Air travelers have a lot competing for their attention: the probing procedures of TSA employees, the lack of legroom, the fascinating pages of SkyMall. Few likely stop to consider how much the plane weighs.

On Nov. 29, all of the Internet Protocol addresses in Syria simultaneously became unreachable. 

Half a century ago, humans decided to leave this planet. On April 12, 1961, 87,000 pounds of thrust forced Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin out of our atmosphere and into low earth orbit.