In 1783, two French brothers constructed a balloon about 30 feet in diameter and made from silk. Then they filled it with hot air and – voila! – the hot air balloon was invented.
Interestingly, the hot air balloon was the first human-carrying flight technology. But before the first humans went up, the brothers tested their technology by sending up a sheep, a duck and a rooster, which were not harmed.
We share this info with you because tomorrow is the third annual Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival. It’s quite the summer spectacle, though we’re pretty sure it won’t involve flying farm animals.
Here are the festival details!
And here are a few more high-flying stories:
The Chattanooga Football Club is making the leap to a professional league. The CFC will join the National Independent Soccer Association next spring.
TVA recorded the highest August electricity use in more than seven years during the hot weather earlier this week.
And back in 2017, a UTC student broke the pogo-mile world record. He doesn’t hold the title anymore, but he’s training to take it back.