1

Coyotes

Image: Ray Hennessy

Coyotes have a natural talent for survival, and they are built to thrive in any environment, including cities where food is readily available everywhere.

As it has been noticed multiple times, coyotes have deciphered how semaphors work and wait for the red light to cross the street.

2

Black bears

Image: Bruce Warrington

Studies have shown that female black bears living in urban areas aged one to one and a half years weighed nearly twice as much as their country counterparts. Some of those urban female bears produced cubs, while none of the rural bears of the same age reproduced.

Curiously, bears seem to know when it is trash day and will scavenge for food in trash cans on those dates specifically.

3

Raccoons

Image: Ralf Volkmer

Raccoons that live in urban environments are more exploratory than their country cousins, taking more time to investigate the squares. Some raccoons even figure out how to yank bungee cords off of trash cans .

These city animals are also more social, traveling in pairs more often than their rural relatives.

4

Bald eagles

Image: Alexas_Fotos

Believe it or not, in the 1960s, the bald eagle was on the verge of extinction due to the use of pesticides. But since those pesticides have been banned, their population has rebounded, and they're no longer on the list of endangered species.

City eagles need only a place to nest and a clean source of food, which can even be a trashcan, and they’ve figured out how to use city infrastructure like cellphone towers, bridges, and cranes along waterways .

5

Pigeons

Image: Dawood Javed

Possibly the most urban animal on the list, aside from rats, pigeons are uniquely suited to urban life. They can recognize human faces , so they know which people have fed them before.

These creatures have an incredible ability to distribute themselves, so there are never more pigeons than available food. A park with twice as much food as another park will also have twice as many pigeons.

6

Booklice

Image: Brett Jordan

Whether we see it or not, our homes are filled with insect life. One of them, booklice, has found that the starch in book bindings makes an ideal food source.

Booklice have adapted to suck the moisture directly out of the air and can live off that vapour for three weeks, avoiding dehydration.

7

Squirrels

Image: Mark Brennan

Squirrels and urban environments have gotten along for a long time now. There’s ample food and shelter, and few natural predators. They’ve learned to live in much greater densities in cities than they do in other environments, and they can tell which humans will feed them .

8

Sparrows

Image: Carlos Quintero

The sparrows that live in New York City have become night owls, staying out later to feed because the bright lights around buildings draw plenty of insects .

9

Rats

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Almost no one would call a rat clean, but contrary to popular belief, city rats tend to carry fewer diseases and parasites than rural ones because they have less contact with livestock excrement from farms, and their human neighbors don’t harbor many parasites.

10

Ospreys

Image: KaroGraphix Photography

Ospreys have seen their numbers grow in North America partially because they have forsaken trees in favor of building their 250-pound nests on power poles, cell phone towers, channel markers , and other human-made structures.

11

Crows

Image: Veronica Dudarev

Crows are very smart creatures, and they have learned to use the city infrastructure to their advantage. These birds drop nuts and bones from great heights to crack the hard outer shells so that they can reach the food inside. City crows simply drop the previously impenetrable food into the street and let the cars crack it open .

12

Tomcods

Image: John Werner

Nature can adapt to almost anything, and tomcods are living proof of this. A very polluted segment of the Hudson River is home to these humble fish, who have adapted to its contaminated waters through genetic variations that allow them to thrive in such conditions.

1

The "Dream Team"

Image: Markus Spiske

We’ll start with what many believe to be the greatest sports team ever assembled . Before the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, the rules stated by the International Basketball Federation prevented professional players from competing in Olympic tournaments. However, once this rule was revoked, the United States saw this opportunity to summon the very best the NBA had to offer. And with that, the "Dream Team" was born.

The Dream Team roster included basketball legends like Michael Jordan , Patrick Ewing, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Accordingly, their performance was flawless: The American team stampeded through every match, earning the gold medal in a 117–85 victory over Croatia.

2

Muhammad Ali

Image: Johann Walter Bantz

There’s no denying that Muhammad Ali’s nickname "The Greatest" is very well-deserved: Few boxers have left a mark as indelible in the history of this sport as Ali has. Bearing that in mind, it seems only fitting to take a look at the point in time at which his transformation into a sports legend began, and most boxing enthusiasts agree that this took place during his outstanding performance at the 1960 Olympics.

Before the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) was a promising but relatively unknown pugilist from Kentucky. However, that 18-year-old boxer showed the world who he was by winning the light-heavyweight gold medal, the first achievement in a career filled with nothing but greatness.

3

Michael Phelps

Image: Gentrit Sylejmani

Speaking of nicknames, American swimmer Michael Phelps has also earned his share of monikers, like "The Flying Fish" or "The Baltimore Bullet". Phelps’ achievements are not restricted to just one Olympics: This iconic athlete had incredible performances in five separate Olympics, becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time in the process.

Michael made his Olympic debut at the young age of 15, becoming the youngest male to make a U.S. Olympic swim team in 68 years. By the time he participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he was already an outstanding competitor: Phelps earned first place in eight different categories, breaking the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics.

4

Simone Biles

Image: Eduardo Cano Photo Co.

During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, American gymnast Simone Biles dazzled the world with her debut performance. She earned four gold medals, one as part of the U.S. gymnastic team known as the "Final Five". With an impressive total of 37 Olympic and World Championship medals, Simone is the most decorated gymnast in history.

Nowadays, at age 27, Biles still competes professionally, earning her eighth U.S. Gymnastics title in 2023. Her determination and impressive skills made her the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.

5

Joan Benoit

Image: sporlab

In March 1984, American marathon runner Joan Benoit injured her knee while training for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. This forced Benoit to undergo surgery just 17 days before the trials. While this could have understandably been the end of her Olympic dream, Benoit was not daunted by this dreadful situation: Instead, she recovered much more quickly than expected and earned her place in the American team.

While this feat alone is remarkable, Benoit didn’t stop there . She went on to win the gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympics, becoming the first women's Olympic Games marathon champion in history.

6

The "Miracle on Ice"

Image: gerhard crous

Just like with the "Dream Team", the American ice hockey team's victory in the 1980 Winter Olympics was a team effort. However, while the Dream Team was fully expected to earn the gold medal, the American team’s win over the heavily favored Soviet Union was so unexpected that it is now known as "The Miracle on Ice".

The United States faced the Soviet Union in the first game in the medal round. The odds heavily favored the Soviet team, since it was a four-time defending gold medalist. Not only that, their players were more experienced and seasoned compared to the American team, the youngest team in the entire tournament. And yet, the underdog prevailed: the American team upset the Soviets and won the game 4-3. After this remarkable victory, the U.S. team defeated Finland in their final game and earned the gold medal.

7

Mary Lou Retton

Image: Vladyslav Melnyk

The 1984 Los Angeles Games introduced the world to the energetic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, who quickly and understandably gained the nickname "America’s Sweetheart" . Retton’s pleasant demeanor and unforgettable smile were only eclipsed by her amazing talent: She scored perfect tens and won the individual all-around gold medal, the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to achieve this feat.

What makes this accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that Retton had just recovered from suffering a severe knee injury just five weeks before the Olympics. She was forced to undergo an operation, recovering just in time for the competition. Nevertheless, Retton’s outstanding performance secured her a place among the greatest Olympians of all time.

8

Carl Lewis

Image: Braden Collum

Track and field star Carl Lewis truly made a name for himself throughout his 17-year career: He set world records in three different disciplines and amassed a total of nine Olympic gold medals and 10 World Championships medals. Nevertheless, however fruitful his career was, Lewis is still most fondly remembered for his debut in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, considered one of the best Olympic debuts in history.

During his first Olympic games, Lewis won the gold medal in all four events he entered: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100-meter relay, on which he set a world-record time of 37.83 seconds. This exceptional performance proved to be only the beginning of an outstanding athletic career.

9

The Williams Sisters

Image: Josephine Gasser

Venus and Serena Williams truly need no introduction: these sisters have earned 22 women’s doubles titles, as well as a combined total of 30 Grand Slam titles. Naturally, their outstanding careers include several achievements in the Olympics, both playing individually and as a team.

Perhaps the most iconic of these Olympic wins is the sisters’ first doubles championship win, which they achieved during the 2000 Olympics. While many gold medals would follow this first one, their triumph in Sydney showed the tennis world that they were truly a force to be reckoned with.

10

1996 Atlanta Olympics Opening Ceremony

Image: Igor Lepilin

We’ll end this list with one of the most touching instances in Olympic history. Granted, this moment is not an athletic landmark, but rather a celebration of one of America’s most inspiring athletes. The Olympic opening ceremony is always an extraordinary display of energy and excitement, during which the entire world expectantly awaits that moment at which the cauldron is finally lit. In that regard, the opening of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is still fondly remembered, thanks to the legend that officially inaugurated the games.

Muhammad Ali ’s declining health didn’t stop him from lighting the cauldron in the Atlanta Games. This spectacle was particularly moving not only because of Ali’s battle against Parkison’s Disease but also because it symbolized the passing of the torch from one of history’s most prominent sports legends to a new generation of American athletes.

1

Ray Bradbury

Image: Rod Long

Perhaps the most emblematic name in American science fiction, Ray Bradbury was an author and screenwriter best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 , and his short story collections The Martian Chronicles , and The Illustrated Man .

His works not only imagine what extraterrestrial colonies might be like but also explore how such experiences would affect humans on a deeply personal level. His prose is both poetic and informative, making it accessible to both young and adult readers alike.

2

Philip K. Dick

Image: Filip Filkovic Philatz

If you’ve ever seen the movie Blade Runner or the TV series The Man in the High Castle , then you’ve been exposed to the work of Philip K. Dick. This prolific novelist wrote numerous novels and short stories that explore philosophical and social questions such as the nature of reality, human nature, and characters struggling against illusory environments, monopolistic corporations, and authoritarian governments.

His novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was the basis for Blade Runner and his works have earned him countless awards all over the world.

3

William Gibson

Image: Brian McGowan

The creator of the now-ubiquitous term "cyberspace," William Gibson was a speculative fiction writer whose works explore the effects of technology, cybernetics, and computer networks on humans (fans of Black Mirror will likely find this author to their liking).

His first novel, Neuromancer , was credited with revitalizing science fiction literature in the 1980s, and he was described in 1999 as "probably the most important novelist of the past two decades.

4

L. Ron Hubbard

Image: Luna Wang

"While he is now more famous for founding Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard was a genuine science fiction writer who authored works such as Battlefield Earth, To the Stars, Buckskin Brigades, and Death’s Deputy , among other titles.

Hubbard was quite a prolific pulp science fiction and fantasy writer in his early career and, in 1950, he published Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health , establishing organizations to promote and practice Dianetics techniques.

5

Theodore Sturgeon

Image: Rod Long

A critic turned writer, Theodore Sturgeon wrote over 120 short stories, 11 novels, and even a handful of scripts for the original Star Trek television series. His first science fiction novel, More Than Human , won the 1954 International Fantasy Award for that year's best novel.

Though he was not as well known to the general public as contemporaries like Isaac Asimov or Ray Bradbury, Sturgeon gained recognition among readers of mid-20th-century science fiction anthologies. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s, he was the most anthologized English-language author alive.

6

Alfred Bester

Image: Steve Johnson

One of the few writers credited with inventing modern science fiction, according to one of his colleagues, Alfred Bester was an author, TV, radio, and comics scriptwriter, and magazine editor. His novel, The Demolished Man , was the first winner of the Hugo Awards in 1953.

While working as a scriptwriter for DC Comics, he created the supervillain Solomon Grundy and also wrote extensively for television, magazines, and radio.

7

H. P. Lovecraft

Image: Alejandro Piñero Amerio

An author whose work is as famous in the science fiction genre as it is in horror, H. P. Lovecraft was a writer of science fiction, fantasy, horror fiction, and a mixture of all these genres. His most notable work is the Cthulhu Mythos .

Some of his more popular works include The Call of Cthulhu, At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow over Innsmouth , and The Shadow Out of Time . The central theme of his books is cosmicism, a theory dictating that "there is no recognizable divine presence, such as a god, in the universe, and that humans are particularly insignificant in the larger scheme of intergalactic existence."

8

Frank Herbert

Image: Pierre Bamin

Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. is best known for writing the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, 1965's Dune , along with its five sequels. He also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.

His famous saga, set in the distant future and spanning millennia, explores complex themes, such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution, planetary science and ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, economics, sex, and power in a future where humanity has long since developed interstellar travel and colonized thousands of worlds.

9

Ursula K. Le Guin

Image: Karsten Klemme

With a literary career spanning nearly sixty years, Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is another legendary name on this list. She is best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe and the Earthsea fantasy series.

Frequently described as a science fiction author, Le Guin has also been called a "major voice in American letters," though she once said she would prefer to be known as an "American novelist."

10

Orson Scott Card

Image: Greg Rakozy

The only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, both for his novel Ender’s Game , and its sequel, Speaker for the Dead , Orson Scott Card is a science fiction writer who often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Since 1979, he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.

During his childhood, Card read children's classics and popular novels, his favorite book being Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper . He often refers to works by Robert A. Heinlein and J. R. R. Tolkien as sources of inspiration.