Ethylene

Ethylene is a special kind of gas that is very useful. It is made of tiny parts called carbon and hydrogen, and it has a faint sweet smell.

People use ethylene in factories to make plastics, like the kind used for bags and bottles. It is also used to help fruits ripen, keeping them fresh for longer.

Ethylene is made in big factories all around the world, especially in places like the Mideast and China. It can be made from other gases by heating them.

Even though ethylene is helpful, it can catch fire easily, so people need to be careful when they work with it. Scientists have studied it and found it is safe for people to be around in small amounts.

Ethylene has been known for a long time. Some people think an ancient Greek prophetess may have felt strange because of the gas coming up from the ground. Today, ethylene is an important part of making many things we use every day.