Round-shaped, colorful, and almost weightless, balloons can turn an ordinary day into a holiday and make even the most hopeless skeptic smile.
Today, the balloon seems to us an ordinary, albeit pleasant, trinket. But few people know interesting facts about balloons or think about where else they can be used. Now we’ll share with you some fascinating facts about balloons you’ve probably never heard about!
Interesting facts about balloons
Fact #1: some facts about balloons show that they can lift a person into the air!
Ian Ashpole proved this by rising at 10,000 feet into the air using 600 helium balloons, setting a world altitude record. However, due to the low air pressure at this altitude, the 35” balloons began to burst, which made the record holder jump with a parachute.
Fact #2: one of the fun and interesting facts about balloons is that American sculptor Larry Moss created unique copies of paintings by legendary artists Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Grant Wood using balloons, calling his project "Aerigami". Also, Larry has designed a collection of “balloon clothes”. Such a great look for a carnival or masquerade ball!
Fact #3: if you think that the balloon can only be inflated with the mouth or pump, then you are greatly mistaken!
One of the most astonishing fun facts about balloons is that Andrew Dahl, an ordinary American man, inflated 23 balloons with his nose in 3 minutes, setting a Guinness World Record. But that’s not all of the surprising facts about balloons: another man, Zhang Xijiang from Guangzhou learned how to inflate balloons with his ear!
Fact #4: when the elongated sausage-shaped balloons were invented, people started organizing massive competitions where they had to create colorful figures using balloons as fast as possible. The best was Salvatore Sabatino from Italy: in just 60 minutes he was able to make about 361 figures with minimal losses.
Fact #5: There is a curious custom in European countries that made classical music concerts more popular among young people. Teenagers sit in the hall and press the balloons to their ears: the resonance increases volume so that you can catch the smallest nuances of the composition.
Fact #6: one of the helium balloon facts says that a latex balloon smaller than 5” won’t fly: the volume of helium inside is not enough to create the necessary lift. The volume of a 10" balloon is enough for 6 hours of flight, 12" balloons can fly up to 12 hours. A large 14” balloon treated with a special “Hi-float” technology can fly up to 6 days (and if the room is dry and there is no direct sunlight, the balloon can last up to several weeks).
Fact #7: the first gas people used to fill the balloons with was Hydrogen. Thanks to this, the balloons were able to fly. But later, it was proposed to use helium as a filler. This is due to the events of 1922, when a man, who wanted to play a trick, accidentally blew up the whole balloon show!
Fact #8: one of the balloon facts for kids who have a phobia of balloons popping: you’re not the only one who gets scared! The bursting balloon actually creates a small supersonic impact. After the inflated balloon is damaged, the air begins to escape from it at a tremendous speed, while the hole in rubber grows almost at the speed of sound. Since this speed is much higher than the speed of sound in the air, a supersonic shock occurs. In fact, a bursting balloon makes as much noise as a rifle shot!
Fact #9: balloons can help you create delicious chocolate cups! To do this, you just need the chocolate and a balloon (of any size). First, melt the chocolate. Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper. With a small amount of melted chocolate in a spoon, scatter round-shaped “cakes” on the paper to create the bottoms for the chocolate cups. Then, dip the balloon in hot chocolate and place it on these cup bases and let them cool.
Fact #10: have you heard some interesting facts about balloons used in the medical industry? A surgical procedure called “angioplasty” (a minimally invasive procedure used to restore the lumen of a vessel) uses tiny balloons (balloon catheters) that are inserted into a blocked blood vessel. Then the balloon is inflated to remove plaque and stretch the vessel wall.
Fact #11: people associate balloons with celebration, coziness, and fun — and there’s a certain reason for that. One of the unknown facts about balloons proves that the shape of the balloon has a great positive influence on the human psyche: the fewer angles an object has, the better. Psychologically, in a circle, we feel more relaxed and fun, as the circle equalizes and liberates. Hence phrases like "family circle", "circle of friends", "inner circle". And given the bright colors of the balloons, then this item is definitely created to bring joy!
Fact #12: special balloons made of super-elastic rubber are used to create the sculptures, so they can be twisted and tied without the risk of popping. Since the pressure required to inflate a balloon is inversely proportional to its diameter, these tiny tubular balloons are extremely difficult to inflate in the traditional way, and people use a pump for that.
Who invented balloons?
In fact, the very first balloons were invented by the Aztecs: they used the intestines of animals.
The first balloons started to look more like modern balloons in 1824, after the discovery of Michael Faraday, a professor at Queen's University in London. Faraday made balloons from two sheets of rubber, gluing the plates together for his experiments with hydrogen.
One of the facts about latex balloons says that the very first latex balloon was created by Neilie Tylotson in 1931: that’s when the long, narrow balloons were created.
How long do balloons usually last?
Helium balloon facts show that 11” latex balloons filled with this colorless gas generally last between 12‐20 hours. If they are treated with Hi‐Float (the liquid protective coating that prevents helium from escaping as quickly), they last about 2‐3 days. Foil balloons last approximately 5‐7 days.
Helium molecules are smaller than gas molecules in the air, so they seep through the walls of the balloon faster. That's why different facts about helium balloons indicate that these balloons deflate faster than air-filled balloons: the latter generally last for a couple of weeks!
What are balloons made out of?
Modern balloons are made from latex — a plant resin, сollected from rubber trees. However, natural latex has a pungent odor and rots, so a rubber-based latex mass is used instead.
In addition to latex, balloons are created from the following materials: chloroprene, vinyl film, lavsan film (milar), polymer with metal spraying. It is not recommended to release polymer products into the air: it does not decompose, and metal spraying is electrically conductive.
Do helium balloons last longer in heat or cold?
Actually, helium balloons last longer in cold weather.
Helium filled balloons last about 8-12 hours in a cold room. But they will shrink and won't look like much fun anymore. It happens because the helium inside the balloon shrinks in low temperatures.
Helium balloons facts show that the balloons filled with this inert gas typically last only 4 to 6 hours under a hot sun. Since helium expands in the heat, it can even make the balloon pop, if you leave it in a very hot place.
The amazing world of balloons
Balloons for party are a bright must-have of any celebration and a fascinating invention!
They have gained worldwide popularity, and we hope that new records and fun adventures of these unpretentious latex products await us. Our fantasy is limitless, and there will always be eccentrics and daredevils who will want to surprise the whole world with their inventions! Balloons Online provides the best balloons for any occasion at prices that make sense. Check us out at balloons.online!
