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Thank you. It's June 4, 1783, in a town square in Annanay, France. 38-year-old Etienne-Mongolpher strikes a flint and steel together in search of a spark.

After a few tries, a small pile of straw on the ground sets a light.

A meager crowd watches as Etienne adds more fuel to the fire.

He moves quickly because time is of the essence.

Etienne is here with his older brother Joseph to demonstrate a new invention.

A large, circular sheet lies on the ground,

and if the Mongolpher brothers are right, it'll soon ascend into the sky like a bird. Etienne signals

to Joseph and the two inventors lift the cotton and paper sheet above the fire. As smoke and heated air

enters an opening in the sheet, it gradually expands

into a balloon. Eventually, the sheet is fully inflated, but the Mongolpher brothers' balloon remains

on the ground. One or two spectators heckle and laugh, but Etienne ignores them. He knows it's

just a matter of time before the balloon's ready to go.

And after a few more seconds, Etienne feels the balloon tugging at his hands.

He and Joseph exchange a nod, let go at the same time, and the balloon rises into the air.

The small crowd bursts into applause as the balloon soars up toward the clouds.

It climbs and climbs, rising higher even than Etienne expected,

till it's little more than a small speck in the blue sky.

This experiment in Anine France doesn't just launch a balloon into the air.

...