bodies can actually freeze solid and then thaw out in the spring without sustaining serious damage. Amazing!

Although it is not Captain America, this ability allows the wood frog to adapt very well to temperatures as low as -10°F for several weeks.

7

Flying squirrel

Image: Saori Oya

Have you ever dreamed of flying through the sky like a superhero? Who wouldn't want that? There is a squirrel that has this advantage, which is why it is commonly called the flying squirrel.

Despite its funny name, the flying squirrel doesn't actually fly but glides through the trees. Even so, watching this small mammal deploy a membrane between its limbs to glide with great precision from the heights is impressive. In addition, they can perfectly regulate speed and direction during their ride through the air.

Have you ever seen one of these creatures?

8

Gila monster

Image: David Clode

There is only one venomous lizard in the U.S., and that title goes to the great Gila monster.

This lizard, naturally found in the southwestern regions of our country, has unique abilities that set it apart from other animals. The "monster" in its name is no coincidence: this lizard has a fearsome bite , capable of injecting painful venom. The Gila monster's venom is delivered through grooves in its teeth, something extremely rare for a lizard.

And there's more. This animal can go several months without eating! This is due to its slow metabolism , which allows it to survive even when food is scarce.

9

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake

Image: Leah Storme

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is one of the largest rattlesnakes that inhabit our country, reaching 6 feet in length and weighing around 10 pounds. Its characteristic diamond-shaped pattern on its back is what gives it its iconic name.

Besides having one of the most potent venoms among rattlesnakes, this snake has another important advantage. The diamondback rattlesnake has thermo-detecting pits. But what is that? They are tiny orifices located between its eyes and nose, which allow it to detect the temperature of its warm-blooded prey even in the deepest darkness.

10

American beaver

Image: Tim Umphreys

Beavers are amazing animals. These rodents that inhabit freshwater environments are like the architects of the animal world. They have impressive building skills, with dams being their primary type of construction.

The dams that beavers build with sticks, logs, stones, mud, and other materials from nature are designed to protect their community and lodges. Beavers' lodges are perfectly engineered, featuring underwater entrances that keep them isolated and safe, just like a natural bunker!

They are also excellent swimmers . They have an affinity for water and use it in very creative ways. For example, they slap their flat tails against the water's surface to alert their families when danger is near.