Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Gas pedals are either floor-mounted or suspended from above
One accelerator pivots from the floor; the other swings down from beneath the dashboard. Both turn your foot’s movement into a request for engine power. The…
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Molecules bouncing off walls in tight spaces
In a very narrow passage, gas molecules hit the walls more than they hit one another. The walls become the traffic, so flow slows and depends on those tiny…
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Gravitational waves actively distort spacetime fabrics
A passing gravitational wave stretches space in one direction and squeezes it in another, changing distances by less than an atom across a detector's arms.…
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Hot air balloons rise purely through thermal expansion
Heating the air inside the balloon makes it lighter for its volume than the cooler air around it, so buoyancy lifts the envelope. The burner is basically a…
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Antique sailing ships required miles of thick heavy ropes
A sailing ship needed a separate line for nearly every job: hoist a sail, trim it to the wind, reef it in a storm, or anchor the whole floating town. Thick…
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Trolleybuses draw power from overhead wires and use rubber tires which makes them incredibly quiet on busy city streets
Rubber tires roll over pavement without the clatter of steel wheels on rails, and electric motors skip the rumble of a diesel engine. The trolleybus still…
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Why the Eiffel Tower elevators stopped during the war
During the German occupation in World War II, the elevator cables were cut to keep the lifts from serving the occupiers. Visitors faced the stairs instead:…
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Inflatable dinghies depend entirely on trapped air
The inflated tubes push water aside, and that displaced water supports the boat. Separate air chambers keep the whole dinghy from depending on one giant…
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Torch lighters are explicitly banned on planes
The jet flame in a torch lighter stays lit in wind and concentrates heat in a tiny spot. That’s handy outdoors and exactly the sort of concentrated fire…
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Victorians furnished train cabins like living rooms
Long rail journeys asked passengers to sit for hours, so Victorian designers borrowed from home: padded seats, curtains, lamps and tables. The train car…
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Why traveler's checks once felt safer than cash
A traveler signed a check when buying it, then signed it again at the shop or bank. The matching signatures helped prove the paper belonged to them, so losing…
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Bicycle wheel spokes are tensioned by threaded nipples
Those little threaded nipples let a mechanic tighten each spoke like a guitar string. The spokes pull against the rim from all sides, keeping the wheel round…
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Why the call button won't help during takeoff
During takeoff, flight attendants are strapped into jump seats for their own safety, so a call button won’t bring one into the aisle. They’re ready to help…
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Motorcoaches stash all luggage in their hollow basement
Coaches put luggage bays beneath the passenger floor, leaving the cabin clear for seats and aisles. The bags ride downstairs while the passengers get the…
Discover moreCastro ordered ice cream from abroad
An account of Havana's Coppelia project describes Castro asking his ambassador in Canada to send 28 containers of Howard Johnson's ice cream. Imported dessert…
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Why elevators play bland music
Soft background music masks the silence and makes the wait feel less exposed. It won’t move the elevator any faster, but it gives your brain something to do…
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Wiper fluid reservoirs hide deep inside cramped engine bays
The washer-fluid tank needs room, but the engine bay is already packed with the engine, cooling system, and wiring. Designers tuck the reservoir into a spare…
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Ferries routinely get stuck on hidden sandbars
A sandbar is a ridge of sand hidden just below the surface, and shifting tides change how much water covers it. When a ferry’s keel meets one, the route has…
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On a fixed-gear bike, your legs can't coast
The pedals are locked to the rear wheel, so the wheel keeps turning your legs even when you stop pedaling. No freewheel means no coasting—your bike has hired…
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Pallet jacks lift loads only a few inches
A pallet jack’s hydraulic pump raises its forks just enough to lift a pallet clear of the floor. The small lift is the whole trick: the wheels roll under the…
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Roller disco was the peak of four-wheeled roller culture
Quad skates put two wheels at the front and two at the back, giving dancers a stable platform for turns, stops, and footwork. Add a rink, a disco ball, and…
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Coconuts can sail across oceans
A coconut’s fibrous husk traps air and resists water, letting the seed float while ocean currents carry it far from shore. It arrives with its own waterproof…
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How ship pollution can create clouds over the ocean
Ship exhaust releases tiny particles that seed water droplets in the damp air above the ocean. Those droplets gather into visible ship-track clouds behind the…
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Mobility scooters empower people who simply refuse to walk
A mobility scooter turns distance into a motor problem rather than a walking test. For someone limited by pain, fatigue, or balance, that means reaching shops…
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