We all dream of living by the beach, but did you know that many Americans actually do live pretty close to the coast? While driving an hour to the beach might seem like a far drive, in the grand scheme of the entire area of the United States, 50 miles from the coast is not very far at all.
With over half the country’s population living near the coast, and almost all of the most densely populated cities being in coastal areas, it's clear Americans love sandy beaches and clear skies.
It’s no secret that New York City is one of the most diverse places on the planet, and the same holds true for its variety of languages spoken. Not only are there over 700 languages spoken, but some dialects and languages on the brink of extinction around the rest of the globe are preserved in this wild city.
However, as a country, the United States—and every other country on the planet—comes nowhere close to Papua New Guinea, which boasts over 840 languages spoken across the islands among its nine million inhabitants. Talk about diversity!
Though we look at our firefighters with awe and appreciation, we don’t often think about the fact that firefighting departments lack employees. To our surprise, it turns out many of the brave people putting their lives at risk to fight fires are volunteers.
While this isn’t necessarily uncommon across the world, the U.S.’s significant population and area make it all the more concerning. The sad fact is, there just aren't enough people willing to make the sacrifices it takes to be a full-time firefighter—so get out there and start volunteering!
People have been leaving their home countries and moving elsewhere for as long as mankind has existed. Immigration is nothing new—and the United States boasts quite a rich immigration culture.
Currently, there are about 50 million immigrants living in the U.S., which is about four times as much as the next country with the most immigrants, Germany. In the world, the U.S. holds one-fifth of all immigrants total! Talk about a melting pot.
Since the ‘60s, Arizona was granted special permission to be the only one—besides Hawaii—of the 50 states exempt from following daylight savings. However, not everyone in the state decided to adhere to the exemption.
Because the Navajo reservation spans three states, the Navajo people living in Arizona also have their clocks set to follow the norm, making it awfully difficult to know what time it really is as they move between their territory and the rest of Arizona between the months of March and October.
Pharmaceutical companies can do a lot of good, offering many different kinds of medicines to folks with different kinds of illnesses. But the U.S. and New Zealand have one concerning similarity when it comes to pharmaceuticals, and that’s the allowance to directly advertise to customers.
Consumers have been bombarded by prescription ads, and it's no coincidence. Sometimes, the advertisements reach the public before they’ve been reviewed fully. Though it might seem in your best interest to buy a new medicine, double-check with your doctor before taking anything.
Back in 1961, a plane crash occurred. A U.S. Air Force B-52 plane started to fall apart, its wings ripping off midair. The people inside ejected themselves, though only five of them made it. But the scariest part was that inside the burning plane were two nuclear bombs.
Luckily, the bomb that fell out of the plane had a safety system that kept the bomb from exploding. If it had, it would’ve caused irreparable damage to the North Carolina town it fell in. Maybe miracles do exist.
With so many people in one country, you’re bound to have some differences between the wealthiest and the poorest people throughout the United States. However, upon closer investigation, it’s clear that the gap is even wider than we thought.
Walking into the U.S. with $10 and a dream to make it big is no longer just a fantasy—you’ll actually be better off than a decent amount of Americans, who have a net worth equal to zero, or even below zero. These days, the American dream is to be able to afford your basic needs. Hopefully, things change in the future.
The Washington Monument was built to commemorate George Washington, the founding father and first president of the country. Someone of such high importance should be remembered with an impressive monument—but this structure is extra special.
Though the tower itself is a sight to behold, the aluminum cap at the top is the real gem. At the time of construction, aluminum was more valuable and more difficult to extract than gold was, so capping off the structure with it marked prestige and honor for Washington’s memory.
The heart of the auto-manufacturing industry, Detroit, Michigan was once considered the wealthiest city in the world. In the early to mid-1900s, Detroit was flush with wealth, prosperity, and most of all, jobs.
However, their golden age didn’t last very long. Different production techniques changed the industry and Detroit quickly saw a deep decline in jobs and employment, which led to a subsequent decline in population and general safety. Regardless, Detroit still remains a symbol of invention and resilience, though it doesn’t retain the same success it once did.
