1

Lucy Ricardo ( I Love Lucy )

Image: TV Guide, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite being a series from the 1950s, I Love Lucy made such a strong impact on American culture that it’s still remembered and referenced today. And it’s impossible to forget Lucy Ricardo, the lovable protagonist who was always chasing "a little more" out of life through daring and hilarious adventures with her husband and neighbors. The familiarity of the characters and the way they connected with viewers turned the show into a success that totally transcended its time.

2

Spock ( Star Trek )

Image: NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This pair of pointed ears is really hard to forget. Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek , is easily one of the most memorable characters on TV, and we get why. His particular appearance and his calm, controlled demeanor made him irresistible to almost everyone in the audience. Alongside his discipline, strong values, and quiet reserve, his warm and empathetic human side would occasionally shine through, making him one of our favorites.

3

Fonzie "The Fonz" ( Happy Days )

Image: ABC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Fonzarelli, Fonzie, the Fonz: three names for everyone’s favorite character from Happy Days . Fonzie wasn’t just the epitome of cool; he also had a loyal, charismatic, and genuinely warm personality that made him impossible not to love.

4

Samantha Stephens ( Bewitched )

Image: ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

If you had magical powers, your life would probably resemble that of Samantha Stephens, the lovable star of Bewitched , and that's probably what made this series such a success. Samantha’s warm personality and intelligence (along with her powers, of course) allowed her to balance her magical world and her human life. And along the way, she gives us some really funny adventures!

5

Michael Scott ( The Office )

Image: Steve_Carell_with_wife_Nancy_Walls_@_2010_Academy_Awards.jpg: Photo by Sgt. Michael Connorsderivative work: RanZag, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Scott may not seem like the nicest character ever, but it’s precisely his quirkiness and his desperate need to be liked that make us end up loving him so much. Well-intentioned but socially awkward, this character is so funny that no matter what he does, we can’t help but adore him.

6

Kermit the Frog ( Sesame Street/The Muppet Show )

Image: Pattie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who said all the characters on this list had to be human? No one would have guessed that a puppet could become a total celebrity, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened with Kermit, the most famous frog of all. The best part is that you don’t have to be a child to appreciate the optimism, warmth, and humor that make us all love dear Kermit.

7

Chandler Bing ( Friends )

Image: Tracie Hall from Orange County, us, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Each one of the six main characters of Friends has a strong fan base, but one stands out: Chandler Bing. Undoubtedly one of the most beloved, Chandler won us over with his humble heart, his awkwardness in understanding and managing emotions, and, of course, his silly jokes that came out even at the most inappropriate moments.

8

Mulder & Scully ( The X-Files )

Image: Marcin Wichary from San Francisco, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

We had to pick one, but we just couldn’t: Mulder and Scully are inseparable. Though very different, the two main characters of The X-Files won over audiences equally. Mulder, the believer and passionate investigator, and Scully, the skeptical but determined scientist, come together to complement each other in the most perfect way.

9

Sheriff Andy Taylor ( The Andy Griffith Show )

Image: Rogers & Cowan, Beverly Hills-publicity agency, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

That kind face was enough to win our hearts, but Sheriff Andy Taylor offers so much more: kindness, good intentions, and a calm demeanor, along with humor and intelligence. Often serving as the moral compass in The Andy Griffith Show , he became a familiar and trusted presence for audiences of all ages.

10

Sheldon Cooper ( The Big Bang Theory )

Image: MelodyJSandoval, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

His enormous intelligence and sharp logic make him stand out in the academic world, but his struggles with social connections complicate his personal life. This is Sheldon Cooper, one of TV’s most beloved "brainiacs." Despite his difficulty with sarcasm, his cold and distant demeanor, and his unbearably pragmatic nature, Sheldon has a certain charm that makes him impossible not to love.

1

Construction costs that’d make your wallet faint

Image: Jaime Labra

Back in 1912, the Titanic cost $7.5 million to build, and if you're wondering what that’d be today, it’d be over $400 million. That’s more than some sports stadiums! It took nearly three years to complete and was one of the most extravagant ships ever made.

2

Yes, there were dogs

Image: Yuki Dog

As it turns out, the Titanic wasn’t just for people. At least 12 dogs came along for the ride , lounging in a special first-class kennel. There was even a dog show scheduled for the morning of April 15. Sadly, only three tiny dogs survived, all small enough to sneak onto lifeboats tucked in coats or handbags.

3

The band really did play on

Image: Parizan Studio

Wallace Hartley, the bandleader, went down in history, and with his violin! His group kept playing as chaos unfolded around them, trying to calm passengers with music, just like the movie portrays. He didn’t make it, but his violin was found intact and later sold at an auction for $1.7 million!

4

A pocket watch frozen in time

Image: Otto Hyytiälä

The violin was not the only treasure found. Sidney Sedunary was a young steward whose pocket watch stopped ticking at exactly 1:50 a.m. , just before the ship went under. He was last seen handing out lifejackets to third-class passengers. That same watch, rusted but intact, still tells his story.

5

A survivor with frostbitten legs and Olympic dreams

Image: Shep McAllister

Richard Norris Williams spent six hours in icy water, and doctors on the rescue ship wanted to amputate his legs. He refused . And you may think he was crazy to do so, but thank God he did! He went on to win a Wimbledon title and an Olympic gold medal. How crazy is that?

6

Finding the Titanic by accident

Image: Karl Callwood

In 1985, oceanographer Robert Ballard found the Titanic wreck. But that was just an accident ; he was actually sent by the Navy to look for two lost nuclear submarines and used the Titanic as a cover story.

7

Dishes still stacked neatly on the ocean floor

Image: Jannet Serhan

When explorers visited the Titanic wreck in 1986, they found plates still stacked like someone had just finished doing the dishes. Turns out, the wooden cabinet they were in rotted away , leaving the china perfectly arranged on the sea floor. It’s as eerie as fascinating, considering the many years that passed.

8

The ship is rusting away

Image: NOAA

And speaking of the amount of time the Titanic has been underwater, we have to say that nature is reclaiming the Titanic bit by bit. A newly discovered bacterium is literally eating the ship. Scientists estimate it could disappear completely in 20 to 30 years. The latest expeditions have already shown evidence that pieces that were previously there are gone. So… the clock's ticking.

9

No photos of the grand staircase?

Image: Maria Orlova

You’ve probably seen images of the Titanic’s beautiful grand staircase. We’re sorry to disappoint, but they’re not of the Titanic . They’re from her sister ship, the Olympic. No one thought to take a picture of the real deal before the maiden voyage. And they definitely didn’t think of doing it while it happened!

10

Milton Hershey almost boarded

Image: Janne Simoes

If the name rings a bell, that’s because it’s the same Hershey from the chocolate you love. The man behind Hershey’s chocolate bars almost booked a room on the Titanic . He even wrote a $300 deposit check (big money back then!). But business delayed him, and he skipped the trip. Who do we thank for that?

11

The baker who survived two hours in icy water

Image: Maxim Hopman

Here’s a fascinating fact: Charles Joughin, the Titanic’s chief baker, survived one of the worst parts of the sinking: the freezing Atlantic water. He was reportedly treading water for two hours before rescue. Wanna know how he made it? He had been sipping whiskey to face his fate, and the alcohol in his blood kept him warm enough to survive.

12

The last lunch menu went for a tasty sum

Image: Zoshua Colah

In 2015, a copy of Titanic’s last first-class lunch menu sold for $88,000 . That’s one pricey memento. The menu included grilled mutton chops, chicken à la Maryland, and corned ox tongue. Safe to say lunch on the Titanic wasn’t your average sandwich and chips.

1

A Presidential curse

For almost 140 years, U.S. presidents elected in years ending in zero died while in office. It happened to William Henry Harrison (elected in 1840, died in 1841), Abraham Lincoln (elected in 1860, died in 1865), James A. Garfield (elected in 1880, died in 1881), William McKinley (re-elected in 1900, died in 1901), Warren G. Harding (elected in 1920, died in 1923), Franklin D. Roosevelt (elected to a third term in 1940 and a fourth in 1944, died in 1945), and John F. Kennedy (elected in 1960, died in 1963). Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980, broke the curse by surviving an assassination attempt.

2

Mark Twain and Halley’s Comet

In the year Mark Twain was born, 1835, Halley’s Comet passed by Earth. The great writer famously predicted he’d "go out with it" as well . Indeed, he passed away in 1910, the next time the comet appeared.

3

Jefferson and Adams

A patriotic yet somber coincidence, indeed. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the second and third U.S. presidents, both died on July 4, 1826 —exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

4

Hoover Dam’s first and last casualties

The construction of the Hoover Dam was a long and difficult process, claiming over 100 lives. The first person to die was J.G. Tierney , and the last recorded death was his son , Patrick Tierney.

5

Lincoln and Kennedy

Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were elected 100 years apart (1860 and 1960). Both suffered fatal head wounds and were succeeded by presidents named Johnson. Their assassins each had three names: John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald. Both were assassinated on a Friday while sitting next to their wives at the time that it happened.

6

Charles Francis Coghlan’s last journey

Actor Charles Francis Coghlan died in Texas in 1899. But his casket was lost at sea during a hurricane. Eight years later, his coffin washed ashore near his birthplace in Prince Edward Island, Canada, more than 3,000 miles away.

7

The Titanic coincidence

A few years before the Titanic sank, Morgan Robertson wrote a short book called Futility , about a massive "unsinkable" ship called the Titan that hit an iceberg and sank. The tale describes a ship with a similar size and a similar lack of lifeboats to the famous vessel.

8

Dennis the Menace

Two comic strips featuring a character named Dennis the Menace debuted in British and American outlets, respectively, on March 12, 1961—only a few hours apart. However, the two creators did not know each other and had no idea of the other’s work.

9

Jim Lewis and Jim Springer

Identical twin brothers separated at birth , Jim Lewis and Jim Springer, were reunited at age 39 and discovered many coincidences: both married women named Linda , divorced, and then remarried women named Betty. Both had dogs named Toy and drove the same model of car. Both grew up with an adopted brother named Larry and had sons whom they named James Allan.

10

Disney magic

A soon-to-be-married couple, Alex and Donna , were looking through old photos to include in their wedding video. They found one photo of Donna posing on a childhood trip to Disney World in 1980. And in the background, they spotted Alex being pushed in a stroller by his father.

11

Moped meets taxi, twice

In 1975, 17-year-old Erskine Lawrence Ebbin was struck by a taxi in Bermuda while riding his moped. A year later, his brother Neville , also 17 at the time, was riding the same moped when he was struck by the same taxi —with the same passenger—on the same street.

12

Lightning strike survivor

Being hit by lightning is an extremely rare occurrence. Park ranger Roy Sullivan was struck not once, but seven times between 1942 and 1977 —and survived them all. The strikes hit him in a fire tower, in his truck, in his yard, while patrolling, and more. His unusual record earned him the nickname "Human Lightning Rod."