How well do you really know the USA?
No state capitals and no presidents here. These six questions dig into the inventions, food and geography that surprise even people who have lived in the US all their lives.
Did you know?
- Alaska has a longer coastline than all the other US states combined.
- The exact location of Hyperion, the world's tallest known tree, is kept secret to protect it from visitors.
- The chocolate chip cookie was created in Massachusetts in the late 1930s by Ruth Wakefield.
The surprising stories behind the answers
Many of the most 'American' things have unexpected origins, and some of the country's records hide in places people rarely think about.
Borrowed ideas that became American icons
Basketball was created by a Canadian, and the fortune cookie came from Japanese-American bakers. Both became symbols of American life only after decades of local adoption.
A farming superpower in one valley
California's Central Valley grows a remarkable share of the world's almonds, along with large amounts of the world's pistachios and walnuts. Its climate is rare: only a few regions on Earth have similar Mediterranean-style weather.
Why Alaska breaks the map
Because longitude wraps around at 180°, a chain of islands can be 'west' and 'east' at the same time. Alaska's Aleutians cross that line, which is why the state tops the list in three directions.