1

Barack Obama

Image: History in HD

We’ll begin with our most recent Laureate President. You’ll quickly notice that many U.S. Presidents have made it to this list, which seems only fitting considering their paramount efforts in maintaining world peace.

In this regard, President Obama is no exception, and in 2009 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

2

Al Gore

Image: Markus Spiske

The only American Vice President on this list, Al Gore, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his "efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change." Gore has been a long-time advocate for fighting climate change, and his endeavors were featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth .

Nowadays, Al Gore continues to educate the world about environmentalism and the perils of climate change. In 2021, he addressed the United Nations during their Climate Change Conference.

3

Martin Luther King Jr.

Image: Unseen Histories

No other figure represents the fight for Civil Rights in America as Martin Luther King Jr. does. In 1964, Reverend King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "his non-violent struggle for civil rights for the Afro-American population."

King, who was 35 years old at the time, became the youngest Peace Prize recipient in history. This title is now held by Malala Yousafzai, who was awarded the Prize at 17 years of age, in 2014.

4

Richard P. Feynman

Image: Zoltan Tasi

From his bongo playing to his iconic studying technique, American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman has become a pop culture icon. In 1965, Feynman received the Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Julian Schwinger and Shin'ichirō Tomonaga "for their fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics."

While Feynman was by no means the first (nor will be the last) American Nobel-winning physicist, his recognition is still remembered fondly by the scientific community. With the money from the award, Feynman and his wife purchased a beach house in Baja California, Mexico.

5

Bob Dylan

Image: weston m

Bob Dylan is known as "The Voice of a Generation" and with good reason: his songs of protest and insightful lyrics have inspired generations of Americans for almost 70 years. Dylan is truly a renaissance man, being an accomplished musician, painter, and, perhaps more importantly for this list, writer.

In 2016, Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition." Fellow American musician (and die-hard Bob Dylan fan) Patti Smith performed a heartfelt rendition of his classic song "A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall" during his Nobel ceremony.

6

Jimmy Carter

Image: Library of Congress

At almost 100 years of age, Jimmy Carter’s life has been filled with outstanding achievements and awards. In that sense, it is rather remarkable that our 39th President’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded almost 20 years after he left the White House.

In 2002, President Carter received the Peace Prize for "his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts." His award mostly acknowledged his work with the Carter Center and their exceptional work in defending and promoting human rights around the world.

7

Ernest Hemingway

Image: Annie Lang

"Beige" prose master and iconic American author Ernest Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Literature Prize in 1954 for his "mastery of the art of narrative". The Nobel Foundation specially cited Hemingway’s then most recent novel, The Old Man and the Sea , as a contributing factor in their decision.

At the time of his award, Hemingway was recuperating from an airplane accident and didn’t travel to Stockholm to receive the award. He did, however, send a speech to be read at the ceremony, in which he stated that "Writing, at its best, is a lonely life."

8

John Forbes Nash

Image: Roman Mager

American mathematician John Forbes Nash was brought into the spotlight thanks to the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind , in which Nash was portrayed by Russell Crowe. Thanks to this movie, the whole world was able to learn about Nash’s troubled but extraordinary life and the amazing theories that earned him a Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994.

Nash is mostly remembered for his groundbreaking contributions to the mathematical field known as "game theory." He was awarded the prize alongside John Harsanyi and Reinhard Selten "for their pioneering analysis of equilibria in the theory of non-cooperative games."

9

Toni Morrison

Image: Isaac N.

American novelist Toni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 when she was 62 years of age. A few years earlier, Morrison received the Pulitzer Prize for her groundbreaking 1988 novel Beloved , which was instrumental in her Nobel nomination.

The Nobel Foundation acknowledged Morrison’s extraordinary talent, recognizing her as a writer "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality."

10

Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

Image: Library of Congress

We’ll end this article with the very first American to win a Nobel Prize. Our 26th President received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906, in recognition of his tremendous and successful efforts in ending the Russo-Japanese War.

Roosevelt was not only the first American but also the very first statesman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. While at the time this award was deemed controversial, ultimately the Nobel Foundation decided to acknowledge Roosevelt’s "role in bringing to an end the bloody war recently waged between two of the world's great powers, Japan and Russia."

1

Mourning Dove

Image: Anish Lakkapragada

The melancholic name of the mourning dove comes from its sad call , which the casual listener might mistake for an owl. Mourning Doves inhabit a wide range of open habitats, including suburbs and urban parks.

Their call is generally referred to as the "perch coo," a song sung by an unmated male from a perch. These birds have other well-known nicknames, such as "turtle doves" and "rain doves."

2

Northern Mockingbird

Image: Tyler Jamieson Moulton

More than just mockers, mockingbirds are expert singers, continuously adding new imitations of other birds' songs to their repertoires and sometimes mimicking unnatural sounds, such as car alarms. Northern mockingbirds may learn up to 200 different sounds.

These medium-sized, long-tailed gray songbirds prefer open habitats with a scattering of shrubs and small trees. They eat a wide variety of fruits, invertebrates, and even small vertebrates, such as lizards.

3

White-breasted Nuthatch

Image: Patrice Bouchard

You can recognize this bird by its white face and underside, bluish back and wings, dark crown, nasal "yank-yank" call, and its habit of creeping down tree trunks headfirst.

The name "nuthatch" is derived from "nut hacker," reflecting the bird's method of opening up nuts by jamming them into a crevice and then hammering at them.

4

Downy Woodpecker

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

The smallest woodpecker in North America, the Downy Woodpecker is a stubby-billed, black-and-white bird that inhabits deciduous woods and tree-filled urban and suburban parklands. It forages on trees, shrubs, and large weeds for insects and other arthropods.

The "downy" in this bird's common name refers to the soft, white feathers of its long, white back stripe . The "woodpecker" part refers to the fact that this bird pecks bark, looking for termites hidden underneath it.

5

House Finch

Image: Patrice Bouchard

Originally found only in the West, the House Finch was introduced to the eastern U.S. in 1939, when a few individuals were released from a pet store. The word "finch" comes from the German idiom fink , which refers to a lively or cheerful person —a description that certainly fits this active and gregarious songbird. The term "house" refers to the bird’s tendency to hang around human dwellings.

6

Song Sparrow

Image: Patrick Fobian

Song Sparrows, as their name suggests, sing a cheerful and recognizable song. Although these birds can be found in a wide range of habitats, their favorite spots are often close to streams and other sources of fresh water.

The English word "sparrow" derives from the Anglo-Saxon word spearwa . This term means "flutterer," an apt description for this active songbird.

7

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

The only hummingbird that regularly breeds in the eastern U.S. is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The male's metallic-looking red throat, or "gorget," explains the first part of the name. And the hummingbird part comes from the humming sound their wings make as they fly.

8

Blue Jay

Image: David Bridle

The "bullies" of the birdfeeder, Blue Jays' name comes from the bird's noisy, garrulous nature. This term has also been applied to other birds of the same family, which are generally gregarious as well.

Before approaching a feeder, Blue Jays often give harsh calls that sound like those of hawks, perhaps to scare off other birds that might compete for access to the bird seed.

9

Tufted Titmouse

Image: Paul Crook

These curiously named birds form longer-lasting family units than many other songbirds, with their younglings sometimes even hanging around for a second year to help raise younger siblings. The "titmouse" name has nothing to do with rodents, but instead comes from an Old English phrase meaning "small bird."

10

Spotted Towhee

Image: Anish Lakkapragada

Spotted Towhees are members of the sparrow family. These birds have dark heads and backs, white spots on their wings, rusty sides, and striking red eyes. Their song is a simple trill.

The name "towhee" is a simulation of the bird's call and it was coined in 1731 by the naturalist and bird artist, Mark Catesby.

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.