Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
High altitude balloonists must constantly wear oxygen masks
Floating peacefully into the stratosphere sounds majestic until you remember the air up there is totally unbreathable. You get to enjoy unparalleled serene…
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Scooters were a hit long before rental apps
Long before tech bros littered city sidewalks with rental apps, the Autoped dominated the roaring twenties. It was a foldable, gas-powered scooter beloved by…
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Metallic car paint contains tiny flakes of aluminum
That gorgeous, sparkling finish catching the afternoon sun is actually just a microscopic scrap metal yard mixed into a liquid binder. Standard glossy paint…
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New York Water Taxi moves impatient locals around Manhattan
When the subways are delayed and the streets are gridlocked, desperate New Yorkers pay extra to just go around the island. The bright yellow boats offer a…
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How a hard landing can drop every oxygen mask
Slamming an aircraft down onto the runway isn't just uncomfortable for your spine, it can trigger internal chaos. An aggressively hard landing can easily jolt…
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San Francisco cable cars grab a cable underground
Those picturesque trolley cars climbing impossibly steep hills don’t actually have motors propelling them forward. Instead, a massive centralized powerhouse…
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The first speeding ticket was for 8 mph
You might feel victimized by a speed trap, but at least you weren't Walter Arnold. In 1896, the speed limit in British towns was a blistering two miles per…
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Kim Jong-il’s luxury train had live chefs
Being terrified of flying does not mean giving up fine dining. The North Korean dictator famously refused to step on an airplane, opting instead for a heavily…
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Why a nautical mile equals one minute of latitude
A nautical mile isn’t just an arbitrary number to confuse landlubbers. It perfectly equals one minute of latitude. It was specifically designed so navigators…
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Norwegian fjord ferries act as critical highway extensions
Driving across Norway requires stopping at the edge of cliffs and waiting for a boat. The ferries are baked directly into the road network, forcing impatient…
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Hand truck stair climbers feature continuous belts
Dragging a loaded dolly up a flight of stairs usually means violently slamming it into every single step. Stair climbing attachments add a small, tank-like…
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Artificial skeleton props require separate screening
In case you were planning to travel with a literal skeleton in your closet, security demands it goes through the X-ray alone. They just want to make…
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Why WWII bombers dropped pianos
Nothing boosts the morale of terrified soldiers quite like aggressive jazz. During World War II, the American military custom-built pianos under the name…
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Recycling plants use fast spinning discs to separate cardboard
Sorting trash is entirely handled by chaotic mechanical filters. Single-stream recycling facilities dump giant piles of garbage over a series of aggressively…
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Why rental scooters wind up in waterways
Renting a battery-powered plank is incredibly convenient until the trip ends. Instead of parking them properly, users frequently hurl these heavy rentals into…
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Narrowboats are built to plug British canals
These incredibly long vessels are restricted to exactly six feet and ten inches in width. This bizarre proportion exists solely because the original waterways…
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Seat cushions detach using simple Velcro
Hook: Your flotation device is only held in place by the same fastener used on toddler shoes. Explanation: Seat cushions are designed to be ripped off…
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Telemark skiing mandates lunging motions to initiate turns
As if navigating a frozen slope was not strenuous enough, some folks decided to add deep knee bends. Utilizing bindings that leave the heel free, Telemark…
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Musical keyboards are officially permitted in cabins
In case you feel the overwhelming urge to drop a sick beat mid-flight, authorities graciously allow you to carry on full-sized synthesizers. Just don't expect…
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More than half of the London Underground is above ground
Branding is rarely grounded in reality. Despite being world-famous as the 'Tube' and pioneering deep-level subterranean transit, roughly 55% of the London…
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Why reindeer knees click in snowstorms
It sounds like a bad knee joint, but it is actually a brilliant evolutionary hack. Tendons slipping over bone create a loud snapping noise with every step,…
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How wingsuits turn falling people into gliders
Jumping out of a plane in a jumpsuit usually results in a rapid vertical plummet. These specialized suits feature hidden vents that force high-pressure air…
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Plant phloem heavily transports created sugars downward
While roots suck up water, leaves are busy turning sunlight into sugar. The phloem tissues act as biological freight elevators, pushing this newly…
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Gondola systems utilize backup diesel motors during outages
Dangling thousands of feet in the air inside a glass box hanging from a string is fun until the power grid fails. Thankfully, ski resorts don't just leave you…
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