Considered the tallest structure from 1889 to 1929, the Eiffel Tower was constructed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel who launched it at the World Fair of 1889. Initially simply named the “300-Meter Tower,” the height of the tower is known to change with the contraction and expansion of the iron depending on the temperature, increasing in summer and decreasing in the winter.

The structure’s metal has been preserved mostly by hand painting it 19 times, also leading to a change in color. Originally reddish brown, chestnut, and yellow, the tower got its now-signature “Eiffel Tower brown” shade in the year 1968.

Also known as Khufu, referring to the Egyptian pharaoh it was built for, it is the largest among all of the pyramids seen in Giza standing at 455 feet and originally boasted a height of 481.4 feet.

At its peak, the pyramid donned a shimmering white shade, however, over time, the limestone casing eroded, leaving it the sand-colored behemoth it has now come to be recognized as.

Taking over its Midtown neighbor after just a bit more than a year’s time, the Empire State Building enjoyed the label of the tallest building from 1931 to 1970.

As the US’s top tourism attraction, the tower’s Deco Lobby, along with the viewing platforms at the top, attracts about 4 million visitors annually.

Built in 1996 to headquarter Petronas, the Malaysian oil company, the twin towers are at a staggering height of 1483 feet. On the 41st and 42nd floors, they are connected by a two-story-tall bridge.

A traditional Malaysian Islamic shape, an eight-pointed star, is the inspiration for the shape of the towers’ footprints, and the two are stabilized by a foundation 400 feet below ground.

A tortoise who recently turned 190 years old and his fellow islanders went all out to celebrate its birthday. Jonathan is actually the oldest living land animal on Earth today. These little moments not only bring joy to people’s lives who are around those animals but also showcase the beauty of our ecosystem.

The tortoise and its story

According to reports, Jonathan was born in the early 1800s, about 200 years ago. For 140 years, he has lived on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, which is a six-hour flight from Johannesburg, South Africa. When he first arrived on the island, his age was measured to be around 50 years, and it’s possible that he’s even older. As St. Helena’s resident veterinarian for many years, Joe Hollins, took care of the enormous turtle. Hollins has spoken about how Jonathan has lived through some monumental moments of history, like numerous conflicts, multiple kings, queens, and leaders, the birth and boom of technology, and much more. And through all the ups and downs, he has been on that island having fun.

The Birthday Celebration

Being the most permanent inhabitant and a much-loved member of his island community, there was a three-day birthday party thrown for Jonathan, where he indulged in all of his favorite vegetables. As a token to remember the occasion, unique stamps were sold at the party. The grounds of Jonathan’s residence, Plantation House, featured a variety of posters honoring his life, along with images and words from those who have visited him throughout the years. A number of activities were planned, including a substantial vegetarian feast that was broadcast live across the world on Plantation House’s Facebook page. To cap off the three days of events, an animated video and song honoring Jonathan’s life were debuted at an outdoor market at Plantation House. The final gift was a birthday cake that was made of his favorite foods.