Top 10 Hilarious and Mind-Blowing Fun Facts About Gas You Won't Believe!

1. Air-filled Floaties > Helium Floats

Lucky for us, Archimedes wasn't just blowing hot air: it turns out that using air, instead of helium, in floatation devices is more convenient for staying buoyant in water! While the lighter-than-air nature of helium could potentially send you on a one-way ticket to a stratospheric misadventure, it's the air-filled floaties that ensure steady bobbing in water without daring to defy gravity.
Source => van.physics.illinois.edu

2. Cow Methane: Moo-ving the Earth

Moo-ving the Earth with a windy twist: Each cow is a methane machine, puffing out between 154 to 264 pounds of the potent greenhouse gas per year, leading to a whopping 231 billion pounds of emissions from the 1.5 billion cattle in the global meat industry.
Source => epa.gov

Did you know that nitrogen is Earth's ultimate party pooper? 🎉🚫 Uncover how this abundant element keeps our planet from becoming an impromptu barbecue! 🔥

=> Fun Facts about Nitrogen

3. Whipped Cream: Rocket Science Dessert

Next time you find yourself "whipping it, whipping it real good," you may want to give a little nod to rocket science on top of your dessert: whipped cream chargers, filled with nitrous oxide, serve a dual purpose—they not only fluff up your favorite sweet treats but also serve as an oxidizer in hybrid model rocket engines!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Jupiter's Core Meltdown Mystery

Jupiter's got a serious case of "core meltdown", and we're not talking about a toddler having a tantrum at Disneyland: Recent evidence suggests that the gas giant's core, which is estimated to be 14 to 18 times the mass of Earth, might actually be melting, making it an increasingly elusive conundrum for scientists to crack!
Source => space.com

5. Under-inflated Tires and Gas Mileage

Like a zeppelin shedding ballast before its momentous crash, your car will burn extra fuel if its tires are under-inflated in a desperate attempt to maintain momentum! The not-so-funny truth: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every 1-psi decrease in tire pressure results in a 0.4 percent drop in gas mileage, so make sure to regularly check your tire pressure and avoid over-inflation for optimal safety and fuel efficiency.
Source => freewayinsurance.com

6. Pluto's Secret Gassy Atmosphere

Despite Pluto's cold shoulder in the planetary popularity contest, it secretly possesses an atmosphere to gasp over: Pluto's atmosphere is not only primarily nitrogen, but also filled with noteworthy compounds like methane and carbon monoxide, along with a haze of non-volatile compounds created under the influence of cosmic high-energy radiation!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Noble Gas Dance Partners

When noble gases aren't chilling out at the periodic table soiree, they might just join the party with some unexpected dance partners: Turns out, compounds with xenon and radon do exist, like xenon difluoride, xenon tetrafluoride, xenon hexafluoride, and radon difluoride! These odd pairings are remarkably stable under normal conditions, boasting unique properties such as being powerful fluorinating agents—albeit hindered by radon's radioactivity and some xenon compounds' moisture sensitivity.
Source => chem.libretexts.org

8. Radon Gas: Hide-and-Seek Hazard

If good things come in small packages, radon gas must be the exception to the rule: This sneaky, unassuming gas has a hidden talent for silently creeping through your home, as radon is a colorless and odorless gas that naturally forms from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks. As much as it loves a good game of hide-and-seek, radon's no joke, as elevated levels within a home increase the risk of lung cancer. The EPA recommends testing all homes for radon, no matter their geographic location, so don't be shy in enlisting a certified professional to perform a house-wide radon checkup.
Source => epa.gov

9. Volcanoes' Smelly Sneeze

When a volcano throws a fiery tantrum, don't expect it to hold its breath! Much like a vehement sneeze, it's going to huff and puff a rather smelly trio of gases at us: Here's the kicker: during an eruption, 99% of the expelled gas molecules are actually just water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, with only a tiny percentage consisting of the more obscure, but equally unfriendly, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and other lesser-known gases. Beware of volcanoes; they carry a big personality and an even bigger odor!
Source => usgs.gov

10. Stinkin' Egg: The Natural Gas Warning

Natural gas companies think you should always put a stinkin' egg in one basket: It turns out, natural gas is odorless, so they intentionally add a stinky chemical called mercaptan to give it that infamous rotten egg smell. This helps us to detect possible leaks or appliance malfunctions, ensuring our safety by alerting us to call for help from the gas company or 911 if we catch a whiff of that oh-so-pungent aroma.
Source => portal.ct.gov