1

Father of the National Parks

Image: Amaury Gutierrez

John Muir was a Scottish-born naturalist who devoted his life to protecting the wilderness, especially the Yosemite Valley area. He wasn’t content to simply admire the towering cliffs and ancient trees; he wrote tirelessly, crafting essays, letters, and articles that stirred both the hearts of ordinary readers and Congress representatives.

Muir’s words painted Yosemite not just as a landscape, but as a sacred treasure worth safeguarding. His relentless advocacy culminated in 1890 with the creation of Yosemite National Park, a triumph that earned him the nickname "Father of the National Parks". Even today, his legacy whispers through the valleys, reminding visitors that one person’s dedication can change the course of history.

2

A hike for every adventurer

Image: Nick Herasimenka

Some trails are built to challenge your limits, while others seem designed to comfort your soul. For those hungry for adrenaline, the Half Dome hike is the crown jewel: a 14-mile round trip of punishing switchbacks, dizzying cliffs, and cables that pull you toward a summit where sky and earth blur into one endless horizon.

Yet, Yosemite is just as generous to the quiet wanderer. The Mirror Lake Trail offers a soft stroll through shaded forest, ending in still waters that hold Half Dome’s reflection like a painting on glass. Here, courage and calm walk side by side—proof that in Yosemite, the trail you choose always leads to wonder.

3

Sunshine and rain: the perfect mix

Image: Joshua Earle

Think of California as a desert with endless sunshine? Yosemite tells a different story! Yosemite Park’s climate shifts dramatically with the seasons, offering a rhythm as dynamic as its landscapes. Winter storms roll in with steady rains feeding rivers, swelling waterfalls, and covering the higher elevations in snow.

Summer, on the contrary, arrives almost bone-dry. This contrast creates the park’s natural pulse: meadows explode with wildflowers, waterfalls thunder with fresh snowmelt, and clear blue skies stretch endlessly above hikers and climbers. The result is a cycle that ensures Yosemite is alive and ever-changing, no matter the season.

4

Carved by ice

Image: Colin + Meg

Nearly a million years ago, colossal glaciers crept through the Sierra Nevada like rivers made of ice, reshaping everything in their path. Some towers of ice reached heights four times taller than the Empire State Building, grinding, carving, and polishing the granite beneath them.

Their patient work sculpted the valley into the sweeping U-shape we see today, framed by jagged peaks, polished domes, and sheer cliffs that rise like walls in a cathedral. What appears like it was always there is, in truth, the breathtaking result of nature’s artistry in motion.

5

Sequoias that look like giants

Image: Adrián Valverde

Yosemite is home to some of the most awe-inspiring trees on Earth. The giant sequoias tower over the landscape, sometimes growing taller than 250 ft and stretching over 30 ft across at the base.

Among these living giants, the Grizzly Giant in Mariposa Grove stands out as a true ancient marvel, estimated to be nearly 3,000 years old—making it older than many human civilizations and a silent witness to millennia of history. Walking among these colossal trees feels like stepping into a natural cathedral, where every trunk tells a story of time, endurance, and the sheer power of nature.

6

Waterfalls that reach for the sky

Image: Jeremy Lwanga

Picture yourself at the base of a waterfall so immense it could swallow nine Statues of Liberty stacked on top of each other. That’s Yosemite Falls, one of the tallest cascades in North America, plunging a mind-blowing 2,425 feet.

But that’s not all. In springtime, Yosemite transforms into a symphony of rushing water: Ribbon Fall hurls its silvery stream, Horsetail Fall shimmers like molten glass, and Nevada Fall thunders with unstoppable force. Each waterfall plays its own note, and together they turn the valley into a grand amphitheater, where water takes center stage and every visitor is swept up in the drama, power, and beauty of nature’s performance.

7

A camping trip that changed the park forever

Image: Underwood & Underwood, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sometimes, a single night spent in the outdoors can reshape the course of history. In 1903, naturalist John Muir invited President Theodore Roosevelt to a campout in Yosemite—no ceremony, no politics, only the crackle of fire, the chill of mountain air, and the vast sky overhead.

Immersed in the park’s untamed beauty, Roosevelt saw for himself what words alone could never capture. When he returned to Washington, with the beautiful scenery forever carved in his heart, he decided to place Yosemite Valley and the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove under federal protection, securing a legacy of wild wonder that millions still experience today.

8

Rocks that catch fire at sunset

Image: Leo_Visions

It might seem like something conjured from a legend, yet Yosemite’s cliffs truly blaze with light. As the day draws to a close, the sun paints El Capitan and Half Dome in fiery shades of orange and crimson, giving their granite walls the illusion of burning from within.

But the park saves its most dazzling event for mid-February, when Horsetail Fall transforms into the legendary "firefall." For a few fleeting evenings, the angle of the setting sun ignites the waterfall into a glowing torrent of liquid flame. Photographers, travelers, and dreamers gather from all corners of the country to witness this ephemeral wonder. It lasts only moments, but its brilliance lingers in memory long after the light fades out.

9

A home for the rare red fox

Image: Ray Hennessy

Tucked away in the remote heights of Yosemite lives one of the park’s most extraordinary residents— the Sierra Nevada red fox. Rarely seen and shrouded in mystery, this small but resilient predator has roamed California’s high mountain ranges since the Ice Age. With a lineage stretching back thousands of years, it is both a living relic of the past and a symbol of survival in harsh alpine conditions. Its elusive behavior and ancient roots make every confirmed sighting feel like a glimpse into a secret chapter of natural history.

10

A nighttime rainbow

Image: Karl Anderson

If a daytime rainbow feels too normal, Yosemite unveils a secret reserved for the night: the moonbow. On crisp spring evenings, when the sky is clear and the moon is bright, its silvery light bends through the fine spray of the waterfalls. The result is a faint, shimmering arc —delicate, ghostly, and glowing against the darkness. This phenomenon is so rare that catching it almost feels like stumbling into a hidden doorway, where the ordinary world slips away and nature reveals one of its most magical illusions.

1

The Roaring Twenties

Image: Carrie Borden

We’ll begin with one of the first fads invented right here in America. The 1920s in America were characterized by a period of prosperity and well-being that resulted in a dynamic and distinct cultural rise in major American metropolises. There’s a reason why this period was known as "The Roaring 20s": It signified an upheaval in American music, arts, and fashion.

The 20s saw the birth of avant-garde art forms like jazz music, as well as groundbreaking novels by authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. This era is also remembered for the surge of the "Flapper" subculture: Modern, young women with a more carefree attitude toward entertainment.

2

Pin-up models

Image: Florida Memory

Who do you think about whenever you think of the word "pin-up model"? Chances are your answer is Marilyn Monroe or Betty Grable : After all, they both got their start as pin-up models, portrayed in thousands of mass-produced photographs. However, these actresses helped cement the notion of what defines a pin-up model, now considered to be an essential icon in American pop culture history.

Pin-ups defined the aesthetic of an entire period, present in everything from movies to advertisements. Not only that, pin-up models were often depicted on the side of American fighter planes during World War 2, helping raise the morale of our troops.

3

Greasers

Image: Sümeyye Candan

Although the word "greaser" definitively got its start as a derogatory term for this subculture, it ended up being the name of one of America’s most beloved periods. The 1950s are still revered as a golden age by millions of Americans, particularly because of the surge of many icons that make our country so wonderful: Things like Cadillacs, Rock N’ Roll music, and soda fountains were all born in this era.

In that sense, the "Greaser" look was heavily influenced by musicians and actors like Elvis Presley and James Dean . Greasers would showcase their fast motorcycles, stylish hairstyles, and leather jackets wherever they went. By the 1970s, this style was so well-known that it provided the basis of one of America’s favorite TV characters: Fonzie, perhaps now considered the quintessential greaser.

4

The Hippie movement

Image: Jamie Street

The Hippie movement is synonymous with 1960s America: This subculture influenced almost every art form during this period, from music to television, film, and literature. While it is nowadays mostly looked at as an aesthetic or cultural movement, the influence of hippies in American politics and society shouldn’t be overlooked.

Perhaps the biggest representatives of the hippie movement are those groundbreaking bands and musicians aligned with this movement, like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, or Jefferson Airplane. Hippies were also characterized by their groundbreaking fashion, which featured bell-bottom jeans, sunglasses, and colorful shirts.

5

Beatnik movement

Image: Pereanu Sebastian

Speaking of hippies, let’s take a little detour and focus on an American artistic movement that laid the foundation from which the hippie movement emerged. Much like with "greaser," the term "beatnik" was first coined as an insult, aimed at followers of the "Beat Generation," a literary movement that included names like Jack Kerouac or William S. Burroughs.

The beatnik subculture had a defining image, often exaggerated by detractors: Think about the caricature of a modern poet, complete with a black turtleneck, beret, and bongos, and you’ll be thinking about a stereotypical beatnik. Regardless, historians believe that the term "hippie" comes from "hipsters," which is a term first used to describe the beatnik subculture.

6

The 80s

Image: Eric Nopanen

Fashion during the 1980s can be best summed up by this phrase from Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities": "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." While it can’t be denied that this decade brought forward groundbreaking styles to music, films, and culture, it should also be noted that some of these changes were extreme, to say the least. At the end of the day, whether the 80s were good or bad will ultimately depend on who you are asking.

Personally, we would like to focus on those 80s things that we absolutely love: Things like synthesizer music, mullet hairstyles, and neon-bright clothing. This decade was also the birthplace of several subcultures, including the post-punk, preppy, and new-wave movements.

7

The 90s

Image: Panos Sakalakis

If the 70s and 80s were characterized by their loud and flamboyant styles, the 90s were defined by a more minimalist approach: Bands like Nirvana or Pearl Jam helped promote the "grunge" aesthetic, which featured simple items of clothing like jeans, flannel shirts or hoodies.

Although definitively minimalist, the 90s were also the birthplace of subcultures like the goth movement. During this era, numerous extreme sports like skateboarding gained popularity, in line with this decade’s alternative outlook on culture.

8

Disco

Image: Dustin Tramel

Ready to dance "The Hustle"? The late 60s and early 70s were determined by the emergence of one of America’s most remembered subcultures. While disco music first appeared in New York City and Philadelphia, it quickly swept over the nation: Think of a tornado filled with disco balls, roller skates, and nightclubs, and you might be able to paint a picture of how influential this subculture was.

Although disco got its start in iconic nightclubs like Studio 54, it soon expanded to other mediums like movies and television. Most notably, shows like "Soul Train" helped promote this genre’s appeal, while films like "Saturday Night Fever" cemented the ultimate aesthetic of the disco subculture.

9

Digital age

Image: Xiong Yan

We have now arrived at our modern times ! The advent of the internet represented such a groundbreaking innovation in our everyday lives that it stands to reason that the digital age also influenced many of our fads and movements. The late 2000s and early 2010s were determined by this new massive access to information, which completely changed the way we consume culture and entertainment.

In that sense, this new, instant way to share information immediately meant that culture was now not only limited to geographical locations: Your favorite band or fashion icon could easily live on the other side of the world. This cultural exchange resulted in a rich and diverse movement, which is still developing to this very day.

10

All those wonderful memories…

Image: COSMOH LOVE

We have reserved the final entry on this list for the many objects that defined each of these decades. It is sometimes easier to picture an era through a specific item: Think about the 50s and their timeless jukeboxes, or the 90s and the above-mentioned flannel shirts.

In that sense, we have selected a few of our top picks. Some, like the Hula Hoop or the Frisbee, have truly transcended time: Although they were created decades ago, they are still thoroughly enjoyed by children and adults alike. Time hasn’t been that kind with others, though, like with the now practically extinct Tamagotchi. This digital pet was all the rage during the late 90s and early 2000s, but it ultimately fell into obscurity thanks to other digital mediums.

1

BackRub

Image: Deepanker Verma

Before it became the verb we all use today, Google was known as BackRub. The name referred to the search engine’s ability to analyze backlinks (links from one webpage to another) as a way to rank search results.

But it sounded more like a massage parlor than a tech startup. In 1997, they wisely rebranded to Google, a twist on "googol," the term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros.

2

Brad’s Drink

Image: NIKHIL

It was going to carry around the nickname of its creator forever. Caleb Bradham was a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina. He invented a drink back in 1893 as a refreshing, energizing tonic for digestion, which included pepsin , a digestive enzyme.

A few years later, Brad decided on a more marketable name than his own : Pepsi-Cola.

3

Taco-Tia

Image: Jeswin Thomas

Glen Bell owned Bell’s Drive-In, a stand selling hot dogs, when he noticed long lines outside a Mexican restaurant. He decided he needed to learn how to make tacos.

Over a few years, he refined his concept and opened a new chain selling Mexican food, which received several names over time, including Taco-Tia. Eventually, he landed on Taco Bell. It was conveniently Americanized , easy for mainstream customers to remember and pronounce, and suggested a memorable logo.

4

Sound of Music

Image: Josip Ivankovic

At first, this mega-electronics retailer was all about stereos. Founded in the 60s, Sound of Music specialized in home audio equipment. But after a tornado wrecked their main store in the 80s, they ran a massive clearance sale and told people they would get their "best buy" there.

By the end of the day, they had pretty much sold out. The sale was such a hit that, in 1983, they decided to rebrand entirely as "Best Buy".

5

Tote’m Stores

Image: Piccinng

Once upon a time, you didn’t pop into a 7-Eleven—you got your goods home from Tote’m Stores. The chain got its original name because customers "toted" their purchases.

In 1946, to highlight their revolutionary new hours (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.—wild for the time), they wisely rebranded as "7-Eleven."

6

Blue Ribbon Sports

Image: NEXT Distro

If it had been called "Blue Ribbon Sports," there would probably not be a swoosh . This company began as a distributor for Japan’s Onitsuka Tiger running shoes.

But in the 70s, as they launched their own footwear line, they realized they needed a brand with more bite. They chose "Nike," after the Greek goddess of victory. The swoosh logo was designed that same year for just $35.

7

AuctionWeb

Image: appshunter.io

The original name was straightforward, but also boring. eBay's original incarnation was AuctionWeb, launched in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar as a side project under his larger personal domain, eBay.com (which stood for his consulting firm Echo Bay Technology Group ). When he found that the domain echobay.com was already taken by a mining company, he settled on ebay.com. Later, as the online auction section became wildly successful, Omidyar dropped AuctionWeb entirely and adopted eBay as the company name.

8

Pequod

Image: Gema Saputera

The founders of this coffee shop were inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. They wanted the quality of the coffee to be connected with seafaring and adventure . So, their first choice was "Pequod," the name of Captain Ahab’s doomed whaling ship.

That name didn’t have enough of a punch, however, so they decided to go for a wink at another character in the same book, with a much more marketable sound: Starbucks.

9

Pete’s Super Submarines

Image: Mustafa Fatemi

It was the 60s when 17-year-old Fred DeLuca opened a sandwich shop in Connecticut with financial help from a family friend: Dr. Peter Buck. In his honor, DeLuca named it "Pete’s Super Submarines."

The business grew, however, and the name was a bit of a mouthful. They needed a name that was shorter, catchier, and easier to advertise on the radio. They rebranded as "Subway," winking both at their food (subs) and the fast, urban lifestyle they hoped to serve.

10

Cadabra

Image: ANIRUDH

Too spooky, right? Amazon nearly had a name that conjured magic tricks. In 1994, Jeff Bezos registered the name "Cadabra," short for abracadabra . That lasted until someone pointed out how much like "cadaver" the name sounded.

Bezos then considered "Amazon," the name of the immense river. Not only did it suggest something vast, exotic, and full of potential, but it also placed the brand at the top of alphabetical listings —an old-school SEO move.