Hot air balloons have been around for hundreds of years, and they've amazed and entertained onlookers for just as long. Even still, most of us know surprisingly little about this unique form of transportation. Below, we've gathered a few fun facts to fill you in.
- The first recorded instance of a hot air balloon carrying passengers was in 1783 in France.
- Some speculate, though, that the ancient Nazca culture of Peru used some form of hot air balloons to help them design the famous Nazca lines.
- Ascent and descent are controlled by adjusting heat and sealing or opening the flap on top of the envelope (that's the part that looks like a balloon).
- Most modern hot air balloons are made of nylon or Dacron and use propane for power.
- Hot air balloons have been featured in a variety of popular movies including The Wizard of Oz, The Great Muppet Caper, Around the World in 80 Days, The Great Race, Octopussy, and Superman II.
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