Travel
Discover facts about travel. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Travel
Why subway platforms feel so hot
Trains put heat into tunnels through motors, braking, and other equipment. Deep stations can struggle to remove it, and surrounding ground absorbs heat over…
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Schwartz's Deli aggressively heavily salts their brisket cuts
The raw brisket is heavily salted, coated with peppercorns and a secret spice blend, then left in darkness before it's served with rye.
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Why you can’t walk the Great Wall from end to end
The Great Wall is a collection of walls, trenches, and natural barriers built by different dynasties over two millennia, not one continuous structure. An…
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The caboose was a lookout post that could travel with the train
Crew members watched from its raised cupola for trouble along the cars ahead, while the compartment below provided working and living space. Modern monitoring…
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The tiny hotel bottles creating a huge plastic problem
Hotels use billions of these single-use plastic bottles, many of which are thrown away partly full and are difficult to recycle. Some states and hotel chains…
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Bathroom coffee makers brew terrible beverages
Their small plastic reservoirs can be difficult to clean, and the coffee often comes out bitter.
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The passenger who rebooked one flight 300 times for free meals
In 2013, a passenger in China bought a refundable first-class ticket, ate in the VIP lounge, then rebooked the flight for the next day—more than 300 times…
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Universal Studios mounted a massive fire-breathing dragon
The dragon atop the wizarding bank at Universal Studios Florida is an engineered prop that sends bursts of flame over the crowded area below.
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Luxury hotels once shared bathrooms
Even a luxury stay could mean sharing a washroom down the hall with as many as 30 other guests.
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Belize dirt roads rapidly transform into pure thick mud
Heavy tropical rain can turn rural dirt roads into sticky mud that coats tires and makes it difficult to keep moving.
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Why cruise ship pools turn into wave machines
When a ship rolls, the pool moves with the deck while its water responds with inertia and gravity. That relative motion creates sloshing and, in strong…
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Sleeping on a random public bench in Barcelona can quickly get you a citation from local police
Barcelona's civic rules prohibit sleeping on park benches and other public property, so a quick public nap can lead to a citation.
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Altering your appearance requires new documents
A major change in appearance, such as facial tattoos or reconstructive surgery, can make an ID photo harder to match. Official documents may need updating…
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Halleys comet travels on a long solar loop
It spends most of its 76-year orbit far from the Sun, returning briefly to warm up and become visible before heading back into the cold outer solar system.
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A village ritual sends cattle over waiting devotees
During Govardhan Puja celebrations in parts of Madhya Pradesh, men lie on the ground as decorated cattle pass over them. Participants treat it as an act of…
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Disney's Haunted Mansion has dust the cleaners are meant to leave
Disney's account describes crews being instructed to preserve cobwebs and dust on showpieces while cleaning guest areas. Decay is part of the set's job: an…
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Shawarma meat revolves continuously on a vertical spit
As the stacked meat rotates beside the heat, melting fat runs over it, helping keep the shaved slices moist.
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Iceland's currency crash made McDonald's ingredients too expensive
The franchise imported much of its supply from Germany. After the krona plunged during the financial crisis, those ingredients became much costlier in local…
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Green beer's famous party happened in New York
Physician Thomas Curtin served green beer at a New York St. Patrick's Day celebration in 1914, an early documented example of the custom. The color made an…
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Your hotel glass may have only been rinsed
Some hotel bathroom glasses may be wiped with the same towel used to dust the vanity instead of being washed in a commercial dishwasher.
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Rain researchers gave water droplets an electric nudge
A UAE-funded team at the University of Reading tested drones that release electrical charge into fog. Experiments detected changes in droplet size and number,…
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Axolotls prefer walking to swimming
With gills and four small legs, they can hunt worms by strolling along the bottom instead of swimming.
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Fake saffron can be dyed corn silk
Some sellers imitate saffron with dyed corn silk or safflower threads, passing the cheaper strands off as the world’s most expensive spice.
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Travel posters once looked like giant train schedules
Early travel posters were dense lists of departure times—more timetable than artwork.
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