Popular Science

128 Pages·2012·131.986 MB·English

Spring
2019
H O W W E ’ L L M O V E
y y y y
flying cars robot cars slow buses fast planes
y y y
big planes those frickin’ scooters (everywhere) little bikes
y y y
metro trains vacuum tubes space capsules
& the bolt with a broken heart
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CONTENTS
A bridge to The mileage of our Earth’s quickest The carbon cost Teleportation Our last Humankind’s most
the future extra terrestrial critters of travel, in trees that’ll kill you sips of oil daring journeys
p. 12 autos p. 14 p. 16 p. 18 p. 19 p. 20 p. 21
The health effects How coffee and One day, Snaking transit A delightful Sole-saving shoes A bomb car stereo
of extreme sports tea traveled the 125,798 flights through ancient mini motorcycle for every terrain louder than the car
p. 22 globe p. 24 p. 26 history p. 28 p. 32 p. 34 p. 35
Baggage to The best head- An engine that can Top outfits to Analog navigation When will we trust Designing the
last a lifetime phones to block twist a car frame wear on an tools for wilderness robots to drive? perfect sailboat
p. 36 out the world p. 37 p. 38 airplane p. 40 treks p. 42 p. 44 p. 48
Will we ever Minding the gaps How we’ll endure Sans this bolt, we A brief history of Supersonic travel’s Tiny trains on
commute by in public transit long-haul flights can’t get to Mars road building second wave a big journey
jetpack? p. 55 p. 64 p. 70 p. 72 p. 80 p. 86 p. 94
The footprints of Mountain-lion I ran a marathon Getting science A chicken that Supercontinents The steps of a
ancient humans crossing in space past the TSA walks like a T. rex of the future wandering toddler
p. 106 p. 108 p. 108 p. 110 p. 112 p. 112 p. 114
Babysitting Movement that’s A head-scratching Puzzles to take Why car trips Self-charging autos;
robot drivers just an illusion treadmill trick on the road feel so long time travel; faster
p. 115 p. 118 p. 120 p. 120 p. 122 airports p. 130
HOW TO The icons MODE OF TRANSPORT Charted Features
how fast it’s going
represent what’s terrestrial aquatic In Profile Tales
READ THIS
moving in each aerial atomic Goods Head Trip
CHART how big it is
story in this issue geologic The Big Q I Wish...
7
cover photograph by The Voorhes / infographic by Sara Chodosh POPSCI.COM • SPRING 2019
SPRING 2019
Editor-in-Chief Joe Brown
Deputy Editor Corinne Iozzio
Online Director Amy Schellenbaum
Design Director Russ Smith
EDITOR’S LETTER
EDITORIAL
Features Editor Susan Murcko
Science Editor Rachel Feltman
Technology Editor Stan Horaczek
ALL used to watch them from my bike, Senior Producer Tom McNamara
Senior Editor Sophie Bushwick
poking at their screens, trying
Associate Editor Claire Maldarelli
AB OARD, to find their next fare or figure a Assistant Editors Sara Chodosh, Eleanor Cummins, Rob Verger
Associate Producer Jason Lederman
route around crowded streets. Engagement Editor Ryan Perry
Commerce Editor Billy Cadden
EVEN ME This tunnel vision means it’s
Copy Chief Cindy Martin
easier for them to not notice the Editorial Assistant Jessica Boddy
Researchers Jake Bittle, Diane Kelly, Helina Selemon, Erika Villani
guy on the motorcycle. I’ve had Interns Jillian Mock, Charlie Wood
more near-accidents on New York ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY
EARLY ONE MORNING THIS streets over the past two years Photo Director Thomas Payne
Consulting Production Manager Glenn Orzepowski
past summer, I rode my motor- than I had in my previous two Consulting Designer Robert Dominguez
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION
cycle out of New York City for decades of riding.
Group Managing Editor Jean McKenna
what I expect was the last time. While it’s fun to reminisce Managing Editor Margaret Nussey
In fact, I’ll probably never ride in about city streets with room to CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Kate Baggaley, Brooke Borel, Tom Foster, Kevin Gray,
my hometown again. That’s too ride, the Ubers and Lyfts are William Gurstelle, Gregory Mone, Sarah Scoles,
P.W. Singer, Chuck Squatriglia, Nick Stockton, James Vlahos,
bad, because motorbikes used here to stay, and I’m happy about
The Voorhes (photography)
to be the best way to get around that. We have dreamed a world
Executive Vice President Gregory D. Gatto
this burg: fast, cheap, and able to that is smaller, cleaner, less dis- Group Editorial Director Anthony Licata
Group Creative Director Sean Johnston
squirm through gridlock. criminatory, and easier to travel
BONNIER MEDIA
Why? The recent influx of for all people. The same way the Senior Vice President, Managing Director John Graney
Vice President, Sales Jeff Timm
ride- hailing services like Uber internet has democratized com-
Digital Sales Manager Lee Verdecchia
and Lyft have made these munication, transportation tech Corporate Sales Directors Kristine Bihm, Kelly Hediger,
Doug Leipprandt, Matt Levy, Cyndi Ratcliff, Jeff Roberge
streets way too mean. Accord- promises to break down the bar-
Direct Response and Classifieds Sales Representatives
ing to data from the New York riers that keep us apart. That’s the Brian Luke, Chip Parham
Marketing Vice President Brenda Oliveri
Taxi and Limousine Commis- inspiration for this issue—from
Strategic Development Director Beth Hetrick
sion, the city has added more the ride-sharing and on-demand Sales Development Director Charlotte Grima
Integrated Marketing Manager Ed Raymond
than 70,000 for-hire v ehicles scooter services we already have, Research Manager Peter Chiacchiaro
Associate Director Eshonda Caraway-Evans
between 2013 and 2018. And to the quiet supersonic jets and Brand Manager Vanessa Vazquez
Associate Creative Director Steve Gianaca
while it’s far easier to get a ride connected roadways that as yet
Business Operations Financial Director Tara Bisciello
now—even if you’re in far-out exist only on paper. Advertising Coordinator Nicky Nedd
Brooklyn or couldn’t historically And if one cranky dude needs Digital Content Production and Presentation
Director Michellina Jones Producer Kayla Lockwood
flag down a cab based on the way to park his motorcycle to clear the Bonnier Custom Insights
Manager, Corporate Research Anna Levina
you look—Ubers are making the way, I’m all for it.
Research Analyst Peter Chiacchiaro
city harder for folks trying to get Production Group Director Rina V. Murray
Associate Director Kelly Kramer Weekley Artist Rick Andrews
around on two wheels.
Consumer Marketing Director Sally Murphy, ProCirc
The trouble isn’t just the size Public Relations Manager Cathy Hebert
of this ever-growing fleet. App-
hailed drivers stare at their cell-
Chairman Erik Haegerstrand
phones pretty much constantly. Head of Business Area, Magazines Lars Dahmén
Chief Executive Officer Eric Zinczenko
That’s literally their job, and I
Chief Financial Officer Joachim Jaginder
Executive VP, Bonnier Media Gregory D. Gatto
Executive VP, Bonnier Solutions David Ritchie
Chief Digital Revenue Officer Sean Holzman
Senior VP, Consumer Products Elise Contarsy
Senior VP, Events Jonathan Moore
Senior VP, Digital Operations David Butler
Senior VP, Managing Director, Corporate Sales John Graney
VP, Public Relations Perri Dorset
VP, Data Science and Analytics Mark Crone
VP, Enterprise Solutions Shawn Macey
General Counsel Jeremy Thompson
Human Resources Director Kim Putman
This product is
from sustainably
managed forests
and controlled
sources.
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illustration by Kyle Hilton
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CONTRIBUTORS
Are you

RED
feeling
Andrew Blum
As a youth in summer camp, Andrew Blum sailed Lasers: small, fast, wildly
popular sailboats. On page 48, Blum, now the father of two young sailors,
focuses on the history of this classic craft and the life of 90-year-old Bruce
Kirby, the Canada-born designer who built the first Laser in 1970. The story—technical
but deeply human—was a natural fit for Blum, whose first book, Tubes, told the tale of
the physical structure of the internet and the people who constructed it. This June will
Specially Formulated with a mark the debut of his second book, The Weather Machine, which peers into the complex
systems that bring the morning forecast to our phones, digital assistants, and radio DJs.
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While he sees technical explanations like these as a public service, he admits that a lot
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Cristiana Couceiro mixes shapes, Russ Smith’s favorite part of
Not valid for mail order/websites. Retail only.
streaks of color, and photographs the magazine-making process is
to create something unexpected. brainstorming. “We could do any
The Portuguese artist’s passion for assem- story a million different ways,” he says, but
bling collages began early. “Cutting pieces of every visual needs to be “fun and informa- S
R
paper from old newspapers and magazines tive.” As the design director for Bonnier O
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and telling a brand-new story with glue was Corporation’s Popular Science, Saveur, U
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a joy while growing up,” she says; old copies of Field & Stream, and Outdoor Life, he grap- RI
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Popular Science have even provided fodder. ples with art decisions small and big, from O
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Now, the de signer’s works enhance glossy identifying the right font for a fishing story Y
S
magazines. On page 19 she captures the to commissioning a creative illustration to E
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. perils of teleportation by inserting chaotic represent carbon-emissions data—depicted RT
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. U
geometry onto a human image. on page 18 as a tall layer cake of trees. O
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