The allure behind the floating lantern scene in “Tangled” is easy to see, with beautiful lights filling the night sky as if by magic. These lanterns aren’t just a fairy tale, though – they have been used in cultural festivals in China and Thailand for many years. They may look innocently stunning, but one lantern can cause disastrous effects.
Lanterns seem to float by magic, but science explains how they rise in the sky without an apparent source of power. The lanterns are made from thin paper, covering a light wire or wooden fame. At the base of the frame, there are two crossed rods of thin metal, with a small metal plate in the center. This is where the fire is lit, which provides the force to push the lanterns into the sky.
The fire works just as it does in a hot air balloon. Fire warms the air molecules, beginning at the base of the lantern. As molecules get warmer, they become excited and start to spread out more. Warmer air is less dense, meaning there are fewer air molecules in the same amount of space. We’ve all heard that “hot air rises,” but why? It’s because as the air warms, and continues to become less dense, the paper lantern holds the less dense air within the lantern. Outside the lantern, the air is cooler and more dense. Less dense material always rises to be above more dense material, which is what happens with the lantern. Cool, dense air pushes down, while warm, less dense air pushes the lantern up into the sky.
When hundreds of lanterns are let off at once, the resulting scene is clearly appealing. But what many may not realize is that once the lanterns are released, they cannot be controlled and can cause damage to nearby land, animals and people.
Eventually, the lanterns will fall back to the ground, perhaps with the fire still burning. Even a tiny fire in a lantern can set a brush fire ablaze, burning trees and shrubs. These fires are unexpected since no one can anticipate where a lantern will land, and if they are not quickly noticed, they could spread and become much larger. Fires can even start on homes or power structures, causing widespread damage and electrical failures.
Even if the lantern is not lit when it touches the earth, its material is not as “biodegradable” as it may seem. An article published in The Guardian discusses how lanterns that are billed as “ethically sourced” and environmentally-friendly may actually be from unfamiliar factories. Companies do not always know how closely their manufacturers are in line with policies generated to keep workers safe.
When the lantern adds itself to the environment, animals could potentially come into contact with metal parts and become gravely ill or injured. Companies claim the “biodegradable” metal takes nine months to breakdown, but that is more than enough time for animals to accidentally ingest the material. If the materials do not break down, they contribute to the waste that continues to harm our environment.
While lanterns may look beautiful, they can have terrible consequences for the people who make them and for the community upon which the still-glowing lanterns fall. Consider the impact before allowing your own lanterns to light up the sky.