The history of road travel via motorways, highways, and freeways
The Romans are credited with establishing the first road networks, created specifically to transport troops and supplies to far-flung corners of the empire. But it wasn't until the early years of the 20th century that the idea of roads built solely for motor traffic, or controlled-access highways, shifted into gear. The world's first motorway was inaugurated in 1924. Soon afterwards, plans for an interstate highway system in the United States were being drafted. Meanwhile in Germany, the Autobahn caught the imagination of many. Today, motorways and freeways can be found in numerous countries. But what drove the urge to build these extraordinary vehicular platforms in the first place? Click on, get in gear, and accelerate through the history of road travel.
2024-04-10T13:03:47Z
The most turbulent flight routes in the world
Turbulence is an irregular motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents, which causes the aircraft to shake. But while severe turbulence can be dangerous, it’s incredibly rare. One of these rare cases struck a flight of over 300 passengers at the beginning of July. An Air Europa flight traveling from Spain to Uruguay was diverted to Brazil due to severe turbulence and passenger injuries, the Spanish airline revealed on July 1. Thirty passengers were injured before the plane managed to make its emergency landing, according to CNN. “From one moment to the next, the plane destabilized and went into a dive. The people who didn’t have seat belts went up in the air and hit the ceiling, and they got hurt – those who had seat belts on, not so much,” one passenger told Reuters. "We thought we were going to die," said another. “There are passengers with fractures and injuries to their arms, faces, and legs." Images captured from inside the plane show a concerning level of damage, including broken seats and ceiling panels hanging open. Regardless of whether you're a nervous flier or not, even mild turbulence can be an unsettling mid-flight experience. One minute you're cruising along smoothly, and the next things start to get bumpy. And while turbulence is common, there are some flight routes on which travelers experience more of it than others. Curious? Check out this gallery to discover the most turbulent flight routes in the world.
2024-01-26T08:04:58Z