Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Cable car bells are rung using a complex brass pull rope
The iconic, cheerful dinging sound of a historic streetcar is completely unautomated. The operator has to manually yank a thick, braided brass rope connected…
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The planted bridges that keep animals off roads
To stop local fauna from becoming hood ornaments, we literally build them their own private highways. Massive overpasses are erected over busy roads and…
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How darkness makes Space Mountain feel faster
Sensory deprivation is an incredibly cheap way to simulate extreme peril. The famous indoor roller coaster only tops out at roughly twenty-seven miles per…
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Why sinking ships can drag swimmers underwater
Going down with the ship isn't always a choice. When massive metal vessels finally slip under the surface, the sudden displacement of water creates a powerful…
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Automatic car washes really do attack your car
You pay a premium to inch forward on a conveyor belt while violently spinning mop heads repeatedly flog the exterior of your prized possession. It is…
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Why moving trucks get stuck under bridges
Inexperienced people renting giant box trucks totally forget they are suddenly driving a massive tall rectangle. They confidently speed into underpasses and…
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Ziplines exist purely for downward sliding
Strapping yourself to a suspended cable offers exactly zero upward mobility. You simply slide from a high jungle tree down to a lower tree, screaming the…
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A toy gun can still get you detained at airport security
Even if it is bright neon plastic and clearly shoots foam darts, security does not have a sense of humor. Bringing any replica firearm to a checkpoint is the…
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Pedicab drivers require specialized permit approvals
You cannot simply strap a plastic carriage to a mountain bike and start charging tourists exorbitant fees. Cities tightly regulate these human-powered…
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Gases escaping through ridiculously tiny holes
If you poke a small enough hole in a container, gases will treat it like an exclusive exit strategy. Effusion is the process where gas molecules randomly…
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Roundabouts can save fuel by keeping traffic moving
Despite confusing half the driving population who freeze up at the sight of a circle, roundabouts keep traffic flowing continuously. That means less time…
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Elon Musk built a tunnel company over LA traffic
Most of us just swear at our steering wheels and accept our fate, but billionaires buy industrial drilling equipment. Frustrated by endless LA gridlock, Musk…
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Why police cars often stay running
They leave them running constantly purely to keep their bright lights and laptops turned on. The engine quietly suffers massive internal wear while the…
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Car defrosters automatically turn on the compressor
Blowing immensely hot air on a severely foggy windshield seems incredibly logical until you realize the dampness is the enemy. Hitting the defrost button…
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Ground effect drastically boosts lift near landing strips
The earth itself constantly interferes with landings by aggressively pushing planes back into the sky. Flying within a few feet of the runway traps high…
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Helicopter doors are frequently removed
Unlike pressurized airliner cabins where losing a door is a catastrophe, chopper doors are often taken off just for a better view. Passengers get to stare…
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Why fire stations are replacing the iconic pole
Sliding down a brass pole looks incredibly heroic in films. In reality, slamming your boots into the concrete floor heavily damages joints, leading stations…
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Portland aerial tram connects city districts through the sky
Rather than dealing with traffic, hospital workers in Portland just step into a metal box and get hoisted over the neighborhood. It turns a miserable gridlock…
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Your airline seat can legally recline
Despite the heavy sighs and passive-aggressive knee bumping from the person behind you, reclining is fully allowed. When you purchase a ticket, you are…
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Why ostriches run on just two toes
Evolution decided that extra digits were just dead weight. Unlike other birds, they only have a massive primary toe for launching forward and a smaller…
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Alpine snowboards utilize extremely stiff boots for carving
Some snowboarders saw the comfortable boots of their peers and aggressively chose suffering instead. Alpine snowboarding, focused entirely on high-speed…
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Windshield wiper fluid is predominantly methanol
Spraying your dusty glass results in an aggressively sharp, almost purely industrial odor seeping directly into your cabin vents. That beloved blue liquid is…
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Why tanks can become ovens in the sun
You might think a multi-million dollar combat vehicle would feature basic amenities, but you'd be dead wrong. The inside of a tank acts like a steel oven…
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Tumpline straps shift heavy carrying weight to your forehead
Backpacks are great, but indigenous peoples realized long ago that human shoulders are weak. A tumpline is a strap that loops over the top of your head,…
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