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VEHICLES

Anything that rolls, flies, floats or rockets - and the engineering that makes it move.

50 facts
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Intercontinental missiles are some of the fastest vehicles ever built.
ROCKETS

Intercontinental missiles are some of the fastest vehicles ever built.

An ICBM can cross the planet in about 30 minutes - reaching speeds over 15,000 mph at the top of its arc.

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49 facts
The Mayflower was originally a wine cargo ship - not a passenger vessel.
DID YOU KNOW? The Mayflower was originally a wine cargo ship - not a passenger vessel. When 102 Pilgrims squeezed aboard in 1620, the little merchant ship had to be patched mid-Atlantic with a giant iron screw. 2 min read
The Pony Express was killed off by the telegraph after just 18 months.
DID YOU KNOW? The Pony Express was killed off by the telegraph after just 18 months. Riders galloped mail 1,900 miles across the American West in 10 days - then wires made the whole service obsolete almost overnight. 2 min read
Beijing's subway is the longest in the world - over 500 miles of track.
DID YOU KNOW? Beijing's subway is the longest in the world - over 500 miles of track. New York's has the most stations, but Beijing wins on track length, with trains running 24 hours a day in some cities. 2 min read
The largest military drones can stay airborne for over 30 hours straight.
DID YOU KNOW? The largest military drones can stay airborne for over 30 hours straight. Modern UAVs are piloted by people sitting thousands of miles away, watching live video feeds from cameras in the sky. 2 min read
Russia's Soyuz is the most-flown rocket family in history.
DID YOU KNOW? Russia's Soyuz is the most-flown rocket family in history. Versions of the Soyuz rocket have launched more than 1,700 times since 1966, ferrying cosmonauts, astronauts, and satellites. 2 min read
Solid-fuel rockets can't be turned off once you light them.
DID YOU KNOW? Solid-fuel rockets can't be turned off once you light them. Liquid-fuel engines can throttle and shut down - but solid boosters burn until every last bit of fuel is gone. 2 min read
A CubeSat is a satellite small enough to fit in your hand.
DID YOU KNOW? A CubeSat is a satellite small enough to fit in your hand. These tiny shoebox-sized spacecraft have made space cheap enough for universities and even high schools to launch their own. 2 min read
Rockets have multiple stages because lugging empty fuel tanks to space is wasteful.
DID YOU KNOW? Rockets have multiple stages because lugging empty fuel tanks to space is wasteful. Each stage drops away once it's empty - making the rest of the rocket lighter, faster, and able to reach orbit. 2 min read
The first liquid-fueled rocket only flew 41 feet high.
DID YOU KNOW? The first liquid-fueled rocket only flew 41 feet high. In 1926, scientist Robert Goddard launched a little rocket from a Massachusetts farm - and it lasted just 2.5 seconds. 2 min read
The Space Shuttle was the first reusable spaceship - and it flew for 30 years.
DID YOU KNOW? The Space Shuttle was the first reusable spaceship - and it flew for 30 years. From 1981 to 2011, NASA's winged orbiters launched like rockets, landed like airplanes, and carried 355 different astronauts. 2 min read
The first satellite was a beach-ball-sized metal sphere that beeped.
DID YOU KNOW? The first satellite was a beach-ball-sized metal sphere that beeped. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 - and the whole world could hear it beeping on the radio overhead. 2 min read
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lands itself back on a tiny boat after every launch.
DID YOU KNOW? SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lands itself back on a tiny boat after every launch. Reusing rockets was once thought impossible - now it happens dozens of times a year, slashing the cost of reaching space. 2 min read
The Saturn V rocket was taller than the Statue of Liberty.
DID YOU KNOW? The Saturn V rocket was taller than the Statue of Liberty. NASA's moon rocket stood 363 feet tall, weighed 6.5 million pounds, and was the most powerful machine humans had ever built. 2 min read
Some lighthouses can be seen from over 30 miles away at sea.
DID YOU KNOW? Some lighthouses can be seen from over 30 miles away at sea. A spinning lens focuses a single bulb into a beam powerful enough to warn ships miles from a dangerous coast. 2 min read
The Panama Canal lifts giant ships 85 feet uphill on its journey across.
DID YOU KNOW? The Panama Canal lifts giant ships 85 feet uphill on its journey across. A series of giant water-filled locks lift ships over the mountains of Central America between the Atlantic and Pacific. 2 min read
The Suez Canal saves ships from a 5,000-mile detour around Africa.
DID YOU KNOW? The Suez Canal saves ships from a 5,000-mile detour around Africa. Cut through the Egyptian desert in 1869, the 120-mile canal connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea - a shortcut for global trade. 2 min read
A hovercraft drives on a cushion of air, not water.
DID YOU KNOW? A hovercraft drives on a cushion of air, not water. Powerful fans blow air downward under a rubber skirt, lifting the craft just enough to skim over water, mud, or ice. 2 min read
The largest ship ever built was so big it couldn't fit through the English Channel.
DID YOU KNOW? The largest ship ever built was so big it couldn't fit through the English Channel. The supertanker Seawise Giant stretched 1,504 feet - longer than the Empire State Building is tall. 2 min read
Viking longships could cross oceans and sail up shallow rivers.
DID YOU KNOW? Viking longships could cross oceans and sail up shallow rivers. Their shallow, flexible hulls let Viking raiders strike deep inland - sometimes hundreds of miles from the sea. 2 min read
Some nuclear submarines can stay underwater for months without surfacing.
DID YOU KNOW? Some nuclear submarines can stay underwater for months without surfacing. They make their own oxygen, freshwater, and electricity - the only real limit is how much food the crew can fit on board. 2 min read
The biggest container ships carry over 24,000 metal boxes at once.
DID YOU KNOW? The biggest container ships carry over 24,000 metal boxes at once. Nearly everything you own probably crossed an ocean on one of these floating warehouses - likely a giant ship with a small crew. 2 min read
A modern aircraft carrier is basically a floating city with a runway on top.
DID YOU KNOW? A modern aircraft carrier is basically a floating city with a runway on top. The US Navy's biggest carriers carry over 5,000 people, dozens of jets, and run for 25 years without refueling. 2 min read
San Francisco's cable cars are pulled by a moving rope under the street.
DID YOU KNOW? San Francisco's cable cars are pulled by a moving rope under the street. Since 1873, the cars have rolled up the city's steep hills by gripping a cable hidden in a slot between the rails. 2 min read
The Orient Express was a luxury hotel on wheels that crossed Europe.
DID YOU KNOW? The Orient Express was a luxury hotel on wheels that crossed Europe. Starting in 1883, the famous train carried kings, spies, and movie stars from Paris to Istanbul in extreme style. 2 min read
The Eurostar travels under the sea between Britain and France.
DID YOU KNOW? The Eurostar travels under the sea between Britain and France. Trains zip through the Channel Tunnel - 31 miles of train tunnels bored 250 feet below the ocean floor. 2 min read
The first passenger steam train traveled at the breakneck speed of 15 mph.
DID YOU KNOW? The first passenger steam train traveled at the breakneck speed of 15 mph. In 1825, Stephenson's Locomotion hauled passengers in England and kicked off the railway age that changed the world. 2 min read
The London Underground was the world's first subway - and it ran on steam.
DID YOU KNOW? The London Underground was the world's first subway - and it ran on steam. Opened in 1863, the early Tube filled tunnels with thick smoke until electric trains finally took over decades later. 2 min read
The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest train line in the world.
DID YOU KNOW? The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest train line in the world. From Moscow to Vladivostok, the train crosses 5,772 miles, 8 time zones, and takes about a week to ride end to end. 2 min read
Maglev trains float above their tracks with no wheels at all.
DID YOU KNOW? Maglev trains float above their tracks with no wheels at all. Powerful magnets lift the train a few millimeters off the rail, letting it glide at over 350 mph without ever touching the ground. 2 min read
Japan's bullet trains have never had a passenger fatality from a crash.
DID YOU KNOW? Japan's bullet trains have never had a passenger fatality from a crash. Since 1964, Shinkansen trains have moved billions of people at over 180 mph - with a safety record other transport can only dream of. 2 min read
The Hindenburg disaster ended the age of giant flying airships.
DID YOU KNOW? The Hindenburg disaster ended the age of giant flying airships. In 1937, the world's largest airship burst into flames at a New Jersey landing field - and zeppelins never recovered. 2 min read
Most airliners are painted white for a sneaky reason.
DID YOU KNOW? Most airliners are painted white for a sneaky reason. White paint reflects sunlight, keeps the plane cooler, weighs less, and makes cracks easier to spot. 1 min read
A helicopter is the only aircraft that can fly sideways, backwards, and hover in place.
DID YOU KNOW? A helicopter is the only aircraft that can fly sideways, backwards, and hover in place. By tilting its spinning blades just slightly, a helicopter can move in any direction - including straight up. 2 min read
The first passengers in a hot air balloon were a duck, a rooster, and a sheep.
DID YOU KNOW? The first passengers in a hot air balloon were a duck, a rooster, and a sheep. Before humans took the risk, the Montgolfier brothers sent farm animals up to test if the air at altitude was safe to breathe. 2 min read
A plane's "black box" is actually bright orange.
DID YOU KNOW? A plane's "black box" is actually bright orange. The crash-proof recorder is painted neon orange so rescue teams can spot it among wreckage - the "black" name is a leftover from history. 1 min read
The SR-71 Blackbird could outrun a missile at 85,000 feet.
DID YOU KNOW? The SR-71 Blackbird could outrun a missile at 85,000 feet. This spy plane flew so fast and so high that its standard defense against attacks was just to speed up and leave. 2 min read
A Boeing 747 has about six million parts.
DID YOU KNOW? A Boeing 747 has about six million parts. The original jumbo jet weighs nearly a million pounds at takeoff and has wings big enough to park 50 cars under. 2 min read
Concorde flew passengers faster than a rifle bullet.
DID YOU KNOW? Concorde flew passengers faster than a rifle bullet. From 1976 to 2003, Concorde crossed the Atlantic in under 3.5 hours - about half the time of any other passenger jet. 2 min read
The first powered airplane flight lasted just 12 seconds.
DID YOU KNOW? The first powered airplane flight lasted just 12 seconds. On a windy beach in 1903, the Wright brothers' Flyer hopped 120 feet - about the length of a Boeing 747. 2 min read
Self-driving cars see the world by firing millions of laser pulses every second.
DID YOU KNOW? Self-driving cars see the world by firing millions of laser pulses every second. A spinning sensor on top of many self-driving cars, called LiDAR, builds a 3D map of everything around it in real time. 2 min read
The longest limousine ever built was over 100 feet long.
DID YOU KNOW? The longest limousine ever built was over 100 feet long. It had 26 wheels, a swimming pool, a helipad - and could split in half to drive around corners. 1 min read
A car airbag inflates faster than you can blink.
DID YOU KNOW? A car airbag inflates faster than you can blink. From flat to fully puffed in about 25 milliseconds, an airbag uses a tiny explosion to save your face. 1 min read
The three-point seatbelt is one of the most life-saving inventions ever made.
DID YOU KNOW? The three-point seatbelt is one of the most life-saving inventions ever made. Volvo gave away the design for free in 1959, and it has since saved more than a million lives. 2 min read
The Volkswagen Beetle was made for 65 years almost unchanged.
DID YOU KNOW? The Volkswagen Beetle was made for 65 years almost unchanged. From 1938 to 2003, over 21 million Beetles rolled out of factories - making it one of the most-produced car designs in history. 2 min read
Electric cars are actually older than gasoline cars.
DID YOU KNOW? Electric cars are actually older than gasoline cars. The first electric car rolled out in the 1830s - decades before gasoline engines existed. 2 min read
The Ford Model T put America on wheels by costing less than a horse.
DID YOU KNOW? The Ford Model T put America on wheels by costing less than a horse. Henry Ford's assembly line cut Model T build time from 12 hours to 90 minutes - and dropped the price to $260. 2 min read
A car called ThrustSSC broke the sound barrier in 1997.
DID YOU KNOW? A car called ThrustSSC broke the sound barrier in 1997. Powered by two jet engines, ThrustSSC blasted across the Nevada desert at 763 miles per hour - faster than the speed of sound. 2 min read
The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport can hit 304 miles per hour.
DID YOU KNOW? The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport can hit 304 miles per hour. One of the fastest production cars on Earth uses a 16-cylinder engine and tires that would explode on a normal road. 2 min read
The first real car was built in 1885 and had only three wheels.
DID YOU KNOW? The first real car was built in 1885 and had only three wheels. Karl Benz's Motorwagen rolled out in 1885 with a tiny engine, a bicycle-style frame, and one wheel short of a modern car. 2 min read

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