Fire Water-Coolest Conductor of Heat Can you really burn a balloon without popping it?  email to friend
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Common sense tells you that it's impossible to boil water in a paper bag, but this classic parlor trick was a favorite of the Victorian magician. The real difficultly in performing this effect is making it look harder than it is! As you might imagine, the secret lies in yet another amazing property of water - it's ability to conduct heat. Instead of using a paper bag, this modern day version of the demonstration uses an ordinary balloon, some water and a candle. It's a combination that's guaranteed to make people stand back.