Roller coasters rely on two types of energy to operate: gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has stored because of its mass and its ...

One of the first “roller-coaster” rides in the U.S. was actually a short coal railway in Pennsylvania that hauled coal downhill between mines and used mules to bring the empty cars back up the hill.

It was an unconventional DIY project, but that didn’t stop a Northern Virginia teen from fulfilling a dream he’s had since a young child. He successfully built his own roller coaster in his back yard.