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Fireworks!
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Program Overview
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NOVA investigates the science and psychology of fireworks.
The program:
chronicles the first use of
fireworks more than 1,000 years ago by the Chinese, who made firecrackers from gunpowder, and shows the historical relationship between gunpowder and fireworks over time.
traces the allure of fireworks
over time, from their beginnings
as a magical marvel used during medieval times—when much of life was lived in the dark—to
their use in Renaissance royalty
gatherings and at public
celebrations for masses of people.
notes that the three basic ingredients of a firework—potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur—have not changed much from when they were first used.
profiles Zambelli's Internationale, a pyrotechnic company run by an Italian-American family with generations of fireworks experience.
details how colors, sounds,
and shapes are created, and
how experts continually seek
to improve their displays.
describes how a firework is
conceived, made, launched,
and exploded.
portrays the intricate organization of Boston's annual July 4th display and shows how a computer
network controls the launch of 5,700 fireworks at that event.
introduces Pyro Boy, who straps fireworks to his body to create a
1-minute human fireworks display.
reviews safety measures that
govern the firework industry.
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