| In the early 1900s, Professor Michael Faraday in his | | | | by the scientific and military communities, who -prior |
| laboratory of the Royal Institution in London, | | | | to the First World War- started using these balloons |
| experimented with rubber balloons he had made | | | | as probes to formulate the ascension and flight of |
| himself out of caoutchouc (Latex) sheets. He inflated | | | | much larger balloons, ending with the construction of |
| them with Hydrogen gas and was elated with the | | | | the giant Zeppelins. The research and information |
| results, which he documented thoroughly. He wrote in | | | | collected was very useful. |
| his scientific journal: "The caoutchouc is exceedingly | | | | The probes were used to measure the air currents |
| elastic. Bags made of it...have been expanded by | | | | over the earth and calculate the altitude that the |
| having air forced into them until the caoutchouc was | | | | bigger balloons --and later the airplanes-- could fly |
| quite transparent.." and later on, "When expanded by | | | | against the wind. All this experimentation assisted to |
| Hydrogen, the rubber bags were so light as to form | | | | develop the future speed of the early aviation. |
| balloons with considerable ascending power.." | | | | Hydrogen being quite volatile, easily explodes if close |
| In the following years toy balloons became a motive | | | | enough to a source of fire. Some serious accidents |
| of merriment and entertainment for children and | | | | happened when randomly floating Hydrogen-filled |
| adults alike. Therefore, wholesale balloons were | | | | balloons collided with fire sources and exploded. The |
| manufactured and used in birthday parties, | | | | fire department of NY City was concerned and in |
| celebrations, political and commercial campaigns, etc. | | | | 1914 proposed banning the use of Hydrogen in toy |
| Filling the balloons with Hydrogen gas, caused them | | | | balloons. It was not until 1922 that its use was |
| to be buoyant and able to rise quite high and be | | | | officially banned, after some prankster caused the |
| driven far away with the winds. Races and contests | | | | explosion of balloon decorations during a City Function |
| developed nation-wide and amazing stories are told, | | | | and an officer was badly burned. |
| like that of a man releasing a balloon with his name | | | | Though hydrogen had one tenth more lifting power |
| from the USA that got picked up by a fisherman in | | | | than any other gas, because of its danger, had to be |
| Singapore. Or a Mickey Mouse --shaped balloon that | | | | replaced by the much safer gas Helium. Today, |
| startled a group of natives in Africa. | | | | Helium balloons are the party balloons most sold |
| Extensive research to explore the potential was done | | | | worldwide. |