Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Dedicated exclusively to transporting corpses and their grieving relatives, the London Necropolis Railway was established in 1854 to solve a massive public health crisis.
Dedicated exclusively to transporting corpses and their grieving relatives, the London Necropolis Railway was established in 1854 to solve a massive public…
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Smuggling a highly unauthorized corned beef sandwich onto the Gemini 3 spacecraft in 1965 remains one of the most hilariously dangerous things ever done in the history of space transport.
Smuggling a highly unauthorized corned beef sandwich onto the Gemini 3 spacecraft in 1965 remains one of the most hilariously dangerous things ever done in…
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In 1891, the entire state of Ohio had only two automobiles, and they somehow managed to crash into each other.
In 1891, the entire state of Ohio had only two automobiles, and they somehow managed to crash into each other. James William Packard and James Ward Packard…
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Walking on a stopped escalator causes a bizarre neurological glitch in the human brain known as the broken escalator phenomenon.
Walking on a stopped escalator causes a bizarre neurological glitch in the human brain known as the broken escalator phenomenon. Even when you can clearly see…
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Paris authorities commandeered roughly six hundred civilian Renault taxis in September 1914 to rush French reserve troops straight to the front lines during the First Battle of the Marne.
Paris authorities commandeered roughly six hundred civilian Renault taxis in September 1914 to rush French reserve troops straight to the front lines during…
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Late nineteenth-century bicyclists actually launched the original campaign to pave American roads, spearheading the Good Roads Movement decades before automobiles even became a common sight on the streets.
Late nineteenth-century bicyclists actually launched the original campaign to pave American roads, spearheading the Good Roads Movement decades before…
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British railway companies practically invented the concept of standardized time zones in the 1840s because towns keeping their own local solar time caused catastrophic scheduling nightmares and horrific train collisions.
British railway companies practically invented the concept of standardized time zones in the 1840s because towns keeping their own local solar time caused…
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United States Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield utilized a Navy cruise missile submarine in 1959 to fire a nuclear-capable Regulus missile loaded with three thousand letters directly at a naval station in Florida.
United States Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield utilized a Navy cruise missile submarine in 1959 to fire a nuclear-capable Regulus missile loaded with…
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Robert Timm and John Cook flew a modified Cessna 172 continuously for sixty-four days, twenty-two hours, and nineteen minutes in 1958 without ever letting the landing gear touch the ground.
Robert Timm and John Cook flew a modified Cessna 172 continuously for sixty-four days, twenty-two hours, and nineteen minutes in 1958 without ever letting the…
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Greyhound bus lines originally started as a simple transportation service in Minnesota using a fleet of completely unbranded, modified automobiles to haul miners between small freezing towns.
Greyhound bus lines originally started as a simple transportation service in Minnesota using a fleet of completely unbranded, modified automobiles to haul…
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Soichiro Honda kicked off his legendary automotive empire in 1946 by strapping surplus two-stroke radio generator engines onto standard pedal bicycles in a tiny wooden shack in Hamamatsu.
Soichiro Honda kicked off his legendary automotive empire in 1946 by strapping surplus two-stroke radio generator engines onto standard pedal bicycles in a…
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Richard Halliburton holds the bizarre historical record for paying the lowest toll ever to traverse the Panama Canal, handing over just 36 cents in 1928 for the privilege of swimming the entire 50-mile length.
Richard Halliburton holds the bizarre historical record for paying the lowest toll ever to traverse the Panama Canal, handing over just 36 cents in 1928 for…
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Boeing engineers originally designed the iconic 747 jumbo jet with a distinctive front hump because they were entirely convinced that supersonic travel would render it obsolete as a passenger plane within a few years.
Boeing engineers originally designed the iconic 747 jumbo jet with a distinctive front hump because they were entirely convinced that supersonic travel would…
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Nuclear submarines can theoretically remain submerged underwater for up to twenty-five years without ever needing to refuel their reactors.
Nuclear submarines can theoretically remain submerged underwater for up to twenty-five years without ever needing to refuel their reactors. The only actual…
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Lego is officially the world's largest tire manufacturer, producing over 318 million miniature rubber wheels annually to supply its toy vehicle empire.
Lego is officially the world's largest tire manufacturer, producing over 318 million miniature rubber wheels annually to supply its toy vehicle empire. While…
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NASA spent twenty-three million dollars designing a specialized titanium toilet for the International Space Station to transport human waste away from astronauts in a zero-gravity environment.
NASA spent twenty-three million dollars designing a specialized titanium toilet for the International Space Station to transport human waste away from…
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Cornelis Drebbel built the world's first working submarine in 1620 and successfully tested it by rowing a modified, leather-covered wooden rowboat submerged under the River Thames for three hours.
Cornelis Drebbel built the world's first working submarine in 1620 and successfully tested it by rowing a modified, leather-covered wooden rowboat submerged…
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During World War II, the United States military built an entire fleet of cargo ships out of reinforced concrete because traditional steel was in extremely short supply.
During World War II, the United States military built an entire fleet of cargo ships out of reinforced concrete because traditional steel was in extremely…
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Automotive manufacturers in Sweden developed a highly specific driving evaluation known as the moose test to ensure their vehicles could successfully dodge massive woodland creatures without flipping over.
Automotive manufacturers in Sweden developed a highly specific driving evaluation known as the moose test to ensure their vehicles could successfully dodge…
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Elevators are statistically the safest and most heavily used form of public transportation in the entire world, carrying billions of passengers every single day without incident;…
Elevators are statistically the safest and most heavily used form of public transportation in the entire world, carrying billions of passengers every single…
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Airlines intentionally print safety cards and emergency exit instructions with brightly colored, cartoonish illustrations to prevent passengers from having massive panic attacks.
Airlines intentionally print safety cards and emergency exit instructions with brightly colored, cartoonish illustrations to prevent passengers from having…
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Brooklyn features a fake townhouse located at 58 Joralemon Street that actually hides a massive subterranean ventilation shaft for the New York City subway system.
Brooklyn features a fake townhouse located at 58 Joralemon Street that actually hides a massive subterranean ventilation shaft for the New York City subway…
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London opened the world's first underground railway in 1863 using steam locomotives that completely filled the poorly ventilated tunnels with toxic, choking smoke.
London opened the world's first underground railway in 1863 using steam locomotives that completely filled the poorly ventilated tunnels with toxic, choking…
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French architect Eugène Hénard introduced the first modern roundabout in Paris in 1901 to reduce collision severity by forcing cars to continuously flow in a circular panic.
French architect Eugène Hénard introduced the first modern roundabout in Paris in 1901 to reduce collision severity by forcing cars to continuously flow in a…
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