Recreating the floating balloon house from 'Up'
Using hundreds of huge helium balloons, a team of scientists manages to make movie magic a reality
![Inspired by Pixar's "Up," National Geographic's show "How Can It Be?" launched a 16-by-16-foot house into the air using hundreds of helium balloons.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2dMyTK4Xtu5wFupatUUuwF-415-80.jpg)
The video: Pixar's animated movie Up hinges on the fantastical idea that a cranky old man can fly his house all the way to South America by tethering it to a bunch of helium balloons. Turns out the idea isn't completely absurd: A team of scientists has managed to launch an (admittedly modest) 16-by-16-foot house into the sky using hundreds of helium-filled weather balloons. (Watch a Good Morning America segment below.) The buoyant home reached an altitude of 10,000 feet and remained airborne for more than an hour. The feat, attempted as part of a new National Geographic show called How Can It Be?, set a new world record for the largest balloon cluster flight.
The reaction: If you didn't like Up because it wasn't realistic, "you can be quiet now," says Michelle Castillo in Time. Indeed, this is a "stunning example of life imitating art," says Leslie Shapiro at DVICE. Yes, it's a "little magic" that combats all the "bleak cynicism" in the world, says Melissa Bell in The Washington Post . "Now they just need to make that talking dog collar." See for yourself, below:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Magazine solutions - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
Magazine printables - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
'In a normal country, their activities wouldn't even be crimes'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published