Transportation
Many of us take public transportation or fly in airplanes on a regular basis, but have you ever wondered how all of these things work? This collection of transportation articles help explain how people get from place to place.
Electric Boats Make Emission-free Sea Travel a Reality
Ghost Train Station Is Symbolic Hope of Korean Reunification
How Maglev Trains Work
What Are the 7 Biggest Airports in the World?
Why Does Warmer Air Make It More Difficult for Planes to Take Off?
Brace! Brace! Brace! 10 Scary Airports for Landings and Takeoffs
Learn More / Page 7
We see them all the time, but do you ever think about everything these machines do? A fire engine is a combination personnel carrier, tool box and water tanker. Learn all about this amazing 3-in-1 machine.
By Kevin Bonsor
Need to go from New York City to Australia, but don't have a lot of time? Book a seat on board Boeing's new sonic cruiser!
By Kevin Bonsor
Hydraulic cranes perform seemingly impossible tasks, lifting 70-ton objects with absolute ease. See the simple design behind the Herculean results.
By Kevin Bonsor
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When a military aircraft is in trouble, the pilot may have to eject to save his life. Find out how this crucial escape system separates pilot from plane.
By Kevin Bonsor
According to the Department of Homeland Security 730 million people travel on passenger jets every year. Are these folks safe? Find out how high-tech solutions are being used to make flying as safe as possible.
By Jeff Tyson & Ed Grabianowski
Like trade ships of old, air-freight planes move anything that can be bought or sold. See how goods are shipped worldwide.
By Karim Nice
To most people a trip through customs is just another stop in an airport or a country's borders. But customs agencies do much more for their countries' governments. In fact U.S. Customs raises more revenue than any agency except the IRS. Find out why and how they do it.
By Tom Harris
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How did the guy in the next seat pay less for a ticket than you did? Explore how airlines work, how ticket prices are set and more.
By Kevin Bonsor
In an office that cruises a mile or more above the ground, being an airline crew member can be tiring, but rarely boring. Find out how pilots and flight attendants get you from gate to gate.
By Tom Harris
Inside an airport, luggage moves through an amazing and intricate system. The baggage handling system plays a crucial role in keeping travelers happy. Learn about these high-speed carts and conveyers.
By Karim Nice
Black boxes help investigators determine what happened in an airplane accident. What's inside a black box and how does it record flight data?
By Kevin Bonsor & Nathan Chandler
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Did you know that airports were once known as "flying fields" because planes took off and landed in large fields? Journey through the hidden world of airports in this article, but without the stress, nail-biting and packages of peanuts.
There are about 5,000 planes in U.S. airspace every hour. How do these aircraft keep from colliding with each other? Learn about the intricate system that guides a plane from takeoff to landing.
You know those loaders used in construction and landscaping that dig up and pick up EVERYTHING? Learn how these incredible machines work!
By Karim Nice
Diesel locomotives are some of the coolest modes of transport out there. Giant machines like these are just full of technological treats. Explore a hybrid-diesel locomotive — from engine to engineer controls.
By Karim Nice & Talon Homer
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Higher, farther, faster: NASA's X-43A plane is destined to set new speed records. What sets the X-43A apart from other rocket-powered aircraft is that it is powered by a scramjet engine. Learn all about it.
By Kevin Bonsor
You've waited in line, and now it's time to board the roller coaster for the thrill ride of your life. If you're lucky enough to get to pick your seat, which car should you choose for the best ride experience?
How does a speedometer in an airplane work?
Flying in a glider is about as close as you can get to soaring like a bird. Amazingly, these graceful machines manage their maneuvers without an engine. Learn how gliders fly without power.
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You see backhoe-loaders on nearly every construction site around town. Learn how these amazing machines work and what they are able to do.
By Marshall Brain & Tom Harris
Blimps combine the simple buoyancy of a hot air balloon with the technology of an airplane. Learn all about these lighter-than-air vehicles.
Hot air balloons are about as simple as flying can get -- no engine, no moving parts really, and very little the pilot can do to control the vehicle. Find out what it's like to fly a hot air balloon!
By Tom Harris
The only passenger plane that flies faster than the speed of sound, and can get from New York to London in less than four hours, is calling it quits. Learn how this amazing plane works.
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You see gears in just about anything that has spinning parts -- car engines, transmissions, VCRs... Learn what these gears are doing and get to the bottom of the "gear ratio" concept!
If a device has a motor, engine or spring, it probably has gears! But what do gears do, exactly, and how do they do it?
By Karim Nice & Kristen Hall-Geisler