JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images
Hot-air balloons have been around for centuries. They're certified aircraft for those looking to take the slow and scenic route, but owning one can set you back considerably — 30,000 euros for a smaller balloon and 150,000 euros for a larger one.

A new NASA experiment will take to the skies on a balloon, scanning the space between the stars of our galaxy and listening for cosmic ingredients to understand how the Milky Way evolved over time.
Larry Mayer/The Billings Gazette via AP

Two U.S. Senators proposed legislation on Wednesday that would track all balloons in the nation’s airspace in the wake of four balloons shot down last month, including one identified as a Chinese surveillance balloon.

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Balloons are so hot right now, and not just the ones getting shot down by military jets. A startup in Japan wants to send people to the edge of space using a helium-filled balloon, and to do so affordably, but the chosen passenger cabin leaves much to be desired.

In the age we live in, what’s one to do if they suddenly end up next to a giant Chinese spy balloon? Why, take a selfie, of course!

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a helium-fueled nightmare here to steal all our national security secrets!