Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
What the black triangle by an airplane window means
That black triangle marks the window with the clearest view of the wing. If the crew needs to inspect a flap or check for ice, they know which window to use…
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Pallet four-way entry allows universal access
The gaps in all four sides let a forklift lift the pallet from any direction. That makes loading and stacking easier in tight spaces; even the humble wooden…
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Wheelchair footrests swing away for transfers
Swinging the footrests aside clears space for a person to move between the wheelchair and another seat. The chair gets out of the way without requiring anyone…
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Subcompact cars notoriously sacrifice rear passenger space
A short wheelbase leaves less room between the front and rear wheels for the cabin, while the engine and safety structure claim space up front. In a…
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Why cyclists shave their legs
Cyclists shave their legs so bandages won’t yank out leg hair when they’re removed after a crash.
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Why some runners choose to go barefoot
Some runners go barefoot to feel the ground and adjust their stride instead of letting thick cushioning blur the feedback. The foot and calf take more of the…
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India's railway had more than a million people on staff
Its annual report counted about 1.25 million employees at the end of March 2024. More than 300,000 worked in engineering, and over 27,000 in medical services.…
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Steam locomotives use real steam to blow their whistles
A steam locomotive routes pressurized steam through a whistle, where it sets the air vibrating into a piercing note. The train announces itself with the same…
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Toyota started by making looms, not cars
Toyota’s roots are in Sakichi Toyoda’s automatic looms, which stopped when a thread broke instead of weaving defective cloth. That simple stop-and-fix idea…
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Colombia's chiva buses put a colorful wooden body on a truck chassis
These rural vehicles combine sturdy running gear with wood-and-metal bodies, bench seats, open entrances, and space for goods. They carry people and the…
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Why engineers fire chickens at airplane windshields
Engineers fire dead chickens at windshields to recreate a bird strike at flight speed and check whether the glass holds. A cannon supplies the speed; poultry…
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Saddle mounts let trucks carry three cabs
A saddle mount props one truck cab above another, with its front wheels lifted onto a frame behind the cab below. That lets a carrier haul three trucks in a…
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Leon Trotsky had a rolling propaganda train
Trotsky’s train carried a printing press, radio equipment, and supplies, turning it into a mobile headquarters during the Russian Civil War. It rolled between…
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Saab built fighter planes before it built cars
Saab’s aircraft background carried into its first car, the rounded Saab 92. Its streamlined body cut through air with less drag, bringing airplane-style…
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How astronauts watch movies in orbit
Astronauts watch movie files on laptops or other onboard screens, with headphones keeping the soundtrack to themselves. The tricky part isn’t the screen…
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Why wealthy women traveled with personal maids
A personal maid handled the packing, dressing, and constant care that formal clothes demanded on a long journey. With trunks full of outfits and fastenings…
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An airship does not need forward speed to stay up
Its lifting gas makes the craft lighter than the air it displaces, so buoyancy supports it even when it is not flying forward. A conventional airplane instead…
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Keyless ignitions render physical car keys entirely obsolete
A key fob sends a coded radio signal; the car checks it before allowing the engine to start. Your pocket becomes the key, while the actual key gets demoted to…
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Rudolf Diesel vanished before his engine took over
Rudolf Diesel boarded a ship bound for England in 1913 and vanished during the crossing; his body was later found in the sea. The engine bearing his name…
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Why planes go quiet before landing
On descent, pilots reduce engine thrust, so the aircraft gets quieter before it reaches the runway. The engines are doing less work while gravity handles part…
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How a muffler makes explosive engines quieter
An engine sends exhaust out in sharp pressure pulses. The muffler routes those blasts through chambers and perforated tubes that break up the sound before it…
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The Titanic had a mechanical camel
It was exercise equipment in the first-class gymnasium. A rider sat on a motor-driven device that imitated a camel’s motion, alongside other machines intended…
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Roundabouts force vehicles to enter in a single direction
Cars enter by turning around the center island and yield to vehicles already circulating. That geometry funnels everyone the same way, like a traffic rule…
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Farmers once thought steam trains would poison their fields
Early steam locomotives burned coal, sending smoke and soot over nearby farmland. Farmers feared the deposits would damage crops, while sparks threatened…
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