• doingthestuff@lemy.lol
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      edit-2
      1 day ago

      Yeah I knew anything bigger than a squirrel would require something ridiculous. I’m thinking even a squirrel would set you back a bit given the scarcity and price of helium. The balloon is the cheap part.

      • lath@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        Helium is portrayed as second most abundant element in the universe. Not scarce at all. Our ability to collect and make use of it, that’s scarce.

        A squirrel would probably need about 100 balloons.

        • BorgDrone@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          21 hours ago

          Second most abundant doesn’t really convey how much more abundant it is compared to other elements.

          About 75% of all the mass in the universe is hydrogen, about 23% is helium, 1% oxygen, and that leaves just 1% for everything else.

    • GluWu@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 day ago

      There’s a lot of optimization that can be done to make OEM raccoons flight worthy.

      • lath@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 day ago

        Yep. We can place them on a diet, shave their fur, pump them full of helium… We have the technology.