Bang!

The science and craft of creating fireworks is called pyrotechnics. The word comes from two Greek words: pyro, meaning "fire," and techne, meaning "art." The art of fire. From handheld sparklers and airborne rockets to even an ordinary kitchen match, pyrotechnics are all around us. Fireworks displays have long been an important part of cultural and religious celebrations, but they also are used as signals, in law enforcement and military uses, in firefighting, and in stage and film special effects. Find out how fireworks were invented, how modern pyrotechnics are made, and what types are available. Then learn how pyrotechnicians create displays for celebrations, how people stay safe when using them, how fireworks might light up the sky in the future, and more.

Ron Miller has worked as a freelance writer and illustrator for more than 30 years. Many of his illustrations appear in magazines like Astronomy and Scientific American. He has also worked on motion pictures and created postage stamps. (One of his stamps is attached to a spacecraft headed for the planet Pluto!) He has also written short stories and novels and has even created a comic book.