Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Most people aboard the Hindenburg survived
Despite the fire, 62 of the 97 passengers and crew aboard the airship survived the crash.
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A cruise ship produces thousands of gallons of sewage
Thousands of passengers generate sewage from toilets as well as wastewater from showers, sinks, and laundries. Ships need collection, storage, and treatment…
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Spinning pulsars continuously blast intense radiation
A pulsar’s magnetic poles send out beams of radiation as the neutron star spins. When a beam sweeps across Earth, our telescopes catch a pulse—like a…
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Industrial sweeper side brooms spin inward
The side brooms sweep loose debris inward, funneling it toward the central pickup path. They work like tiny street-sweeping arms, herding grit toward the…
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Submarine sonar is loud enough to create cavitation
A powerful sonar pulse makes water pressure swing sharply. At intense levels, that pressure change forms tiny vapor bubbles; their collapse creates…
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Why a pebble can stop a kick scooter
A big bicycle wheel rolls over small bumps; a scooter’s little front wheel meets the same pebble like a wall. The wheel halts, the rider’s momentum carries…
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Moving walkway floor pallets feature interlocking grooves
Each pallet’s grooves line up with teeth at the walkway’s ends, so the floor slips past the landing plate without a snag-sized opening. It’s a zipper for your…
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The simple line that stops ships from overloading
A painted Plimsoll line marks how deep a ship may sit in the water when loaded. If cargo pushes the line below the surface, the hull has too little…
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Why a container ship can take miles to stop
A loaded ship has so much momentum that even reversing its engines may not stop it quickly: at 24 knots, it can take more than a dozen miles and up to half an…
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Dogsleds rely on teflon coated plastic runner blades
Plastic runner strips give a sled a slick surface against the snow, cutting friction so the dogs aren’t hauling a rough blade. The low-friction material also…
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Why passengers steal airplane life vests
An airplane vest is compact, useful, and easy to grab on the way out—three traits that make it a tempting souvenir. The catch is that it belongs under the…
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Young adults flew more recently—but older adults had flown more often in life
In a January 2026 U.S. survey, 59% of 18–24-year-olds had flown during the previous year, compared with 45% of adults 55 and older. Yet the older group was…
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Why your gas cap clicks at the pump
The click is a built-in torque limit: once the cap is tight enough to seal the fuel system, its ratchet slips instead of letting you crank harder. Your car…
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Food on airplanes is reheated in convection ovens
Convection ovens circulate hot air around airline meals, reheating them evenly without taking up space for a full kitchen. The cabin crew gets a compact oven;…
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Bobtailing means driving without a trailer
A bobtail is a tractor unit rolling without its trailer. With the trailer gone, the truck is shorter and easier to maneuver, but its drive wheels carry less…
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Alcantara looks like suede but isn't
Alcantara is a trademarked blend of polyurethane and polyester, made to mimic suede’s brushed texture. It can absorb hand sweat, too.
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Viruses hijack cellular transport to replicate themselves
Cells move cargo along microscopic tracks using motor proteins. Viruses hitch rides on that transport network, then redirect the cell’s machinery to make more…
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Telescoping handles rely on internal friction locks
Inside a telescoping handle, friction locks grip the nested tubes when the handle reaches its chosen height. The sections slide for storage, then clamp in…
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Your body is shaped like a very complicated donut
The digestive tract is a continuous tunnel from mouth to anus, folded and looped inside the body. That makes the body a topological oddity: a very elaborate…
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Rumble strips carved into highway shoulders reduce run-off-road collisions by aggressively shaking sleepy drivers
The grooves cut into a highway shoulder make a car’s tires buzz and shake when it wanders out of its lane. That sudden racket warns a drowsy driver before the…
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How submarines turn seawater into breathable air
Oxygen generators use electricity to split purified water into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen replenishes the cabin atmosphere, while separate scrubbers…
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Anti-fouling paint stops barnacle hitchhikers
The coating releases substances that make a ship’s hull hostile to barnacles and other marine growth. A clean hull cuts drag, so the paint keeps tiny…
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Why hot-air balloonists carried champagne
Early balloonists landed in fields that belonged to farmers, and a strange craft dropping from the sky was a fine way to alarm the neighbors. Champagne helped…
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An early baby carriage was built to be pulled by an animal
In 1733, William Kent made a wheeled carriage for the Duke of Devonshire's children, designed for a goat or small pony to pull. It resembled a miniature…
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