Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
The tiny hole that keeps your muffler from rusting
Combustion leaves water vapor in the exhaust, and some of that water condenses inside a cool muffler. A small drain hole lets it escape before it eats through…
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Why some luxury cars hide the battery in the trunk
A battery is heavy, so placing it in the trunk helps balance the weight of an engine-heavy car. It also frees up crowded space under the hood. The result is…
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Your car's rear window may be a radio antenna
Thin conductive wires embedded in the rear glass pick up radio signals and carry them to the receiver. The back window doubles as an antenna, so your car…
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Convertible roofs latch at the windshield header
The roof’s front edge needs a firm anchor where it meets the windshield, so latches clamp it to the header above the glass. That lock keeps wind from peeling…
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RV water heaters run on pure liquid propane
Propane is stored as a liquid under pressure in the RV tank; as it flows to the water heater, it becomes gas and burns to heat the water. The tank packs fuel…
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Why some gloveboxes can keep your snacks cool
A vent connects the glovebox to the car’s air-conditioning system, sending chilled air into the compartment. It turns the dashboard into a snack…
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Consumer drones return to their exact launch point
Before takeoff, the drone records its launch coordinates as its home point. GPS guides it back there, turning a patch of ground into a saved address—handy…
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The black band on a windshield protects its hidden glue
Ceramic frit around the edge shields the adhesive from ultraviolet light and conceals the bond. The dots soften the visual transition from the solid band to…
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Car doors use detents to stay propped open
The door’s check strap has built-in stopping points that resist movement and hold it open. That little catch keeps a breeze from turning your car door into a…
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Steering wheels telescope in and out for drivers
Pull the wheel closer for control, then push it away to make space between your chest and the airbag. The steering column is adjustable furniture with a very…
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Sun visors pull out and slide on a metal rod
The rod lets the visor extend sideways after it swings toward the side window, blocking sunlight that would otherwise sneak around the edge. The sun changes…
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An automatic car gives your left foot a place to do nothing
The dead pedal is a fixed footrest, not another control. Bracing your left foot there helps support your body during turns and braking while the right foot…
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Ferris wheel cars hang from a single pin
The car hangs from a pivot, so gravity keeps its floor pointing down as the wheel turns. The wheel carries the pin around; the cabin swings to stay level. One…
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Ride-on motorized suitcases max out at walking speeds
The suitcase’s small motor is built for a short ride, not a high-speed escape. Keeping it near walking pace makes the rider easier to control in crowded…
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Fifth-wheel trailers lock directly into truck beds
A fifth-wheel hitch pins the trailer over the truck’s rear axle, inside the bed. That central connection helps the truck handle the load and lets the trailer…
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A speedometer can legally read high—but not low
Under UN vehicle rules, a speedometer must not show less than the vehicle's true speed, while a limited over-reading is allowed. That gives manufacturers a…
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Why astronauts wear gold-coated visors
A thin gold coating reflects harsh sunlight and heat while letting astronauts see through the visor. It turns the helmet into a wearable shade tree, just one…
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The kart-track marshal has a remote for your racing career
Commercial kart-control systems let staff reduce the speed of one kart, a group, or the whole fleet. A reckless driver can receive a temporary slowdown…
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How solar wind can strip a planet bare
Solar wind is a stream of charged particles from the Sun. It slams into the upper atmosphere, knocks particles loose and carries some into space. Mars lost…
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Some nerve cells need days for deliveries
Inside a long nerve cell, tiny motor proteins haul building materials along tracks that stretch down the axon. Those structural deliveries move slowly,…
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Mudslides aggressively redecorate mountain topography
When water soaks into a slope, soil and rock lose some of the friction holding them in place. Gravity takes over and sends the mixture downhill, where it…
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How a rip current pulls swimmers out to sea
As water piles up near the beach, it funnels back out through a gap in the breaking waves. That channel is a rip current: think river heading offshore, not a…
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Plant phloem acts as a chaotic two-way highway
Sugars move through phloem from a source to a place that needs supplies. A leaf feeding fruit and a root feeding new growth send traffic along different…
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Expanding space passively stretches galaxies away from us
Space itself expands, increasing the distance between faraway galaxies even when they are not racing through space like ships. Their light stretches along…
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