While I Was Out

Apparently the non-NYC part of America was fascinated by a boy thought to be on a balloon floating to Narina? Oz? Boulder, CO? or some other mythical place.

Now while a was in class studying aerodynamics my TiVo recorded many shows in the afternoon, none of which carried that story.

Here is why I'm dumbfounded by the dumbness. A helium balloon of about 20'x5'x3' (the tapered edge and sewn sections does not allow for a cylindrical volume formula) could never hold a boy of about 50 lbs. Simple math available online could have solved this.

20'x5'x3' = 300 cubic feet very low

You need 15.87 cubic feet of helium to lift 1 pound.

50 pound needs at least 793.67 cubic feet to lift, and at least 900 cubic feet very high to really fly freely.


Oh yeah plus MYLAR rips with ease and could never hold a moving child!

Please people a little more science will not hurt you.