Travel
Discover facts about travel. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Travel
Disneyland Paris had to adapt an American park idea to local meals
Its food-and-drink operation includes wine, beer and specialist roles such as sommeliers. The fantasy setting still serves guests with real expectations about…
Discover more
The desert circle astronauts use as a landmark
Its 25-mile-wide circular shape looks so much like an eye that astronauts use it as a visual landmark from space.
Discover more
A panda cub can be born in America and still belong to China's program
Under the Smithsonian zoo's 2024 agreement, cubs born in Washington move to China by age four to enter the breeding program. The adults are there under a…
Discover more
Free public networks usually demand a local phone number
Some local businesses require SMS verification to use their free Wi-Fi, which can lock out travelers without a local SIM card.
Discover more
Jellyfish travel by pulsing their bellies
Each contraction pushes water out from beneath the bell, propelling the jellyfish forward without a brain directing the motion.
Discover more
Thailand’s annual buffet for hungry monkeys
Each year, Lopburi lays out thousands of pounds of fruit, vegetables, and sweets for its macaques. The feast is a thank-you to the monkeys, which help draw…
Discover more
STACKY FOR IPHONEA bigger world.
One discovery
at a time.
Keep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.
Why ships have a port side and a starboard side
Early ships had a steering oar on the right—the “steerboard”—so they docked on the left to protect it. The right side became starboard, and the left became…
Discover more
Why your hotel thermostat may be fake
Some hotel thermostats cap the temperature range, while others may not control the room temperature at all. So turning the dial down doesn’t always mean the…
Discover more
In Thailand, going commando can break the law
Thai public-decency law reportedly makes going without underwear illegal, though how the rule could be enforced is unclear.
Discover more
Shooting stars are traveling space debris
The streak comes from a tiny fleck of rock or dust racing into the upper atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour and burning up.
Discover more
The Matterhorn hides a tiny emergency hut
The Solvay Hut clings to the Matterhorn's Hörnli Ridge at about 4,000 meters. It is a refuge for climbers caught in an emergency, not a regular overnight…
Discover more
Why Hawaii ignores daylight saving time
Hawaii is close to the equator, so sunrise and sunset times vary little through the year. Daylight saving time offers little seasonal shift to adjust for, so…
Discover more
An Australian McDonald's used opera to discourage loitering
In 2013, a restaurant in Mount Annan attracted attention for playing classical music and opera late at night to deter young people from hanging around. The…
Discover more
The Statue of Liberty's copper skin is shockingly thin
The copper sheets are only about 2.4 millimeters thick. An internal framework carries the structure, while the outer skin supplies the figure's visible shape.…
Discover more
Nazca's giant designs began by moving surface stones
Their makers removed dark stones to reveal lighter ground underneath, creating lines and enormous figures in the desert. The dry environment helped preserve…
Discover more
Folding wooden luggage racks keep suitcases off the bed
The straps keep a suitcase off the bedspread, helping prevent dirt from wheels that have rolled over wet or muddy ground from getting on the bedding.
Discover more
Why shower curtains cling to your legs
Hot water sets air moving inside the shower, creating a pressure difference that can pull the curtain inward against your legs.
Discover more
Parts of Mexico City are sinking by about half a meter a year
Long-term measurements found subsidence reaching roughly 50 centimeters annually in some areas. Water loss lets the soft sediments beneath the city compact,…
Discover more
Plane windows consist of stretched acrylic panels
Aircraft windows use layered acrylic rather than glass: it’s lighter and can withstand pressure changes without shattering.
Discover more
Dogs hauled machine guns into World War I
Belgian troops used dogs to pull machine-gun carts, and dogs also transported supplies and messages. A working animal could provide hauling power where the…
Discover more
A frightened horse comes with a built-in escape response
As prey animals, horses respond to perceived danger with reactions that include fleeing or freezing. A rider can therefore be asking for calm while the…
Discover more
In Italy, your coffee gets pricier when you sit down
At many Italian cafés, the same espresso costs less standing at the bar than at a table. The extra charge pays for table service, not better beans: a few…
Discover more
Why boutique hotels smell so strongly
Hotels pump heavy floral scents into their lobbies to mask the smell of ordinary cleaning products.
Discover more
Your delayed European flight may owe you money
Under EU rules, passengers on qualifying flights may be entitled to compensation if they arrive at least three hours late or their flight is canceled, unless…
Discover more