Hot Air Doesn't Rise

Hot Air Doesn't Rise

You may have heard the maxim that “warm air rises.” False: no matter its temperature, air is drawn downward by Earth’s gravity. There’s no force sending it toward the sky—unless something heavier pushes in with a force greater than its weight, displacing it upward.

So what’s heavier than warm air? What gives those beautiful balloons their lift?

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Round Balloons in a Square Box

Round Balloons in a Square Box

I love waking up in Albuquerque on clear mornings: a glance out my west-facing window often reveals a couple hot air balloons dotting the horizon.

Albuquerque is the self-proclaimed “Ballooning Capital of the World,” and ballooning is popular here year-round thanks to well-suited weather. Cloudless skies and mild temperatures are common across New Mexico, but the terrain around this city in particular sometimes shapes a favorable wind pattern known as the “Box.” What’s so special about the air above Duke City that attracts balloonists by the dozens?

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