Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Quick-release skewers use a cam tension lever
Forget traditional nuts and bolts; the quick-release skewer secures a wheel using an eccentric cam lever that applies immense clamping force with a simple…
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Your ski wax depends on the snow
Melting a block of wax onto your skis is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The crystalline structure of snow changes drastically depending on the weather,…
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Longboards drop their decks to increase stability
By placing the swiveling mounts through the board itself, the standing platform is lowered right near the pavement. This keeps the rider low, drastically…
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Luton vans have storage above the cab
Named after a specific British town, these box vans feature a bizarre forehead that extends awkwardly directly over the driver's seat. It maximizes cargo…
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Why France once required yellow headlights
In 1936, anticipating that another massive conflict with Germany was unfortunately inevitable, the French government passed a peculiar law requiring every…
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How concrete can float beneath a highway
When a lake is simply too deep for normal pillars, engineers just decide to make concrete float. They build massive, hollow, completely sealed concrete boxes,…
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Why some pioneering women learned to fly abroad
Sexism was so overwhelmingly rampant that aspiring female pilots literally had to cross oceans. Pioneers like Bessie Coleman were forced to learn in France…
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Cabin pressure simulates extreme elevations
You are not sitting at sea level, no matter what your comfortable chair implies. The pressurization system keeps the cabin feeling like you are casually…
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Modern blimps utilize vectoring engines to hover motionless
Because wrestling a massive windsock into a landing zone is a nightmare, newer models feature engines that pivot aggressively up and down. It transforms a…
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Why tuk-tuks shake at every stoplight
If you are hoping for a smooth, relaxing joyride, avoid the enclosed three-wheeler. The tiny, violently loud engine is bolted almost directly to the flimsy…
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Why fighter pilots wear inflatable trousers
Executing extreme maneuvers in a jet forces all the blood to rush out of the pilot's brain, which generally causes them to pass out. To fight this, they wear…
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The tiny helicopter that flew on Mars
We took humanity's greatest aerodynamic achievements and casually shipped them to a frozen, irradiated wasteland millions of miles away. NASA's Ingenuity…
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Military amphibious transports roll straight into open water
In a brilliant refusal to choose between a truck and a boat, tactical forces utilize massive assault vehicles that simply ignore the shoreline. They drive…
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Why Staten Island ferries turned orange
New York City tried to be elegant, but reality quickly stepped in. The iconic ferries used to be gleaming white, but the unrelenting soot, smog, and filthy…
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Where massive SUVs actually spend most of their time
Despite being lifted, ruggedized, and named after wild frontiers, the absolute most aggressive terrain ninety percent of these behemoths will ever encounter…
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When travelers made luggage from old rugs
In the 19th century, leather luggage was wildly expensive, so thrifty travelers just chopped up old oriental rugs and stitched them into duffel bags. It was…
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Why some rest stops blast Mozart at night
Stopping to stretch your legs only to be aggressively greeted by high-volume Mozart playing from the outdoor speakers feels deeply surreal. Planners…
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Rich stagecoach riders sat inside while the poor sat up top
Social hierarchy was delightfully literal. The wealthy paid a premium to sit safely inside the wooden box, while the poor were strapped to the absolute…
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Why train tracks are covered with jagged stones
Those jagged little rocks covering the train lines aren't decorative. It's called track ballast, and its entire job is locking wooden ties in place and…
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Articulated passenger carriages share center wheels
In a brilliant display of cost-cutting, some modern train layouts ditch the standard two sets of wheels per carriage. Instead, they permanently bolt the ends…
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Your car's headrest may help you escape underwater
Automakers didn't just make those headrests removable so you could awkwardly fold your back seats down. The metal prongs anchoring the headrest are…
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Why blimps depend on fossil fuel drilling
That precious gas lifting million-dollar corporate airships isn't majestically pulled from the sky. It is heavily extracted from deep underground fossil fuel…
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When stagecoach passengers had to push uphill
Paid for a ticket? Too bad, get out and push your own ride up the muddy hill. Early transit companies happily sold tickets with the unspoken expectation that…
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How airports fling your luggage onto new belts
As your bag travels down miles of hidden conveyor belts, giant automated paddles suddenly jut out and violently smack your luggage onto the correct…
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