For years, the go to party supply has been the classic printed balloon. But, how much do you actually know about them? Probably not much. These air filled balls are something we regularly use for celebrations, without actually considering where they originated from. So, to help you get to know the most frequent guest at all of your parties, here are 5 weird facts about printed balloons.
Fact 1:
Although today there are many different options in regards to size, shape, colour and even printed balloons, this was not always the case. Despite this, the concept of filling stretchy sacs with air has been around for decades. In the past, before latex was invented, people used the intestines of livestock. Essentially, they would fill animal intestines with air; these were very early versions of the inflatables we all know and love today. So next time you are complaining about having to blow up printed balloons for your kid’s birthday, just be grateful that you don’t have to get up close and personal with animal intestines to decorate for their party!
Fact 2:
The first recorded inflatable in the world was released from Paris in 1783. This precursor to the printed balloons of today was filled with hydrogen and was created by Jacques Charles; a scientist and inventor. Intestinally, it wasn’t until 1824 that the modern style inflatables we are familiar with were invented. These originated thanks to English scientist Michael Faraday, who was using them in gas related experiments. Although we know these air filled balls as party supplies, they began as a result of science experiments.
Fact 3:
It is quite common for people to release printed balloons outside in order to watch them float away; this is often done at celebrations like weddings. What you may not know, is that the released latex inflatables are capable of reaching a height of more than 5 kilometers- which is quite impressive! However, after this point, the air temperature gets too cold for the latex which results in it freezing and shattering into small fragments. Many governments prefer people to not release inflatables due to this because of the risk to the environment. But, this is actually a fallacy; if animals consume small latex residue, it will not harm their health in any way. Furthermore, latex is bio-degradable, so it is also not a threat to the environment.
Fact 4:
What you may not know is that there is a record for the most amount of printed balloons to be released in one go. The proud owner of this record goes to English Disney Park. At the presentation of the film Aladdin in August 1994, 1592744 helium inflatables were set free into the sky! Around two thousand people attended the launch, which was supervised by Colin Renwick. It’s safe to say that many of us can’t even imagine what that many inflatables would look like in the sky. The event was widely known as a spectacular show.
Fact 5:
Everyone has seen the breathtaking hot air balloons floating in the sky, these are often made from woven rattan and ply wood. It may come as a surprise to you that they have been around since 1783. The first living things to fly on this mode of transport were not humans, but a sheep and a rooster! Although today they are marketed as a unique experience, in the early twentieth century airships were used for protection. The original use for defense purposes was actually just as an observation point. However, as time went on, during wars, they were regularly used as a defense against enemy aircraft.