BELIEVE IT OR NOT: Why horses' asses still control modern transport.

The article explains that the standard U.S. railroad gauge of four feet, 8.5 inches originates from the wheel spacing of ancient Roman war chariots, which influenced the ruts in Roman roads and subsequently wagon and tramway designs in England. English engineers adopted this gauge for early railroads in the U.S., establishing a legacy that persists today. Additionally, the article highlights how this historical measurement constrained the design of the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters, which had to fit through a railroad tunnel built to that same gauge. Thus, a measurement rooted in ancient horse-drawn chariots continues to impact modern transportation engineering.