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submitted 4 months ago by anti_antidote@lemmy.zip to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] takeda@lemmy.world 22 points 4 months ago

I'm wondering how hot air balloons were invented. Did someone in the past started a fire in their tent, and the tent flew away?

[-] GluWu@lemm.ee 45 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

The first hot air balloons were those sky lanterns which were used in China as military signals. It took 1500 years for some bored French guys to say "yeah, let's make that but big enough to carry us".

[-] antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 months ago

Admittedly the Chinese weren't lacking in ambition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wan_Hu

[-] Rhaedas@fedia.io 10 points 4 months ago

Probably smaller. China has very early history of using small hot air balloons for signalling or celebrations. It may have taken the invention of thin paper for something light enough for buoyancy.