Like many Asian cities, Taipei, Taiwan holds a Sky Lantern festival each year. Sky lanterns, which are typically made of rice paper and contain a candle inside, are an important part of Asian culture. In most sky lantern festivals, the lanterns are released into the sky after citizens write their wishes upon them. The belief is that they fly up to heaven where the wishes are delivered to god, who ensures they come true. The lanterns function using the same concept that allows hot air balloons to fly: the candle heats the air trapped within the lantern, and the hot air causes the lantern to float into the air.

It’s a charming tradition to be sure, but unfortunately there are some hazards that come along with it. Not only do the thousands of lanterns released each year represent thousands of pounds of resources wasted, they are also a cause of danger to airplanes, and once landed, create fire hazards and pose a threat to hungry wildlife who might eat the wire frame that holds the lanterns together.

Luckily, Taiwan has found a way to marry important traditions with present-day concerns. At the Taiwan Pavilion, visitors can light a virtual sky lantern  at one of the 40 “lighting stations” available to them. When they press a button, they can then watch as an image of a lantern flying upward is displayed on a huge globe made of thousands of color-changing LED lights. Even better, the LED globe also serves as a visitor center, cultural meeting place and information hub where tourists can come to learn about Taiwanese culture. Once again, LED lights have helped to make the world a safer, cleaner place.

Thanks to Rubber Slippers in Italy for the photo.