Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Why stealth pilots brought beanbags into the cockpit
You can design a multi-billion-dollar radar-evading bomber, but you still cannot beat a cheap foam chair. F-117 Nighthawk pilots routinely brought literal…
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Why loose razor blades can't fly in your luggage
Because nothing threatens the fabric of modern aviation quite like a person trying to get a close shave. Security treats standard loose razor blades as if…
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Ferries in Victoria Harbour function as floating crosswalks for pedestrians
These tiny, cartoonish boats endlessly putter around the inner harbor, picking up anyone too lazy to walk the perimeter. They essentially function as floating…
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Hitchhiking is still legal in most US states
Despite decades of terrifying horror movies convincing us otherwise, sticking your thumb out on the side of the road is rarely a crime. As long as you stay…
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Spacecraft heat up by crushing air, not rubbing against it
It is officially time to unlearn absolutely everything your elementary school science teacher confidently told you about space capsules. The blinding,…
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The pilot who climbed onto his wings midflight
Early commercial aviation was roughly ten percent crude engineering and ninety percent wildly suicidal acrobatics. In 1919, while perilously crossing the…
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The US has about eight parking spaces per car
The American dream isn\'t home ownership; it is a sprawling, empty slab of asphalt. Urban planners were so terrified of the concept of 'not finding parking'…
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The first recorded car theft was a joyride
As soon as humanity invented something worth driving, we immediately invented grand theft auto. In 1889, a Peugeot vehicle was parked quietly in Paris by its…
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Filipino jeepneys often wear tiny metal statues, mirrors and ornaments on their hoods
The front hood of a heavily customized transit vehicle is prime real estate for excessive flair. Drivers routinely bolt an absurd amount of tiny, shiny metal…
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Stroller swivel locks keep the front wheels straight on rough or uneven ground
Total maneuverability is vastly overrated when you’re pushing a heavy load over rough terrain. Swivel locks physically jam the front caster wheels into a…
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Snowboard boots are flexible enough to walk in, unlike stiff alpine ski boots
Unlike their agonizingly stiff alpine skiing cousins, these boots actually allow you to bend your ankles. Designed with a softer forward flex, snowboard boots…
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NASA borrows planets' momentum to send probes farther
Rockets simply can't carry enough heavy fuel to reach the outer solar system. Instead, scientists perform interplanetary theft. By flying a probe dangerously…
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Helicopters pluck Christmas trees from steep slopes
Lugging heavy timber down a muddy hillside is for peasants. In the modern commercial farming industry, highly skilled pilots use massive helicopters outfitted…
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Why round boats spin when paddled poorly
These traditional woven bowl-vessels lack a distinct front or back. If the occupant doesn't employ a very specific figure-eight paddling technique over the…
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Why frozen drinks can pass airport security
Apparently, the ultimate kryptonite to strict aviation rules is just a slight change in states of matter. As long as your water or juice is completely solid…
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Why your car may have no spare tire
Automakers eventually realized they could easily save money by tossing a cheap can of foam in the trunk instead. Getting a flat tire now strictly requires a…
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Why a safe zipline has plenty of slack
A perfectly tight, entirely straight zipline sounds like the sturdiest and safest option, right? Wrong. If the cable doesn't have a massive amount of…
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How jet skis move without exposed propellers
Instead of exposing a spinning propeller to the open ocean, these machines suck hundreds of gallons of water into an internal tube and violently blast it out…
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Why former British colonies drive on the left
Mostly just former British colonies stubbornly persist in driving on the wrong side. The rest of the globe collectively agreed on a standard while they…
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Why fuel doors are on different sides of cars
Car manufacturers completely fiercely disagree on which side the fuel intake actually belongs. This totally guarantees absolute chaos and awkward reversing at…
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How airships turned engine exhaust into ballast
Early massive airships had an extremely weird problem where burning engine exhaust made them dangerously light. As they burned fuel, they actively lost…
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Continuous somersaults can destroy your balance and trigger intense nausea within seconds
Rolling head over heels might technically move you forward faster than a slow stroll. Unfortunately, your inner ear violently protests this rotational journey…
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The first meal on the Moon included bacon
Because Americans will find a way to eat pork absolutely anywhere. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s first scheduled meal upon landing the Eagle consisted of…
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Bicycle tires with Presta valves need a tiny nut unscrewed before inflation
Hook: Filling a bicycle tire with air shouldn't require a puzzle, yet here we are. Explanation: Unlike the standard Schrader valves you see everywhere else,…
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