1

Thomas Edison

Image: Call Me Fred

When it comes to inventors, we can't fail to mention the incredible Thomas Alva Edison.

Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, and since he was a child, he showed his interest and talent in mechanics and electricity. At the age of 11, he set up his first laboratory in his parents' home, and by the age of 12, he ran his own business: a newspaper he designed, printed, and sold himself.

Creator of the phonograph (the first device capable of recording and reproducing sounds) and a fundamental part in the development and popularization of inventions such as the electric light bulb and the motion picture camera, Edison patented more than 1000 creations during his lifetime. Impressive!

2

Benjamin Franklin

Image: Dan Mall

Born in Boston, Benjamin Franklin was one of our Founding Fathers, the men whose principles, values, and ideas shaped America. But as if that weren't enough, Franklin was also a renowned scientist, inventor, and polymath.

A pioneer in the field of electricity, he's remembered for his famous kite experiment, which demonstrated the electrical nature of lightning and led to the invention of nothing less than the lightning rod. In addition, he's also credited with iconic inventions such as the first efficient wood-burning stove (later known as "the Franklin Stove"), the bifocal glasses, and the glass armonica.

3

Samuel Morse

Image: The New York Public Library

Unlike other scientists and inventors on this list, Samuel Morse began his journey in a completely different field: art.

Morse studied at Yale, where he completed his studies in 1810. He then embarked on a trip to Europe to continue his artistic education, but this trip awakened another peculiar interest in him. Frustrated by the communication methods of his time, Morse focused his creativity on finding ways to transmit information over long distances using electrical signals. Thus, the revolutionary telegraph was born, along with its way of communication, the Morse code.

4

The Wright Brothers

Image: Simon Fitall

The Wright Brothers were the famous siblings who, in the 20th century, achieved a goal long sought by humanity: flight.

Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful airplane. As you probably know, on December 17, 1903, they made the first sustained flight in history using the Wright Flyer, their iconic invention.

On that December morning, the brothers flipped a coin, letting fate decide who would be the first to test the aircraft. Although Wilbur won, that first attempt failed. So it was Orville who flew for 12 seconds, traveling 120 feet over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

5

George Washington Carver

Image: Tom Hermans

George Washington Carver was born in the 1860s in Diamond, Missouri. In the 1890s, his intelligence and hard work enabled him to enter Iowa State College (now Iowa State University), where he earned a master's degree in agricultural sciences. In 1896, he became the head of the agriculture department at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where his career as a professor and a researcher took off.

Thanks to his investigations and tests, George Washington Carver made major contributions to agriculture, including his innovative techniques for crop rotation . In addition, he developed many and varied peanut products, such as oil, flour, soap, and ink, helping to make this crop one of the key products of the country's economy.

6

Carl Sagan

Image: Vaibhaw Kumar

The stars and the mysteries of the universe captivated the famous Carl Sagan from an early age. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1934, Sagan studied at the University of Chicago, where he earned degrees in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics, eventually working and collaborating with NASA.

His contributions to the field of astronomy earned him a position in projects such as the Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo missions, thanks to which we have learned a lot about Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. The famous high temperatures of Venus, for example, were confirmed thanks to his work.

Additionally, his book and series Cosmos attracted the public's interest in astronomy, inspiring many others to follow in his footsteps.

7

Grace Hopper

Image: Museums Victoria

While computer programming may seem like a modern issue, the pioneers of this field were already working as early as the 1940s.

Grace Hopper graduated in mathematics and physics in 1928 and obtained a master's degree and a Ph.D in mathematics from Yale University in 1934. Famous as a pioneer in the world of programming, Hopper's work began during World War II when she joined the US Naval Reserve. There, she worked on the earliest electromechanical computers and developed extensive and complex manuals to operate them.

Her greatest contribution came from her work with mathematical codes, which she translated and adapted into innovative machine-readable language. That innovation led to the creation of the first high-level programming languages.

8

Jonas Salk

Image: Олег Мороз

Jonas Salk is none other than the mind behind a medical milestone: the polio vaccine.

In the 1940s, Salk was beginning his career in medical research. While working at the University of Michigan, his work was crucial in developing the first successful influenza vaccine for the military during WWII. This event marked his later study of the poliovirus.

Polio was devastating during the first decades of the 20th century, but that changed dramatically thanks to Salk's work. The scientist led a team that succeeded in developing the first safe and effective injectable inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in 1955, and the rest is history.

9

Barbara McClintock

Image: digitale.de

Although her name may not be as instantly recognizable as some others on this list, her work definitely is. Barbara McClintock has undoubtedly made one of the most significant contributions to medicine and genetics.

In the 1940s and 1950s, she worked with chromosomes, investigating their role in inheritance, which led to discoveries that forever changed our understanding of genes.

Before her, genes were believed to be fixed and immutable. But McClintock came to change that idea with her most famous contribution: the discovery of transposable elements, aka "jumping genes." She demonstrated that jumping genes are present in multiple organisms, including humans, and play an essential role in genetic evolution.

10

Alexander Graham Bell

Image: Misho Tektumanidze

Alexander Graham Bell became interested in sound and communication at a young age, something that led to his greatest and most remembered contribution: the telephone.

Although born in 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Alexander Graham Bell settled in the United States in 1871 and became an American citizen years later. It was here that he developed most of his experiments and research.

After years of experimenting with methods to transmit sound through electrical currents, Bell finally spoke into his invention on March 10, 1876, saying to his assistant, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." That was the first successful telephone call in history.

1

Pictionary

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Who hasn’t played Pictionary at least once in their life? The whole gameplay boils down to drawing a picture so that others can guess what it is. It’s like "charades" with drawings instead of actions.

While this is a board game, the board itself is the least important part of the game. The only things that matter are the drawings and how people guess what they are. Anybody of any age can get into the game and have a good time.

2

Game of Life

Image: Jaciel Melnik

One of the most popular board games of all time, the Game of Life, was created in 1960. The idea is that you want to end the game with more assets than anyone else. The basic gameplay involves spinning the spinner and making a handful of key decisions at intersections. It is in those moments that you influence which way your "life" will turn out.

The whole game is, like life itself, very luck-driven and not very strategic. This game laid the groundwork for many modern, narrative-driven games.

3

Clue

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

Clue was the first mass-market game to make bluffing and deduction an explicit part of the game. During gameplay, you’re always trying to analyze your opponents’ moves and react accordingly.

A game that spawned a million more games, Clue takes its participants on a journey to solve a murder using a series of clues given throughout the session. Even if you never played it (and chances are that you have), you know it.

4

Chutes And Ladders

Image: Biao Xie

Chutes and Ladders was inspired by an ancient Indian board game that originated around the year 200 BC. The game is luck-driven; there is no strategic element to either the ancient or the modern version.

Just like in The Game of Life, the gameplay involves spinning a spinner and advancing the specified amount of spaces it indicates. Ladders move you up higher on the board, and chutes drop you down to lower spaces.

5

Risk

Image: Dave Photoz

Risk has one of the most recognizable boards of any board game, with its colorful map divided into strange countries. The focus is set on one of the oldest of human ambitions: to conquer the world.

It is not the kind of game you want to play if you only have a few minutes to spare, since the entire gameplay can take up to a few hours. But, if you have the time and at least one other player, it is well worth it.

6

Trivial Pursuit

Image: Claudia Wolff

If answering questions about different topics of general human knowledge is your thing, then Trivial Pursuit is definitely your game. The board itself is not the center of the game. It serves the purpose of marking which theme must be answered in each turn and where each player is in the gameplay.

Some prefer the questions about sports, while others hope to get the questions about culture. But there is always something for everyone.

7

Scrabble

Image: John Benitez

Another well-known board game, Scrabble is the foundation of just about every word-based tabletop game that has come since its first appearance in 1948. In this game, the pieces you work with are thrown into a bag and doled out by random chance.

You can make maneuvers to benefit yourself and to block others, but the real advantage is in the hands of those with a strong vocabulary and a good memory to recall the words at the right time.

8

Checkers

Image: Gabriel Meinert

A game so simple that it can be played and enjoyed by children, Checkers is a very straightforward strategy game, similar to Chess in some aspects (especially the board) but simpler in many others.

The gameplay, intended for two players, involves forward movements of uniform game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces.

9

Monopoly

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Another all-time modern classic, Monopoly shares a similar objective as the previously mentioned The Game of Life: finishing the game with the most properties and money possible.

Monopoly has many themed versions and variants, including popular culture themes, and digital versions. But the gist in all of them is: roll the dice, buy properties, pay rent to other players, and pray not to land on Boardwalk or Parkway Avenue, especially if there are hotels (unless you own those two).

10

Chess

Image: Randy Fath

Let us finish this list with the Game of Kings itself, Chess : the best-selling game of all time, played by countless generations across the globe. Learning the basic moves is simple; mastering them is something different altogether.

Whether you are an advanced player, an aficionado, or someone who is considering learning it, Chess is good for you. It provides excellent exercise for your brain, infinite hours of fun, and can be played at any age.

1

Before bargains, there were stock market crashes

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Long before Black Friday meant shopping sprees, it had a gloomier vibe. Back in the late 1800s, the term was used to describe major stock market crashes . Imagine a Wall Street meltdown, and you’ll get the picture.

One infamous event occurred in 1869 when a financial fiasco involving gold prices rocked the country. While the term’s meaning has flipped over the years, its history isn’t always as rosy as a holiday ad. Thankfully, these days, "Black Friday" is more about spending than stressing—well, unless you’re in line at 5 a.m.!

2

From Santa Claus to shopping sprees

Image: rawkkim

Before malls opened at dawn and websites crashed under traffic, Black Friday was all about parades —specifically, Santa Claus parades! The tradition began in the early 1900s, with department stores like Macy’s sponsoring grand events to usher in the holiday season. These parades were a spectacle of floats, marching bands, and, of course, jolly old St. Nick.

Over time, the day became synonymous with shopping as stores started offering sales to parade-goers. So, if you’ve ever wondered why Santa and Black Friday seem so intertwined, it all started with a parade and a clever marketing move.

3

The plumber’s busiest day

Image: Unseen Histories

Here’s a fun (and slightly gross) fact: Black Friday is a goldmine for plumbers. Why, you may ask? Well, Thanksgiving feasts often lead to… let’s call them plumbing emergencies . From overloaded garbage disposals to bathroom backups, plumbers are busier than ever on this day. In fact, many in the industry refer to it as "Brown Friday" (we don’t need to explain that one to you!). It’s not the most glamorous Black Friday gig, but someone has to do it!

4

Why Thanksgiving got a time-out

Image: Iga Palacz

Did you know that Thanksgiving wasn’t always on the fourth Thursday of November? Back in 1939, retailers panicked over a shorter holiday shopping season, so President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to push Thanksgiving back by a week to give everyone more time to shop .

The change caused quite an uproar, with people dubbing it "Franksgiving." Eventually, Congress stepped in and settled on the date we know today. So, next time you’re enjoying leftovers and plotting your Black Friday buys, thank FDR for the extra shopping days.

5

"Big Friday" was a big flop

Image: 愚木混株 cdd20

In 1961, officials in Philadelphia tried to give Black Friday a friendlier spin by renaming it "Big Friday." The reason? Local police were fed up with the day’s chaotic traffic and crowds . Unfortunately, the new name didn’t catch on; after all, "Black Friday" had a certain dramatic twist. Over time, the term stuck, and its connotations shifted to something more positive. But can you imagine telling friends, "I’m gearing up for Big Friday sales"? It doesn’t have the same charm, does it?

6

When Saturday stole the spotlight

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Believe it or not, Black Friday wasn’t always the reigning king of shopping days. For decades, the Saturday after Thanksgiving held that title . Can you guess why? Many people preferred to relax on Friday before diving into the holiday hustle. That would be our choice if you asked us!

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, when retailers began offering jaw-dropping deals, that Black Friday took the crown. Long live the king!

7

The global spread of Black Friday

Image: Kelsey Knight

Black Friday isn’t just an American obsession anymore—it’s gone global! Over 15 countries, including Canada, the UK, and even Brazil, have embraced the tradition of post-Thanksgiving sales.

Even if some places don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, they’ve adopted the shopping frenzy with open arms. After all, a good bargain is a universal language. So, if you find yourself traveling during the holidays, don’t be surprised to see Black Friday signs in unexpected places.

8

Thanksgiving evening: The new Black Friday

Image: Libby Penner

In 2011, Walmart threw tradition out the window by opening on Thanksgiving night. This controversial move kickstarted the trend of retailers starting sales earlier and earlier . While some loved getting a head start, others missed the old-school thrill of early-morning Black Friday madness.

In any case, it marked a significant shift in how we approach holiday shopping. These days, "Black Friday" often feels more like "Black Thursday Night," but hey, nobody’s complaining about the extra deals.

9

Contactless is the new black

Image: SumUp

Black Friday shoppers are going cashless in droves; 53% of people prefer using contactless payments when hitting the stores . Are you one of them? With just a tap, you’re out the door, deal in hand—no fumbling for change or wrestling with a wallet while juggling bags! Meanwhile, 30% of shoppers admit they’re not too comfortable using cash anymore. And can you blame them? Between convenience and hygiene, contactless is clearly the king of modern shopping. Which method do you prefer?

10

Shopping under the influence

Image: Douglas Lopez

Here’s a fact that might make you chuckle: about 12% of Black Friday shoppers admit to hitting the stores—or their keyboards— after a drink or two . Maybe it’s leftover wine from Thanksgiving, or perhaps it’s liquid courage for battling the crowds.

Either way, some of those impulse buys might be less about bargains and more about buzzed decision-making. So, if you’ve ever woken up to a mysterious order confirmation, you’re not alone! Black Friday shopping is wild enough; add wine, and it’s a whole new adventure!