Think Mississippi’s existence only affects its residents? Think again! Here are 16 reasons why the world just wouldn’t be the same without the Hospitality State.

1. The University of Mississippi Medical Center paved the way for three major medical firsts - the world’s first human lung transplant, heart transplant surgery, and kidney autotransplant.

2. Thanks to the “National Geographic” being printed in Corinth, the Magnolia State has been helping inspire people to care about the planet for years.

3. Without Vicksburg’s Phil Gilbert’s Shoe Parlor, shoes would not be sold in pairs. It’s the little things.

4. That beloved childhood teddy bear that you can’t bear (pun intended) to part with? Yeah, he wouldn’t exist had Teddy Roosevelt not went on that famous hunting expedition in Sharkey County.

5. Since Mississippi is, overall, a pretty patriotic state, it makes sense that the Columbus Air Force Base is responsible for producing nearly one-third of the nation’s best trained pilots.

6. As the world’s largest public engineering organization, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for a number of duties, a lot of which can be done at Vicksburg’s Waterways Experiment Station – the largest research, testing, and development facility.

7. The state’s largest employer, Ingalls Shipbuilding, has been responsible for producing technologically advanced warships for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps for over 75 years.

8. Bringing music to the world, Meridian’s Peavey Electronics is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical amplification equipment.

9. Because of a group of Columbus women, who chose to decorate the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers in 1866, we now have Memorial Day.

10. One of the most well-known hats in the world, the Stetson hat, wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for John B. Stetson perfecting his craft at Dunn’s Falls.

11. Flying high just wouldn’t be the same without Jackson’s Vickers - the company that supplies hydraulic components found on every commercial airliner.

12. Love pecans? Well, you can thank Lumberton as it is home to one of the world’s largest pecan nurseries, Bass Pecan Company.

13. From the blues to Elvis, Mississippi has played a major part in cultivating the world’s music.

14. Clinton native, James D. Byrd, developed the plastic used as a heat shield by none other than NASA.

15. You know those delicious “Icee” drinks you just have to buy when you’re at the gas station? Well, if it weren’t for Edwards native, Fred Montalvo, you would’ve never experienced the refreshing treat.

16. Whether you call it “coke, soda, or pop,” you have Mississippi to thank for two of the most popular drinks of all time – Barq’s Root Beer was invented in Biloxi, while Coca-Cola was bottled for the first time in Vicksburg.

Seems like without Mississippi, the world would be a lot different! What are some other things that can be accredited to the Magnolia State? Were you surprised by anything on this list? Share your thoughts below.