I just saw these pics of the Falkirk Wheel on The Cellar's Image of the Day, and I figured I had to post them immediately. Apparently, two canals were coming at each other, one 24 meters higher than the other, so instead of simply building a bridge, the Scots did one better: they built a gorgeous engineering marvel. The Wheel works by lifting 300 tons of water and ship up on one end while simultaneously carrying 300 tons of water and ship down on the other. And while it does look like traffic jams could... READ ON

Reuters is reporting today that Brazil's armed forces have somehow found themselves in the animal delivery service. The national forces have been enlisted to first fly and then ship over 100 penguins back to Antarctica next month. Apparently, penguins arrive every year on ice floes that melt close to Brazilian shores (this time the lucky birds ended up on the beaches of Rio). And while normally, these Antarctic immigrants are sent off to local zoos, this year's travel accommodations are... READ ON

I've always wondered what happened to the backpack Delta lost on a flight I took from Boston to Atlanta over a decade ago.  There's a good chance it turned up in the town of Scottsboro, AL, only a couple hrs north of my hometown of Birmingham. I've never been but Boing Boing reminded me to check there when they linked to an article about the Unclaimed Baggage Center. If you've ever lost valuables while traveling and the airline made "a reasonable attempt" to get the goods... READ ON

Not sure how one can pinpoint the exact 50-year anniversary of our illustrious Interstate system, but today seems to be the day. The ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation is hosting a gala, black-tie event down in D.C. tonight that will honor everyone from equipment manufacturers and labor organizations to state transportation departments. Headliners will be Colin Powel and Willard Scott, two people I don't think I've ever seen in the same room together. It may be too late to buy... READ ON