Travel
Discover facts about travel. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Travel
Kobe beef's real exclusivity is written into its pedigree
Authentic Kobe beef comes from qualifying Tajima-line Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyogo and must pass strict carcass standards. Breed, place, and grading…
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In Spanish, saying you are hot can imply arousal
A literal translation of “I’m hot” can sound like you’re sexually aroused rather than complaining about the weather.
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Sightseers inherently walk at a significantly slower pace
Looking up at buildings slows sightseers down, turning them into moving bottlenecks on busy sidewalks.
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New Zealand's steepest street rises about a meter for every three forward
Baldwin Street in Dunedin reaches a gradient of roughly 35% at its steepest section. That percentage compares vertical rise with horizontal distance; it does…
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The secret In-N-Out menu everyone knows about
Customers can ask for a mustard-grilled patty, with yellow mustard seared directly into the meat as it cooks.
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Sahara expands steadily into bordering areas
Wind and desertification can push dry conditions into fertile land along the Sahara's margins, turning nearby areas increasingly arid.
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The Oregon river that runs just 120 feet
The D River competes with Montana’s Roe River for the Guinness World Record for the shortest river.
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Why sticking out your tongue is polite in Tibet
The gesture is traditionally said to show that you aren’t the reincarnation of a cruel ninth-century king believed to have a black tongue.
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Some places go months without seeing the sun
At extreme latitudes, winter can bring months when the sun stays below the horizon, leaving residents with prolonged twilight and darkness.
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Why shot glasses are called toothpick holders
To sidestep some regional rules on promoting liquor, manufacturers have marketed shot glasses as toothpick holders.
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Your passport requires a physical signature
A passport with a signature line may need to be signed before it’s considered valid for travel.
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A mud volcano can build an island that soon disappears
Pressure below the seabed can force gas, water, and sediment to the surface without erupting lava. Azerbaijan's Kumani Bank created an island in 2023 that had…
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Why airplane windows are round
Sharp corners concentrate stress in a pressurized fuselage, making cracks more likely; rounded windows distribute that stress more evenly.
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The day Bali falls completely silent
On Nyepi, Bali’s Hindu New Year, flights stop, lights go out, and people are expected to stay indoors. Local patrols enforce the rules.
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Diner menus use huge food photographs
Large, vivid photos let diners choose by sight instead of relying on menu descriptions, speeding up ordering.
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Airplane cabins aren’t full of recycled air
Cabin air includes fresh outside air and recirculated air passed through high-efficiency particulate filters, rather than simply being reused unchanged.
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In Tokyo, building numbers follow history, not streets
In Tokyo, building numbers can follow the order buildings were constructed rather than their position along a street, so the numbers don't map neatly onto a…
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Why kangaroos save energy by hopping
A kangaroo's tendons act like springs, storing and returning energy with each hop. That helps make hopping an energy-efficient way to travel.
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Overhead bins hold insufficient space for all bags
Because the bins can’t fit a roller bag for every passenger, people who board late may have to give up overhead space or check a bag.
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Order coffee in Italy, get an espresso
In an Italian café, an unqualified coffee order usually means espresso, served in a small cup rather than as a large, leisurely drink.
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Three-wheeled tuk-tuks run on highly volatile petroleum
They often run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) rather than gasoline, carrying pressurized fuel in an open-air vehicle.
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Why Chicago reversed its river
A canal redirected the river away from Lake Michigan, Chicago’s drinking-water source, carrying sewage toward St. Louis instead.
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The Grand Canyon could fit all of humanity
The canyon holds roughly 4.17 trillion cubic meters; even a pile of all eight billion living people would not come close to filling it.
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Shake Shack began as a hot-dog cart for an art project
The cart opened in New York's Madison Square Park in 2001 to support a public art installation. Its popularity helped lead to a permanent kiosk in 2004. A…
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