The country that makes 90% of the world's fireworks is also where they were invented. Most historians believe that the Chinese used firecrackers as early as the second century B.C.
2 AMERICANS AREN'T the only ones setting off sparklers this month. Canadians put on pyrotechnic displays every July 1 to celebrate their own national birthday, as the French do on July 14 to mark the anniversary of their revolution. But the U.S. imports most of the world's fireworks, spending more than $650 million on them per year. The Walt Disney Co. alone buys about $50 million worth.
3 A MIXTURE Of gunpowder and other flammable compounds causes fireworks to explode across the sky in all those pretty colors and fun shapes. Copper, for instance, burns bright blue; strontium sparks deep red. Together, they produce purple. But the outlines fireworks form depend on the placement of these compounds inside their casing (known as the shell), as well as the shape of the shell itself. Crowd favorites include "comet," which features a long trail of sparks; "peony," a spherical burst; and "strobe," which produces a blinking effect.
4 ITALIANS WERE the first to mix in extra metals to create different colors, in the 1830s. Before that, not surprisingly, all fireworks were orange, the most common color of fire. The patterns are a result of much more recent technology. The first patch of sky to see specific shapes was the one above Washington, D.C.: We welcomed our troops home from Operation Desert Storm in 1991 with fireworks that exploded into purple hearts and yellow bows.
Esta historia es de la edición July - August 2023 de Reader's Digest US.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición July - August 2023 de Reader's Digest US.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.