2019-02-01_Popular_Science

70 SPRING 2019 • POPSCI.COM

1.

EASING

THE SQUEEZE

The most coveted

inches on any plane

are the ones we sit

on—the economics

of air travel forces

most of us to cram

into seats averaging

just 17 inches across.

But slightly wider

seats might have

to make a come-

back for drawn-out

journeys. Research

from the London

Sleep Centre shows

that increasing

width to 18 inches

improves passen-

ger sleep quality

by 53 percent. Air-

lines are also looking

at ways to provide

more legroom. One

option: padding

seatbacks with thin-

ner material.

2.

BETTER AERIAL

EDIBLES

Qantas worked with

nutritionists to de-

sign an anti-malaise

menu for 17-hour

jaunts from Perth

to London. Meals

emphasize fresh in-

gredients with high

water content—

such as cucumbers,

strawberries, celery,

and leafy greens—

so passengers don’t

get too dehydrated.

This helps cut down

on fatigue and

headaches.

Singapore Airlines

is rewriting the menu

for its 18-hour New

York-bound routes

too. Foods low in

salt keep diners hy-

drated, while those

with minimal carbs

stave off spikes in

blood sugar. The

company is cur-

rently considering

swapping out pota-

toes for cauliflower,

which does both.

3.

THE AIR UP THERE

Ever wonder why

you feel exhausted

after a long flight?

It might be because

most aircraft cabins

re-create Earth’s

atmosphere at

8,000 feet, where

thin air makes our

hearts and lungs

work extra hard to

supply our bodies

with oxygen. Pump-

ing most planes’

air pressure higher

would stress weak

points such as win-

dows and doors, but

Boeing reinforced

the 777X’s fuse-

lage to withstand

cabin pressures at

6,000 feet. That

also means more hu-

midity, which should

fin 2018, qantas introduced

the first nonstop link between

Europe and Australia. Clocking in at

17 hours, an extended flight like this

is possible only because airplane

makers such as Boeing and Airbus

have spent decades on innovations,

including fuel-friendly wing shapes

and stronger, lighter materials. But

keeping a plane in the air all day is

useless if you can’t keep customers

happy in cramped, sterile cabins for

the duration. Plans include wider

seats, lights that reprogram circa-

dian rhythms, and cabin air that’s

more pleasant to breathe. Also, they

might finally speed up the Wi-Fi. But

they’d better hurry: Qantas plans

to schedule 22-hour flights by 2022.

1

FOR THE

LONG HAULLONG HAUL

FOR THE

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POPULAR SCIENCE PAGE

70

BY LAURA PARKER ILLUSTRATION BY RODRIGO DAMATI

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