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The Astronomical Balloon

The Astronomical Balloon

FromThe Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry


The Astronomical Balloon

FromThe Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry

ratings:
Length:
15 minutes
Released:
Mar 10, 2017
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

"How far up can a helium balloon go? Could it go out to space?" asks Juliet Gok, aged 9.

This calls for some fieldwork! Adam travels to the Meteorology Department at the University of Reading where Dr Keri Nicholl helps him launch a party balloon and track its ascent. But this experiment doesn't quite go to plan.

Meanwhile, Hannah consults Public Astronomer Dr Marek Kukula, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, to discover where space begins.

And she decides to take matters into her own hands, with the help of a helium canister and some trusty equations, to help answer Juliet's question.

Send your Curious Cases for consideration to: curiouscases@bbc.co.uk

Presenters: Hannah Fry, Adam Rutherford
Producer: Michelle Martin.
Released:
Mar 10, 2017
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Science sleuths Dr Adam Rutherford and Dr Hannah Fry investigate everyday mysteries sent by listeners.