A hovercraft sits on a thin layer of high-pressure air trapped under a flexible rubber skirt. Big fans blow air downward, and the skirt holds enough of it in place to lift the whole craft a foot or two off the ground. With nothing actually touching the surface below, friction almost disappears, and the craft can slide over water, mud, sand, ice, or flat land without any trouble.
The idea was patented in 1955 by British inventor Christopher Cockerell, who reportedly experimented with a vacuum cleaner motor, a coffee can, and a cat food tin in his workshop. By 1959, a full-size hovercraft was crossing the English Channel. Bigger versions carried hundreds of passengers and dozens of cars at over 60 mph.
Hovercraft are still in use today, just less commonly than expected. Military units use them to land troops on beaches, rescue crews use them on ice and swamps, and a few ferries still run them. They use a lot of fuel and are noisy, which is why faster catamarans took over most passenger routes.
