1

Ancient origins

Image: Ameer Basheer

The Grand Canyon isn’t just old—it’s millions of years older than previously thought. Some rock layers at the bottom date back 1.8 billion years, nearly half the age of Earth itself. While the canyon itself is around 5 to 6 million years old, recent studies suggest parts of it began forming 70 million years ago—during the dinosaur era.

2

Once an ocean floor

Image: Yannis Papanastasopoulos

Long before it was a canyon, this region sat beneath an ancient sea. The Kaibab Limestone, the canyon’s top layer, formed from marine fossils left behind as the waters receded 270 million years ago. The presence of coral, shellfish, and even shark fossils proves the area was once home to a thriving ocean ecosystem.

3

Carved by more than water

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

While the Colorado River played a huge role in shaping the canyon, other forces were at work. Volcanic activity, tectonic uplift, and even landslides helped carve out its immense depths. Lava flows from nearby volcanoes poured into the canyon, creating layers of rock that tell the story of violent geological change.

4

The earliest human inhabitants

Image: Russ McCabe

Humans have lived near the Grand Canyon for at least 12,000 years. The earliest known inhabitants were Paleo-Indians, who left behind stone tools and spear points. Later, the Ancestral Puebloans built cliff dwellings and left behind intricate pottery, proving that this seemingly inhospitable land was once home to thriving communities.

5

First European encounter

Image: Antoine Vidal de La Blache

Spanish explorer García López de Cárdenas was the first European to lay eyes on the canyon in 1540. Sent by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in search of legendary cities of gold, he and his men were shocked by its vastness. They tried to climb down for water but failed, unable to comprehend its sheer scale.

6

Named a national monument

Image: Benjamin Cutting

President Theodore Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon a national monument in 1908, calling it a place "every American should see." He was instrumental in protecting it from commercial exploitation, setting the stage for its eventual National Park status in 1919.

7

Hidden caves

Image: Russ McCabe

The Grand Canyon contains over 1,000 caves, but fewer than 400 have been explored. Some remain completely untouched, preserving prehistoric fossils and evidence of ancient human life. Today, only one cave is open to the public—Grand Canyon Caverns, located nearby in Arizona.

8

Phantom ranch

Image: Annie Spratt

Built in the 1920s, Phantom Ranch remains one of the most isolated lodges in America. Located at the bottom of the canyon, it’s only accessible by hiking, mule ride, or rafting. Due to high demand, reservations are awarded through a lottery system.

9

America’s first canyon explorer

Image: Alex Moliski

John Wesley Powell led the first recorded expedition through the Grand Canyon in 1869. With one arm lost in the Civil War, he braved the Colorado River’s treacherous rapids in wooden boats. His journey mapped the canyon’s uncharted territory, proving it wasn’t an impassable wasteland but a geological treasure trove.

10

Forgotten civilizations?

Image: Otacilio Maia

In the 1930s, explorer Emery Kolb uncovered a sealed cave in the canyon containing ancient artifacts and human remains. Some speculated it belonged to a lost civilization, but archaeologists determined it was a prehistoric Native American site. The canyon still holds thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites, adding to its mystery and historical significance.

1

Sean Connery, The Lord of the Rings

Image: Thomas Schweighofer

One of the actors who has turned down the most iconic roles in cinema history is probably Sean Connery. For example, he passed on to interpret the evil cannibal in "The Silence of the Lambs", which later earned Sir Anthony Hopkins an Academy Award for Best Actor.

But perhaps the most curious decision of his career was to refuse the role of Gandalf in the 2001 adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings". The producers went so far as to offer him up to ten million dollars and 15% of the film's profits, which would have amounted to around 400 million dollars. Years later the actor declared that he didn’t understand the script and that he didn’t find Tolkien's work attractive enough. Go figure!

2

Gwyneth Paltrow, Titanic

Image: David_Do

More than 25 years after its premiere, we can’t imagine any actress other than Kate Winslet playing the young socialite Rose Bukater in Titanic . However, the director's first choice for the role was American actress Gwyneth Paltrow . After reading the text, Paltrow told her agents that she found the story too corny and ended up turning down the role.

James Cameron's film was a box-office success and Winslet was nominated for an Oscar for her work . But there was another plot twist: a year later, in 1988, the British actress turned down the "Shakespeare in Love" project for which Paltrow won the golden statuette.

3

Al Pacino, Star Wars

Image: Saksham Gangwar

Al Pacino, who starred in great films such as "The Godfather" and "Scent of a Woman", admitted that he was offered the role of Han Solo in "Star Wars", but didn’t accept it because he didn’t understand George Lucas' script .

Recently, he said at an event: "They offered me so much money. I don't understand it.... So I said I couldn't do it. I gave Harrison Ford a career." Truth be told, other actors like Christopher Walken didn't trust the project either . Perhaps in the mid-1970s, no one could have imagined that this fantasy saga would become a multi-million franchise still widely revered by audiences to this day.

4

Marilyn Monroe, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Image: pure julia

Starring an iconic Audrey Hepburn, "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" was released in 1961. That role marked a turning point in Hepburn’s career, consolidating her as a serious actress. However, Truman Capote, author of the original novel, was totally against her being the protagonist .

Apparently, he wrote the story with Marilyn Monroe as the carefree Holly Golightly in mind . As it turns out, Monroe's acting coach rejected the idea because she didn't want the actress to play "a lady of the night." Capote was never happy with the result and even said, "It is the most miscast film I've ever seen. It made me want to throw up."

5

Gary Cooper, Gone with the Wind

Image: Ian Wagg

Producer David O. Selznick's first choice for the role of Rhett Butler in "Gone With the Wind" was the great Gary Cooper. However, the actor from "The Virginian" didn't want it, and he showed it quite strongly. Cooper reportedly predicted that the film would be the biggest flop in Hollywood history . He allegedly said, "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper."

Of course, he couldn't have been more wrong. Not only is the film considered one of cinema's greatest masterpieces, but it also earned Clark Gable an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and made him one of the most iconic actors of the 20th century. Did Cooper regret it later?

6

Kim Basinger, Basic Instinct

Image: Vlad Deep

Sharon Stone's name will always be associated with the thriller "Basic Instinct" and that famous leg-crossing scene. Although it was the role that made her famous, she got it because other actresses such as Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Kathleen Turner, and Meg Ryan had previously rejected it.

In the beginning, the film's leading man, Michael Douglas, had recommended Kim Basinger , who had already starred in the erotic romantic drama "9½ Weeks" in 1986. However, Basinger considered Paul Verhoeven's film too extreme for her and chose not to do it. In the end, "Basic Instinct" was one of the highest-grossing films of 1992, although not without controversy.

7

John Travolta, Forrest Gump

Image: Yosuke Ota

The producers' first choice to play the lead role in "Forrest Gump" was John Travolta . The "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever" actor turned down the role that would later earn Tom Hanks his second Academy Award.

With hindsight, however, we know that Travolta did the right thing . Besides the fact that we couldn't imagine anyone else playing the tender, naïve Forrest, Travolta said no because he had another project in the works. That other film ended up giving him the best character of his entire career: Vince Vega in Pulp Fiction —probably also Quentin Tarantino's best film.

8

Molly Ringwald, Pretty Woman

Image: Look Studio

Vivian Ward's character in "Pretty Woman", which made Julia Roberts a star and for which she won a Golden Globe, had been previously offered to Molly Ringwald . At just twenty years old, Ringwald was already an icon and a reference for the girls of her generation and one of the most sought-after and best-positioned actresses in Hollywood. However, she decided to turn down the offer and go to Paris.

Around that time, she also didn't land roles in "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Working Girl". Those decisions cost her dearly and although she tried to resume her career in the United States years later, it was not easy for her to regain the star status she had had during the 80s.

9

Leonardo DiCaprio, Boogie Nights

Image: Regina Valetova

Leonardo DiCaprio as charismatic porn star Dirk Diggler? Believe it or not, it could have happened. However, at the time DiCaprio felt that director Paul Thomas Anderson didn't have much experience and turned down the lead role in "Boogie Nights" to make "Titanic".

Years later, Di Caprio said in an interview that the 1997 period drama was a film he would have loved to make. "Boogie Nights" is certainly both an audience and critics favorite and the one that catapulted Mark Wahlberg to fame. But if Di Caprio hadn't starred in "Titanic", would he have the career he has today? Luckily, we'll never know!

10

Bette Midler, Sister Act

Image: cottonbro studio

The lead character in "Sister Act" had originally been written for Bette Midler . However, the actress, singer, and comedian was hesitant because she was worried that her fans would not want to see her play a nun.

Producers pestered her for several weeks but Midler felt she could wear anything but a nun's costume and ended up not accepting it. The job eventually went to Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg who, due to the film's huge success, returned for a sequel in 1992.