Some Explosive Fireworks Facts
July 4th is here, and it’s time to help Uncle Sam celebrate another birthday. And what better way to celebrate than with fireworks? Where did these little nighttime wonders come from? Read on to find out some fun facts about this Independence Day staple.
What’s for Dinner?One legend has it that fireworks were accidentally discovered 2,000 years ago by a Chinese cook who mixed charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter together. These were apparently common kitchen ingredients back then.
No Cure for the Firework Blues.Today’s fireworks come in all sorts of colors - except blue that is. Even after thousands of years, there still isn’t a proven chemical combination to make bright blue fireworks.
Better Living through Chemistry.Different colors of fireworks are created with different combinations of metallic powders. Calcium, for example, produces the color orange, while sodium makes yellow, and barium makes green.
The Happiest Place on Earth.If you love fireworks, Walt Disney World may be just that. No other company in the world consumes as many fireworks as the House of Mouse.
Quiet, Please.Not everyone loves fireworks. The Society for the Suppression of Unnecessary Noise campaigned against the use of fireworks and helped create the first fireworks laws in the United States.
The Fabric of Our Lives.That’s one of the slogans for the cotton industry, and it’s doubly true for those who make fireworks. Synthetic clothing like polyester can create sparks from static that could detonate fireworks.
Have a happy 4th of July, and if your celebration does include fireworks, take the appropriate steps to keep it a safe one!