While, at first sight, you might find this image amazing or even hilarious, there was an even deeper message in taking and distributing this photo. Michael Nichols captured this alongside National Geographic Society explorer Michael Fay while they trekked an exhausting 2,000 miles from the Congo to Gabon. Seeing these two hippopotamuses swimming in the Atlantic Ocean was surely quite bewildering, and Nichols had a message to deliver.
With their rivers and lakes destroyed, the hippos have been pushed out to the oceans, forced to adapt and live in an area that they are not biologically constituted for. This image is truly one in a million but actually led to real change. Former President of Gabon, Omar Bongo, upon seeing this image, was inspired to create a national park system. This move sees 11 percent of Gabon being protected, ensuring that the wild animals are able to continue living untouched and peacefully.
The Listening Booth, 1955
Record label His Master’s Voice (HMV) had a brilliant idea of how to make it possible for people to sample their goods before taking them home – a trial run, if you will. Introducing the vinyl listening booth! Throughout the U.K. and Canada in the 1950s, HMV record stores saw hundreds of customers flocking to try out the listening booths to listen to the latest songs in these sound-isolating booths.
In the 50s, having the luxury of being able to goof around inside one of these record store booths was one of those simple luxuries. No headphones are needed; listeners could freely enjoy their favorite tunes of the moment in their own little sanctuary. Bring back the listening booth, we say!
Babe Ruth, 1927
George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. is remembered as one of the legends of the game. With a 22-season career, the New York Yankees’ star outfielder began his long career as a wondrous left-handed pitcher. But funnily enough, he actually made his debut with the Boston Red Sox. The Baltimore-born Ruth was nicknamed “The Bambino” or the “Sultan of Swat” and was actually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the founding members.
With 714 career home runs, 2,062 bases on balls, and a slugging percentage of .690, there are some stats that even the modern-day greats can’t contest. Regarded as one of the greatest sportsmen in all of American history, Ruth is also considered to be the best player of all time. He remained a part of American culture and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Annette Kellerman and Her Fitted One-piece Bathing Suit, 1907
*Gasp* A woman exposing her body!? It’s 1907, and boy, was there a change a-coming. Australian professional swimmer, actress, and writer (and clearly very accomplished woman) Annette Kellerman are pictured here as a fearless female leader. One of the first to bravely wear the one-piece swimsuit, she became something of a fashion designer too, with demand increasingly high for her swimsuits!
Labeled the “Annette Kellermans,” these bathing-suit-wearing divas were a topic of controversy, which took over the radio waves across the world. In 1907, in Revere Beach, Massachusetts, the Australian was arrested for “indecency.” But they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity because this occurred at the height of her popularity, which sent sales flying! If those officers saw the swimsuits kids are wearing these days, they’d go into cardiac arrest.
The iPhone and its Maker, 2007
This image, taken in 2007, was accompanied by a famous line, “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” CEO and Apple founder, Steve Jobs, made history on that platform and did indeed transform the way we use and understand phones. Over ten years down the line, Apple is still reinventing the phone.
Phones have evolved from simply being used for talking and texting to practically becoming minicomputers with a price tag to match. With a sleek design and a portal to the rest of the world at your fingertips, this photo was just the beginning of phone technology. Who knows what Apple will come up with within another ten years.