The Elements
Hydrogen Beer?
By Bowser
14, Dec 2001 - 18:07

Numero Uno in the universe - a lotta gas - hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. Spread thinly across the vastness of space but accumulating into clouds in places that can become dense enough to undergo nuclear fusion and ignite as new stars.

Burning Hydrogen

Fuel for stars and lighter than air - the famous Hindenberg Zeppelin burnt up at its mooring point in 1937 having crossed the Atlantic buoyed up by hydrogen. Funny that helium, which doesn't burn, never replaced hydrogen and airships died a death - probably due to bad press a bit like tall buildings after 11 Sep 2001. Will they ever build a building taller than the World Trade Centre again? Even Donald Trump is having doubts about the new Trump tower.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

But hydrogen may make a comeback on the transport scene in car fuel cells. It is widely rumoured that these are about to take off in spite of the vested interests of oil industry. Metal hydride fuel cells take oxygen from the air mix it with hydrogen and are capable of driving a car at over 60mph for over 150+ miles on a single charge. There are no greenhouse gases produced from the exhaust at least, although hydrogen doesn't come free - some energy is required to free it from other compounds be they water, methane or other hydrocarbons.

Intimate details of the hydrogen atom's vital statistics were depicted on the Pioneer spacecraft's gold plaque intended to inform distant civilisations about life on Earth. It was used to demonstrate the scale of the Solar System and its location in the Milky Way. The idea being that ET will also be familiar with the basic chemistry and physics of this universal and common element and thus, hydrogen is the basis for a universal language.

You speaky Hydrogen?

Finally, Hydrogen Beer: hydrogen is now being widely used in Japanese beers instead of carbon dioxide in order to reduce green house gas emissions and is becoming incredibly popular in karaoke bars. It has two big advantages over CO2 - first it acts like helium on the vocal chords, allowing those challenged in the high pitch department to reach that elusive high C and to keep up with the brothers Gibb. But it also allows them to breath blue fire at will - all the beer swilling karaoke singer has to do is ignite his or her breath with a cigarette - the more you drink the bigger and bluer the belch of flame. Of course it is also widely rumoured that hydrogen beer is just another lightweight urban legend - but it's good gas nevertheless!
Coming soon another lightweight - Helium......


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